Let’s clarify that AI can be a great thing for writing IF you use it well. However, if you are just opening your AI platform and asking it to write you a blog post/social media post/article on XYZ topic, you are definitely getting the worst version of AI content, aka AI slop. Stop it! No one wants that junk.

There are at least half a dozen steps you need to take to get the most out of your AI platform to help with your writing – whether you are writing marketing content, engineering content, sales reports, etc… You need to set up your AI process for success.

In the next few blog posts, we’ll walk you through the process of getting the most out of your AI platform. Since we’re a marketing firm, our focus will mostly be on marketing content (and all that entails), but the basics can apply to nearly any kind of writing/content.

Let’s start with the most important part…SECURITY.

AI is public

Let me say it again…AI is public. Anything you upload or write into an AI platform trains it and becomes part of its data. There are only a few exceptions to this – and unless you’ve specifically been told about it by your IT team, you’re not using one of them!

This means that before you put ANYTHING into any AI platform, make sure there is no confidential, proprietary, or regulated information (yours, your company’s, or anyone else’s). I cannot stress this enough. DO NOT put anything into an AI chat that cannot be posted on any other public platform.

Cleaning your data

Luckily, there are work-arounds so you can still safely use AI – but it requires work BEFORE you get started. Before putting anything into your AI platform, you must clean it. What does this mean? It means you remove any identifying information.

Here are some categories to consider and examples:

• Personally Identifiable Information – names, contact info, ID numbers, and any dates or specific events that might be used to identify someone
• Intellectual Property – business strategies, product designs, client lists, internal memos, and ANY other proprietary processes or data
• Financial information – Pricing lists, credit card or bank account details, Tax IDs, policy numbers
• Protected Health Information – medical records and numbers
• Technical data – passwords, network info

Some things must be removed entirely while others can be replaced with “code names” (Customer A) or anonymized in some other way.

Secure is the way

Everyone knows that the biggest threat in your email inbox is you. Clicking on the wrong link can lead to catastrophe for you and your company. AI usage is the same! The biggest immediate risk is you – uploading information that you shouldn’t.

It’s bound to happen but hopefully you’ll catch it before anything bad happens. If you lack expertise in this area, contact Web Savvy Marketers. We’ll ensure your content creation is secure.

Next blog will move onto setting up your AI for success – Defining your business context.

Earlier this year I wrote a post called Is Your Website Protected from Lawsuits? In that post I addressed the need to have an up-to-date Privacy Policy on your website. This issue has become more critical over the last few months.

Did you know there is a California law that allows you or your business to be sued if your website is in non-compliance – even if you are outside California?

The California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) law has been getting a lot of press recently, and not in a good way for small and medium-sized businesses. The law, which went into effect in 1994, was originally meant to protect residents from third party eaves dropping on private communications (at that time, phone conversations). But, over the years, it has been reinterpreted to cover all kinds of communication, including on a website.

The short story is that any website that uses third party tracking of any kind, without asking for and receiving consent from the visitor first, can be sued by a consumer for up to $5000. Third party tracking apps includes tools like Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, Chatbots, YouTube embedded videos and more. It’s safe to say that A LOT of small businesses are using these tools.

Litigious individuals are willfully using these laws to their advantage to demand companies pay up or risk an even more expensive lawsuit (remember that lawsuits cost money on top of the $5000 fine!). These aren’t empty threats; there are more and more law firms willing to take part in these lawsuits.

There are a few steps you can take to ensure you are in compliance with CIPA:

1. Look over any tools used on your website to identify what data is being collected and how.
2. Update your website privacy disclosure to match your tracking tools.
3. Use a consent banner that blocks tracking on your website until the visitor accepts your terms.

At Web Savvy, we use a third-party app to stay on top of the latest laws and interpretations of the law to ensure that your website complies with the current legal framework – without you having to stay on top of it! Our colleagues said they have recently gone from 10 calls a month, to 10 calls a day about the CIPA lawsuits. Don’t leave yourself at risk. Reach out to us today to find out how Web Savvy can help you stay protected.

It seems like whenever new technology becomes available, society embraces it before considering potential repercussions.

I’m old enough to remember the 90s, when companies installed new phone systems and laid off all their receptionists (hardly a huge savings since they weren’t very high paying jobs). After a couple of years of button-pushing frustration, companies that value customer service re-hired receptionists to answer phone calls and greet guests (and employees) at the door.

When the cell phone came along, it meant that your employees, your spouse, or your kids could be readily available every minute of the day. It also meant that school children could text each other, and later have the internet and social media, at their fingertips, every day, all day. Since then, research has repeatedly demonstrated how damaging phones are (particularly in school) for a child’s education and psychological well-being. Sadly, we are slow to solve this problem in the US. It isn’t complicated, we know the problem, cause, and solution…we just lack the will to make it happen. (Luckily, 58% of countries worldwide have made it happen – most within the last 3 years.)

The latest technology we can’t live without is AI. I’m not against AI, I just don’t think it’s the answer to everything…

From a marketing perspective, AI is great in many ways, but not when it’s used to write content. Don’t get me wrong, we love to use AI to help brainstorm ideas, flesh out an idea, or even to create an outline. The problem is that exclusively using AI can quickly degrade the quality of your content. There’s a great article in the Harvard Business Review entitled “Don’t Let AI Slop Muck Up Your Company’s Processes”. I think the title says it all but take the time to read it. Very interesting!

The other issue with AI content is that it conflicts with both good SEO practices AND good GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), which defines what the latest AI models are finding and promoting. This is because much AI generated content lacks:

• Experience
• Expertise
• Authoritativeness
• Trustworthiness

These 4 are critical when it comes to SEO and GEO (or AIO, AI Optimization). Since AI generated content draws primarily from existing content, it lacks SEO rich information which is quality, relevance, and trustworthiness. There are also several logistical issues with AI content creation such as formatting and keyword placement that affect the way in which your site is found.

AI has come a long way, but it still has further to go. It may eventually get there – but until it does, be sure you’re not putting all your eggs in one basket. If you would like to learn more about proper AI implementation for your marketing needs, contact us. We’d be happy to discuss it.

 

Data drives everything in our lives from the advertisements we watch to the music we listen to. It has become so intertwined in our daily life that we don’t think about it. However, January 28th marked International Data Privacy Day, and it might be worth investigating the last time you updated your website’s privacy and data collection policy.

There are currently twenty states with some form of data privacy law (Connecticut being one of them), and your website needs to comply with all rules and regulations. Violations can cost you not only in legal fees but also in potential fines that could set your business back and put your growth on hold.

Not sure if this applies to you? Well, if you’re using tools like Google Analytics or have a form on your contact page, your policy needs to be up to date. The challenge is how to do this. Large corporations like Disney and Pratt & Whitney have departments dedicated to compliance with state regulations and even they fail to do so at times.

Manually editing your policy on a regular basis is cumbersome. Even if you have the staff to make these updates, who is going to monitor the legal changes for each state? Fortunately, we’ve partnered with a company that can help. For an annual fee of less than $150 you can ensure your policy stays up-to-date regardless of legal changes in any state. They keep track of the law and simply send a code to add to the website when new laws take effect.

Not that your privacy policy is all set, what’s next?

If you’ve taken the time to ensure your privacy policy is up to date, be sure you go a step further and use the data you’re collecting.

• Use your analytics to help improve your website for better search engine optimization
• Make sure you monitor your contact forms and act on them. Respond to inquiries. Add them to your database. Sounds simple, but you’d be amazed how often this slips through the cracks

If you need to update the privacy policy on your website or want to better utilize the data you’re collecting don’t hesitate to contact us. We have a history of helping small to medium manufacturers in Connecticut and would welcome the opportunity to help you with any of your marketing or website-related needs.

 

At the beginning of the new year, people often set new year’s resolutions like going to the gym or eating better. But setting a goal is just the first step – you actually have to follow through with action. THAT’S where the rubber meets the road, because if you don’t want to do it, it’s probably not going to happen. I mean, we all know that running is a good way to lose weight, but if you hate running, it probably isn’t the right task for you. So, maybe you should try a team sport or swimming instead. You’re way more likely to complete a goal that you like!

Establishing goals in your business works the same way as personal goals. Your goal may be to excel across the board only to find that you’re great at some things but struggle with others. Sometimes the struggle comes, not from being bad at a task, but maybe you just don’t like it. For example, maybe you’ve got to do some cold calling to company targets, but if you don’t like doing it, you’re probably putting it off or rushing through it, even if you’re good once you’ve got someone on the phone. Instead of taking on that task, you should probably assign it to someone else who likes doing it and is good at it.

When setting business goals, it’s best to focus on the things that you enjoy doing and let others take the load off for those things you’ll spend your time avoiding. Whether it’s delegating to someone else in the company or outsourcing, having the right person for the job can save you time and money.

That’s where Web Savvy can help. We can take on lots of the things you may not like, like that cold-calling! From business development to marketing tasks to researching funding opportunities, Web Savvy can take things right off your plate.

If you are a small manufacturer in Connecticut with 50-200 employees, reach out to discover how we can help you. If you don’t meet these criteria but could use some help or guidance with your company’s goals, you can still reach out. We’re sure we know someone who can assist you!

For more information on goals and more specifically the importance of setting goals that work for you, check out I Stopped Setting Personal Goals by Ajay Prakash.

 

 

 

As we approach the new year, many businesses are considering how they want to grow in 2026. Should they expand their offering in some areas and scale back in others? What does the market demand? To determine this, you need to have a sustainable way to attract new business while maintaining your current customers’ needs.

But before we create the Business Development and Marketing plan, now’s the time to focus on a targeted strategic plan. In a recent Harvard Business School review, they state that 48% of businesses fail to meet at least half of their strategic goals. Proper foresight and planning will help allow you to position yourself with the other 52%.

Knowing the importance of strategic planning will help you to maximize all that you can in 2026 and beyond. Some basic things to think about might be….

• Do you have a clear understanding of each of your products’ profit margin?
• Do you need to invest in new equipment? (are you aware of the funding opportunities?)
• Are you planning on investing in your workforce? (are you aware of the funding opportunities?)
• Do you need to invest in your facility? (are you aware of the funding opportunities?)
• What are your current lead times?
• Do any of your current customers have any plans for expansion that might affect your business?
• Are there any foreseeable issues with your supply chain?
• Do you have a clear understanding of the direction your markets are going?
• What tools are you using for your plan? (ex: SWOT analysis)
• What metrics will allow you to track your continued success?

If your strategy is well formulated and executed, you will see your business grow faster and increase profitability according to research done by PricewaterhouseCoopers. If not done well, you could see missed opportunities or even decreased output and other negative effects.

This is where we can help. Together we can create a custom plan tailored for your business, specific products and markets served. We can also help you implement this plan and provide continued personal support for your business throughout the year. We want to help you succeed, and with the right strategic plan, 2026 can be the year for you and your business. Contact Us for more information.

“I need a new website” is a statement we often hear. While a website is one of your most important marketing tools, it is easy for your site to get lost in the vast sea of search results even if you offer a superior product or unique solution.

You might think the remedy to this problem is a new website to stand out amongst the crowd, but without strategic content and a marketing plan to take advantage of this tool, you and your business might find little to no success with a website rollout

Before you build any marketing tools, ask yourself…

Audience

• Who is your audience? (not just industry but roles in the company)
• What are the purchasing habits of your audience? (engineers vs purchasing)
• What is your message to them? (does it vary depending on the individual)
• What do you want them to do? (actions to take once they’ve received information)

Point of Differentiation

• What problem does your product or service solve? (case studies help people see how you can help them)
• What is your point of differentiation? (product, quality, delivery, customer service, etc.)
• Are there any other reasons to choose your company over another? (ex. one-stop-shop)

The answers to these questions will affect the way that you structure your website, providing useful information, the most effective navigation, and search engine optimization

While this might seem like a lot to take in, we can help you with these questions and set up a plan that will work now and in the future. Feel free to Contact Us about your business and how we can help you be even more profitable.

Note: It’s also important to have a strategic plan that drives all subsequent plans, but we’ll discuss this next time.