Since the impact of COVID-19 on the entire world, there has been a lot of discussion about the long-term impact on in-person conferences and trade shows. We know that short term, the vast majority of events have been cancelled, and many conference organizers are using online platforms to publish content in varying forms. While some seem to think that online events will now become the norm – spelling the death of in-person conferences – the fact is that conferences with good content and focus are going to come back to face-to-face formats and be stronger than ever.

Over the past 19 years, previously with StreamingMedia.com and now with the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show, I've had the opportunity to be the conference chairman for more than 50 in-person events in 11 venues across two continents, interacting with over 4,000 individual speakers. Every day I talk to vendors and content owners who are all looking for ways to showcase their expertise as thought leaders, demonstrate their capabilities, fill their pipelines with leads, generate content for social platforms, and meet with their largest clients and partners. While some of this can be accomplished via virtual events, no digital platform can ever replace what can be accomplished in person (and previously with a handshake).

The majority of us want to be around others, read body language during negotiations, listen to the tone of someone's voice, and network and interact with other people. In order words, conferences will come back because of what makes us all human. That's not to suggest that all conferences will survive the pandemic, and we've already seen a few organizers announce plans to exit the conference business completely. But let's be honest here. For more than a few conferences, COVID wasn't what caused their demise. It was the fact that even pre-pandemic, their events simply stunk. Some may not like to hear it, but it needs to be said: With or without COVID, their conference business would not have survived.

How many events do we need that classify themselves as a "cloud" show and say they cover "blockchain, security, IoT, hyperscale, private/hybrid/public, across enterprise, publishing and broadcast." That's not how we consume business-related content online, and it's not how we consume content in person. The best conferences are ones that focus on tailored content, the user experience, and their marketing message. They are relentless about putting attendees first above all else. Conferences that sell keynotes to companies to do sales pitches, put seven speakers on a 30-minute roundtable panel just to pad their speaker lineup, and don't have a "content is king" mentality simply won't survive. I am amazed at just how many in-person conference websites don't even list the show chairperson by name. The content of any show is only as good as the expertise of the person organizing it.

Everyone thinks they can be a show organizer, but many don't truly understand what it takes to provide speakers, attendees, and sponsors with a good user experience from start to finish. You have to pay attention to every little detail, and many overlook the little things that make the experience better. Think of something as simple as bringing your own doorstops to make sure session room doors don't slam shut while someone is speaking. Now multiply that by 100. That's the level of detail required.

I can no longer count the number of vendors, over-the-top (OTT) platforms, studios, broadcasters, and those tied to the streaming media industry who have told me that they can't wait until conferences come back. They miss being able to generate the sales leads that they get from focused shows, and many tell me that online events don't bring the same level of qualified leads. This makes sense because when someone takes the time and spends the money to come to an in-person event, they are already qualified. That's not the case when events are online and anyone can stop by to kick the tires. Companies also want to give their executives a way to get in front of a live audience to showcase their thought leadership, take questions, and interact with customers and prospects –again, doing all the things that make us human. This becomes even more crucial in a digitally overloaded world.

What COVID will do to the events that survive is make their organizers rethink what the end-user experience needs to be and how to improve it. And that's a good thing for everyone. Conferences need to be personalized for each attendee. This is a lot of work, but it can be done. Online platforms should not be a replacement for a great show, but should enhance it by adding value and reducing complexity. Far too many events are not frictionless from the start and only add complications with their platforms and processes that demand attendees do things the way organizers want them to do it, or because that's just how things have always been done. That approach and thought process simply isn't going to work moving forward. COVID has shown everyone how easy it is to do things online, and conference organizers will need to immediately change their mentality. After all, the best companies in the world see their business excel in times of turmoil as they spot opportunities, change their course, and become forged in the fire.

And for those wondering, yes, my Streaming Summit event in collaboration with the NAB Show will be back and better than ever. Whenever the next event takes place, it will move to the West Hall in the newly expanded Las Vegas Convention Center (see a video of the new space). With a new exhibition area, conference rooms, dining options, and plenty of space to implement any social distancing requirements, the venue is the perfect fit. And when you add in the new Streaming Experience, a free area where you can see live demos of every streaming media device in the market running over 100 OTT platforms, make no mistake: We will be back!

Focus is key. Content is king. Frictionless is essential. Messaging is crucial. Any event that can follow these principles is going to come back stronger than ever. Not overnight, and maybe not for their first show, but in the long run, their business will be better as a result of this hiatus.