Another week, another mix of behind-the-scenes tinkering and client-facing work. Here’s a quick rundown of what I’ve been up to.
Better pictures, less effort
I spent some time improving how my Cheltenham Times local news site picks its images. Instead of relying on generic stock photos that often didn’t quite match the story, it now generates a picture based on what the article is actually about, whether that’s a bowl of pad thai for a restaurant review or a horse racing scene for a sports story. It only falls back to stock photography if that fails.
The lesson for any business owner running a blog or news feed, you don’t need a photographer on standby for every post. With the right setup, you can get relevant, decent-quality images generated automatically, which saves a surprising amount of time over a year.
Rewriting for the right reader
I wrote a weekly customer update for one of my software projects, but on reflection it was written from the wrong point of view, it explained a new feature as if the business owner was reading it, when actually it’s their staff and customers who use it day to day. I rewrote it to speak to the people actually using the tool.
It’s a good reminder for any business writing updates, emails or website copy, always double check who is really going to read it. It’s easy to write for yourself by accident.
A new page for people who feel stuck with AI
I put together a new page on my own site aimed at business owners who’ve had a go at using AI tools themselves, hit a wall, and given up. Rather than another list of tools and jargon, it’s about having someone alongside you to actually get things moving, more of a guide than a self-service product. If that sounds familiar, it’s worth a read once it’s live.
Quiet automation keeping an eye on things
I set up a small automated check that watches one of my systems every hour and quietly flags anything that goes wrong, so I find out about problems before they become bigger ones rather than after a client notices. It’s a simple idea, but it’s the kind of thing that’s easy to overlook until something breaks at the wrong moment.
A local story worth a look
On the Cheltenham Times side, I covered the UK & Ireland Tree Climbing Competition that took place at Pittville Park this year, a genuinely brilliant local event with speed climbing, aerial rescue demonstrations, and a session for kids to have a go themselves. Worth keeping an eye out for next year if you’re local.
I also tidied up a couple of things that had quietly stopped being useful, including pausing an old price-comparison automation that no one needed anymore. No point keeping tools running just because they exist.
Get in touch
If any of this sounds like something your business could use, whether that’s smarter automation, content that’s written for the right audience, or just an extra pair of hands to get an AI project off the ground, drop me a line and let’s have a chat about what a sensible first step could look like for you.
