We sat down with Tom to find out more about his role at Blue Bee, how the world of web development is changing and any new challenges on the horizon.
What attracted you to work for Blue Bee?
Having worked at Blue Bee as a Senior Developer for a number of years, I actually left to try my hand at freelancing. I very quickly realised though that it was a mistake to leave this brilliant team of talented people. When an opportunity came up to return in a new role heading up the design and development departments it was an obvious choice to come back.
What do you enjoy most about your role as Head of Projects?
The breadth and depth of project work we do here means there’s never a dull moment; but the most enjoyable part of my role so far has been working with the team to modernise our product and process. The result has been a step-change in what we can offer our clients.
How has the world of web development changed over the last few years?
You might be expecting me to say “AI” here but I’m not sure that’s the case; I think we’re still a couple of years away from AI tools being good enough for wholesale mainstream use. The biggest real change I’ve seen is in the quality and flexibility of website admin tools. WordPress’s new fully visual editing experience (“FSE”) – which we’ve migrated to using in all our web projects – brings all the advantages of site builder-style services like Squarespace and Wix, but utilises them in open-source WordPress; which is a significantly better platform on which to build a site that will be flexible and functional enough to grow alongside your business.
What future challenges do you see business facing regarding development and how can you and the Blue Bee team help?
Here’s where I will talk about AI. As the internet becomes saturated with AI-generated content the challenge for businesses will be working out how to stand out from the crowd. But there’s an opportunity there, I think. AI has the potential to be like a snake eating its own tail, with the quality, accuracy and originality of AI-generated content decreasing exponentially as more and more of the source content becomes itself AI-generated. Any business committed to consistently writing their own high-quality content will soon find itself at the top of the pile.
What sets Blue Bee apart from the competition when you are looking for a new website?
We can offer everything under one roof. Unlike purely design-led agencies or purely marketing-led agencies, we can design a detailed strategy for your brand, build you a quality online presence, help navigate the ever-changing world of SEO and Google Ads, help manage your social media strategy, design printed materials or signage, and so much more. And if that wasn’t enough, our sister company Hive Communications is on hand to help with all your telecom, IT support, cyber security and hardware needs. We really do it all.
We live in strange times and I hope that Blue Bee can keep doing the great work it’s done ever since the pandemic; helping businesses succeed in this unreal marketplace and cost of living crisis and see them come out the other side not only surviving, but thriving.
