So, 18 years of Solid Digital. That’s an accomplishment. And it calls for a little reflection. If we’re counting, Solid Digital is now an adult!
Jesse McCabe: We can go to R-rated movies.
We can vote.
Jesse: Yeah, that 18-year span is huge. With all that’s happening with AI now, I think back 18 years, and I was still dealing with Internet Explorer 6.
Speaking of things coming and going, what trends are you seeing, what’s going away, and do you have any predictions for the future?
Jesse: I was just speaking with Travis, our COO about this. His insight was that back in the day, developers ruled, and they were sought after. In our own organization, we still heavily rely on our devs, but it’s different now. Development is completely different. We figured that development would be one of the last things that AI couldn’t do.
Also the way that we perceive websites is different. Similar to how my parents and their parents used newspapers to get news—but then radio, TV, and the internet came along, and now my children get information and find brands through social media and YouTube, not necessarily through browsing websites. Websites are still important, and Solid Digital has positioned itself to focus on the brand itself—writing content to attract the audience the brand most wants to reach, presenting solutions and outcomes instead of features and backstory.
As far as the future, I think speaking empathetically to the person a brand cares most about will become more popular. So, even if AI’s goal is to replicate humans, we still have to create content that sounds human—not bot-generated.
Our brains can’t even comprehend where technology is going to go. “Back to the Future II” thought every house would have a fax machine in 2015, because that was groundbreaking around the time the movie came out. But, we overshot that prediction. And I don’t think AI will destroy humanity, I just think it will become more of a tool.
How has the marketplace changed over the past 18 years?
Jesse: The marketplace has definitely changed. Not everyone could have a website when I began. Websites were a luxury in and of themselves. When I started, companies were spending millions of dollars on websites. No big brand website was under $250k. Technology has gotten cheaper, needs less people, and processes are better. But I want our agency to be the high-end option. Like a Maserati in a parking lot full of Fords. There’s still going to be a spectrum of website agencies, but by bringing in strategic marketing- and brand-focused processes, we can offer something cohesive rather than a basic site.
How have client requests changed?
Jesse: The big change for us is seeing the “ownership” of the website change from IT to marketing. Marketers have a different relationship with the website, desiring to track success and understand the user journey.
Whereas, IT wants things to be calm and comfortable, marketing teams want things to change for the better and marketing teams apply this attitude with the websites they manage.
Thinking back over your past year (April 2024-now) what are you personally most proud of—with yourself and with clients?
Jesse: We’ve been able to build up a scarcity model which has helped us work on projects that fit us best. It helped us gain more control of the process and be in the driver’s seat. Doing this ensured the best possible client-agency relationship, making everyone happier.
What did the Solid team accomplish that you’re most proud of?
Jesse: The most stressful part in a website design is creating content. The process we built in 2024 was improved and tightened up, and helped us guide the content more closely.
Additionally, we had folks stepping into new roles and responsibilities, and I think 2024 was the best year yet.
On top of that, one of our clients, Calbright, was the very first of our clients to reach a perfect Digital Growth score of 40.
Any favorite projects that stand out for you?
Our website redesign for Baker Hill. The culture fit of their team when we started the project—it was such a good fit. They were speaking our language and the project went smoothly, and the end result was satisfying for both sides.
What surprised you this year?
The economy has surprised me. I thought post-pandemic would mark a return to normal, but seeing things slow down even more is…surprising.
How would you describe Solid Digital in one sentence? (Bonus points if it’s 18 words.)
That’s a tough one.
We’re a brand- and web-focused agency that seeks to expertly represent our clients with an aligned team.
…but without word count constraints: Solid Digital is an amazing team that goes above and beyond. They’re tight, they know their roles, and they are accountable and truly appreciate the work we do—which is rare in so many businesses.
Why is Solid Digital different from other agencies?
We’re strategic. Our clients may talk to creative agencies that are really good at design, and they may talk to technical agencies that are really good at integrations, products, and e-commerce. But at Solid Digital, we’re thinking ahead to the end of the project: How will our client use their website moving forward? And we build the project around how it will help our client grow. (That’s where Digital Growth comes in.)
What do the next 12 months hold for Solid Digital? Any goals you can share?
I’m continuing to work on positioning Solid Digital as an agency that is an ongoing partner (versus a project-based organization). Our team might start up a simple engagement with small website updates with a client, and then we work towards other areas we can help with their website—helping turn every project into an opportunity for further improvement.
Plus, with emphasizing our support programs, we’re freed up to be even more selective about the large website design projects we take on.
The ultimate goal is to be a long-term partner for our clients and work for their success.
Solid Digital has been working with clients for 18 years to build their business through better websites. And with so many companies back in the office and searching website design near me, we are proud to offer so many services to clients across the U.S. We’re excited to see where the next 18 years will take us.
