Surprising predictions for the year ahead

Everyone drops predictions about what will “disrupt” WordPress agencies in the coming year, like “AI will automate everything,” or “shopping will move to chatbots,” or “digital relationships will replace in-person networking.” But the agencies here aren’t buying all of it.

They shared what they think will and won’t change despite the hype: how they’re adapting and the parts of human behavior and business relationships algorithms can’t replace.

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Getting personal

For a few years, digital events felt like the future. But post-COVID, live events are back and people want to meet in the same room again. One founder says it’s time to show up anywhere you can build relationships without a Zoom link.

LinkedIn: Not so slimy

A decade ago, this agency head wouldn’t have predicted that LinkedIn would become a go-to destination for building real business relationships. Now he finds positive energy there … and a lot less slime.

Strategic relationships

Ten years ago, agencies focused on scalable tactics like SEO, content marketing, and paid ads, but one agency found most of their best leads now come from relationships with companies in adjacent spaces who send work their way when it doesn’t fit their model.

Putting a face on it

AI makes blog posts, newsletters, and social media easier to create than ever. But do audiences trust that content? One agency figures video is a way to reach people who want to see who they’re dealing with.

Hire fast, fire fast

The advice “hire slow, fire fast” may be outdated. Good people get hired fast. If you take weeks to hire, someone else has already grabbed them. You can learn more in the first two weeks of work together than you will in five rounds of interviews.

Going local

While everyone’s focused on WordPress automated content generation, smart recommendations, and chatbot integrations, one agency thinks the bigger unlock is localization coming to WordPress core. Built-in localization might change the economics of global sites.