E214: Richard Hill - AI in the Agency: Curiosity, Change & What Keeps Me Up at Night

AI in the Agency: Curiosity, Change & What Keeps Me Up at Night - Richard Hill AI in eCommerce marketing. Hype or opportunity? For Richard Hill, founder of EcomOne and host of the EcomOne Podcast, the answer is clear: curiosity, testing, and embracing change are what keep an agency thriving. In this solo episode, Richard takes us behind the scenes of how his agency is experimenting with AI — from small automations to full team challenges — and why ignoring it could leave you behind. Richard Hill Richard shares his personal journey with AI, starting from curiosity at industry expos, to testing early tools like ChatGPT, and eventually running full “AI Games” at his agency. He explains how auditing his own time (and inbox!) led him to practical applications, from automated email replies to data analysis. The real message? Businesses that embrace AI will thrive. Those that don’t risk being left behind — just as with every digital shift before. He also dives into how AI is changing search behavior, SEO strategy, and eCommerce growth opportunities. Whether you’re curious, cautious, or already experimenting, this episode gives you a candid look at what’s working and what to watch out for. Listen to the full episode now and discover why AI may just be the most exciting change since Google Shopping. Topics Covered 00:04 — Introduction: Why Richard’s back on the mic solo 01:00 — The agency’s busy journey into AI experimentation 03:18 — Lessons from past industry shifts (Google Shopping going paid) 05:38 — Automating inbox replies with AI (Claude + integrations) 08:05 — What keeps Richard up at night: AI’s future in the agency 08:39 — Launching “The AI Games” at EcomOne (team challenges + £1,000 prize) 12:52 — How each department tested AI tools like N8N, Claude, Lovable & ChatGPT 15:08 — Using AI for smarter, faster data analysis 17:32 — Why curiosity and daily testing are key for business survival 18:44 — Richard’s quirky habit: brainstorming with ChatGPT on walks 21:47 — How AI is changing search, SEO, and eCommerce content strategy 25:37 — Wrapping up: Don’t get left behind — stay curious, test, and embrace change