Future of digital agencies: The voice of Bikkelhart, the No.1 UX Agency

Agency talks are exclusive video interviews with top agencies, where industry experts share key insights and invaluable tips. Today, Prepr CEO Jouko Huismans chats with Bikkelhart's Emiel Nawijn and Yannick Haacke about:

• Latest agency trends
• Bikkelhart’s market adaptation
• Team and tech innovations
• Using AI for future growth

Enjoy the viewing!

“The reason why Prepr fits well with us is the optimization part Emiel just mentioned, particularly in personalization and A-B tests. Prepr stands out because this capability is built-in, making it a preferred tool for us.” - Yannick Haacke

Key topics and takeaways

Developments in the Market

Emiel and Yannick highlight current trends in technology and design, with a particular focus on the impact of AI, expected to influence voice technology and various industry trends. Emiel points out a shift in client demands from major redesigns to effectively integrating existing tools and platforms.

Importance of Brand and Customer Experience

Emiel points out that brand and customer experience are becoming more important as technology makes things more equal. Today, access to knowledge and opportunities is within everyone's reach, so the key differentiators are your services but most importantly, how you position your brand.

Tech Trends

Yannick adds that businesses are increasingly opting for "best of breed" solutions, and this implies headless, selecting specialized providers over one system to improve efficiency and effectiveness in development. As technical expertise becomes more widespread among companies, agencies focus more on specialized knowledge rather than handling entire projects.

Evolution of Bikkelhart’s Proposition

Bikkelhart’s approach involves integrating design and optimization closely, treating them as complementary forces. Initially founded with a focus on user-centric design, the agency has learned to balance creativity with practicality. Their development strategy prioritizes front-end development, making sure designs fit well with technical implementations. This strategy helps them meet client expectations effectively while maintaining their identity as specialists in design and optimization.

Tech Stack

Yannick explains that Bikkelhart predominantly uses headless CMS like Prepr CMS and Jamstack architecture for flexibility, speed, and optimization. They also utilize tools for frontend development and styling. Yannick mentions his preference for server-side solutions for better privacy compliance and SEO benefits but acknowledges the advantages of client-side solutions for faster testing and flexibility. While client-side can be a solution, it isn't ideal for user experience. Yannick emphasizes the importance of consolidating content in one place for their proposition and with Prepr, they can do that, making it user-friendly for those without technical knowledge.

Future of Digital Agencies

The future of digital agencies is shaped by AI and evolving technology, which are transforming how clients expect services and how designs are approached. Emiel discusses how AI supports creative work, particularly in generating images, but creating perfect visuals still requires human input and multiple AI tools. Yannick explains that while AI can help in code development by making the process more efficient, it can't fully replace human creativity and problem-solving in programming.

Tips for Agencies

Emiel advises agencies to focus on their strengths rather than trying to do everything, recommending partnerships for services outside their expertise to ensure customer satisfaction. Yannick echoes this sentiment, highlighting the importance of collaboration and specialization in delivering unified and effective solutions.

Big thanks to Emiel and Yannick for the interview! We trust you've picked up some valuable tips. See you next time!