Dan McGovern Digital Marketing

26/01/2026

Big thank you to all who attended the ChatGPT for Small Businesses workshop at The BIS Hartlepool for Hartlepool Borough Council's Be Your Own Boss program!

If you missed it, I’ve got some good news! I’m running the online version on the 5th of February, so you can jump on from anywhere.

This is part of the Tees Valley Business Masterclass series. I’m also delivering a few other AI sessions you can jump on to!

👉ChatGPT for Small Businesses Feb 5th 10am:

How to use ChatGPT properly for emails, customer replies, marketing, admin and day to day business tasks

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chat-gpt-for-small-business-tickets-1980579389269?aff=odcleoeventsincollection&keep_tld=1

👉 Get Found Online Using AI (Websites & SEO) FEB 12th 1PM:

Using AI to improve your website content, SEO, and visibility without hiring an agency.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/get-found-online-using-ai-for-websites-seo-tickets-1980580534695

👉 Build Your Own AI Assistant March 4th 1:30PM:

Create a custom AI assistant that understands your business, tone of voice, and processes

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/build-your-own-ai-assistant-tickets-1980582705187

There’s a tonne of other sessions available for Tees Valley businesses, you can check them out here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/tees-valley-business-masterclass-series-4801924

If you know someone who could benefit, tag them or send them this way!

19/01/2026

Work Smarter - Chat GPT for Start Ups and Small Businesses 💻

Unlock the power of AI to simplify your day-to-day operations! This beginner-friendly guide shows you how ChatGPT can transform your business by streamlining admin, improving communication, and boosting productivity—saving you time from day one.

📅Friday 23rd January 2026, 10am – 12 noon
📍The BIS, 13-17 Whitby Street, Hartlepool TS24 7AD

Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/work-smarter-chat-gpt-for-start-ups-and-small-businesses-tickets-1976743000527

05/12/2025

🚨 New Website Alert! 🚨

Over the past couple of months I’ve been working closely with award winning jeweller Mark Lloyd Master Goldsmith to build a website worthy of his craftsmanship.

Mark has been a stalwart of Hartlepool’s local economy and is celebrating 25 years on the bench. So myself and Mark’s new ecommerce manager, Ed, sat down and planned something special!

We even managed to launch the site just in time for Black Friday, giving the brand a fresh new platform for one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year.

The project included:
•⁠ ⁠A complete redesign of the site architecture with a modern visual refresh that fits the brand
•⁠ ⁠Bespoke landing pages for each collection Mark Lloyd offers
•⁠ ⁠Clean, minimalist layouts that let the jewellery do the talking
•⁠ ⁠Improved product browsing with refined category structures
•⁠ ⁠Faster load times and a much stronger mobile experience
•⁠ ⁠A new About section celebrating Mark’s 25 years of excellence

The end result is a site that finally matches the quality of Mark’s work. Elegant, refined and built to convert.

There is still plenty more to come on this one, but it has been an honour working on this project and fantastic to work alongside Ed. Absolute legend!

Project link: https://marklloydjewellery.co.uk/

28/11/2025

10 years!

Yesterday marked a full decade since I went self-employed. In classic fashion, I completely missed it because I was buried in other projects. That is probably the most accurate summary of my career so far!

10 years ago I left my job and decided to set up my own company. Despite the criticism at the time, and the occasional “you should just get a job” that still pops up now, I went ahead with this little web company anyway. Pixel Boy is long gone but the core business is still here, and there are a few extra ventures and eCommerce brands added to the mix as well.

Black Friday has been chaos as usual, but when things slowed down a bit I realised this is actually a pretty big milestone.

If you have worked with me at any point over the last decade, whether it was a quick logo, a website, or a full business deep dive, thank you. It has been a mad journey with plenty of ups and downs and more learning curves than I can count. I genuinely could not have done any of it without the people who have supported me along the way.

If anyone wants to start a project in the new year, just drop me a message. I have a couple of slots free!

Here is to the next ten🍻

11/11/2025

Hartlepool business owners quick one…

I’m planning a few new workshops and instead of rehashing the usual stuff, I thought I’d ask:

👉 What are you actually struggling with in your business right now?
👉 Is social media doing your head in?
👉 AI meant to make life easier but just chats s**t?
👉 Don’t know your SEO from your GEO?

Let me know in the comments or drop me a DM.
If there’s enough interest, I’ll put something together that’s actually helpful – no generic fluff, no boring templates.

31/01/2025

Over the past two days, I’ve had the privilege of delivering two incredible workshops on Launching & Growing an Online Business and Integrating AI into Your Business. It’s been amazing to meet so many ambitious business owners who are ready to take their businesses to the next level!

A massive thank you to everyone who attended, asked great questions, and got involved. A special shoutout to The BIS Hartlepool for putting these events together and giving local businesses the opportunity to gain practical skills, network, and embrace the future of e-commerce and AI!

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale, I hope you walked away with valuable insights and actionable strategies to help you move forward.

If you have any follow-up questions or want to continue the conversation, feel free to reach out!

28/01/2025

Happy International LEGO Day 🧱

Fun Fact: LEGO has been using AI to enhance play experiences and design. The BrickIt app uses AI to scan a pile of LEGO bricks and then suggests builds you can create with them!

Curious about AI but not sure where to start? Want to know how it can save you time and help your business thrive? Here's a session for YOU!

📅 When: Friday 31st January
⏰ Time: 10am – 12pm
📍 Where: The BIS Hartlepool

Join RISE Digital as we break down the essentials of artificial intelligence, share practical tips, and show you how to use AI to make your business smarter, more productive, and more innovative.

🎯 What we’ll cover:
🤔 What is AI and why it matters for your business.
💡 Time-saving tools to boost your productivity.
💪 Actionable steps to get started right away.

🔗 Book your FREE spot now:
👉 https://AIbusiness2025.eventbrite.co.uk

👀 Find out more about the Be Your Own Boss Campaign:
👉 https://www.investinhartlepool.co.uk/news/be-your-own-boss/

Let’s get you building smarter, not harder! 🚀

24/01/2025

🚀 Launch and Grow Your Online Business! 🚀

Thinking of setting up your own e-commerce business? Maybe you're already running your own business but feel a little lost! If you’re ready to start, grow, or turn your online business around, this session is for YOU!

📅 When: Thursday 30th January
⏰ Time: 10am – 12pm
📍 Where: The BIS Hartlepool

Join RISE Digital as we break down the realities of e-commerce, share practical tips, and give you the tools to succeed—whether you’re just starting out or feeling stuck.

🎯 Avoid the pitfalls.
💡 Learn about all the tools to promote your business.
💪 Walk away with actionable advice.

🔗 Book your free spot now:
👉 https://onlinebusines2025.eventbrite.co.uk

👀 Find out more about the Be Your Own Boss Campaign:
👉 https://www.investinhartlepool.co.uk/news/be-your-own-boss/

18/12/2023

18/12/2023

🎉 We're Back Online! 🎉

Good news, everyone, the servers are back up and running! My apologies to those who were affected by the outage – not our finest hour, but we're all sorted now.

If your website is still playing up, just give me a shout at [email protected], and I'll jump right on it.

You might've noticed I've been radio silent on social media, then I go off and give you 2 posts in one day! Well, I was actually gearing up to tell you all about how smoothly things have been running (ironic, right?). But hey, that's tech for you!

Behind the scenes, I've been working behind the scenes on some really exciting projects (can't wait to share more on these soon). Plus, I've been diving deep into my own ecommerce business, picking up heaps of nifty tricks and tips that I'm itching to pass on to fellow ecommerce enthusiasts.

Just a heads-up: I'll be around tomorrow (yep, working on my birthday – dedication or madness?) and Wednesday. Then I'm off for a well-deserved break and some Zzzs over Christmas. But don't panic – I'm still just a message or an email away at [email protected] if you need anything.

Thanks for sticking with me. Here's to a smoother digital journey ahead! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – let's make it a good one!

18/12/2023

🚨 A Little Heads Up, Folks! 🚨

So, today's the day our servers decided to throw a bit of a wobbly!

You might have received a 503 error on your website, don't panic the system admins are working on this and all should resume shortly!

Apologies for this unusual hiccup – it's not often these issues take place and I totally understand the frustration with the run-up to Christmas. Hang tight, I'll post an update once we're back in action!

12/11/2021

Great to help out once again for Global Entrepreneurship Week (even if I look miserable🤣)