Web Summit conference: Is it worth the hype?
This week, Olga and I dove into the Web Summit experience in Lisbon, and we've been getting loads of messages asking us, "Was it really worth all that hype?" .
It was our first time attending this tech-centric conference, and, being from a digital agency that helps DTC brands grow, we weren't exactly the typical attendees.
Let's get real about our experience…
After the first night, we were a bit let down. The event is massive, and even though it's pretty well organised, as an attendee, you end up queuing for everything. Queuing to register, queuing to enter, queuing for talks, and in the evening, the story's the same - queuing to get into the Night Summit parties. More often than not, you find out that the venue's full, and you can't get in. With so many talks and events happening, it's a serious task to decide what to see, when to see it, and figure out if it's even feasible to get to all your planned sessions, given the sprawling venue.
Now, onto the good stuff…
Once you accept that queues and crowds are part of the deal, there's a lot to love about the Web Summit. It's a gathering of some of the most inspiring and driven folks in the tech and startup scene. The atmosphere is electric with creativity and possibility. Everyone's super open to chatting and learning about what others are doing. The quality of the talks? Fantastic. They really get you thinking.
But the best part for me? Talking to startups at their stands. Hearing about their business ideas and perspectives on market changes was incredibly insightful.
As heads of an email marketing agency, not everything we learned was directly applicable to our work. But, we took away something crucial. In a world that's fragmenting more and more, online and offline, customer loyalty is becoming increasingly vital. The era of Google and Meta's dominance is giving way to more personalised, niche solutions. Acquiring new customers is getting trickier, making the nurturing of existing relationships not just nice to have, but a necessity.
It was fantastic to be reassured that the work we do not only remains relevant, but is becoming more and more important to the success of startups.
So, was the Web Summit worth it? Definitely. It may not have been a perfect match for our field at first glance, but the insights and networking were priceless. If you're thinking about going, do it with an open mind. You'll be amazed at what you can take away.
