A site better

Want to hold the attention of your web audience? SlyFox Web Design & Marketing has the tools to make sure everything clicks

Photo: Michelle Faulds of SlyFox Web Design & Marketing (photo by MEE Photography London)

WHATEVER YOUR BUSINESS, whatever your sector, a polished, professional website is no longer much of an option — particularly in the coming post-pandemic economy. And this holds true whatever the size of your business, from large corporations all the way down to the individuals hustling to get their business dream off the ground.

“Especially right now, people need to be online,” says Michelle Faulds of SlyFox Web Design & Marketing. “Everyone is shopping online. Even when this whole pandemic is over ― and we hope it will be soon ― people are more conditioned to searching, engaging and purchasing online, and if you’re not standing apart from your competition, you’re not getting their business.”

SlyFox has been named a 2021 Best Places to Work! Read about it here

Unfortunately, a perception persists that the most up-to-date, interactive features that take your website to the next level are expensive, hard to incorporate and need to be constantly tended to by a website administrator.

But these days, that’s no longer true, stresses Faulds. “With powerful plugin tools, more and more small business owners are able to utilize the tools and social media services they already have access to in order to more effectively market their business,” she says. “These features can add flare and functionality to your website, without it costing a lot more money.”

Post your work to Instagram and send it straight to your website

If you’re running a business where visual appeal is everything — whether that’s running a tattoo shop, building furniture or styling hair — you already know how crucial Instagram is to your business.

For some, it may be the main portfolio they use to connect with new clients and to keep in touch with existing ones. If you’re running an art or photography studio, for example, nothing else compares to Instagram, and many entrepreneurs in a variety of fields have spent years building their Instagram audience.

But that platform doesn’t ― and shouldn’t ― have to take away from your main website. So good news: it’s easier than ever to integrate your Instagram account into your website. When you post to Instagram, it can be set to automatically update the feed on your website which can be formatted into an attractive grid layout.

By integrating their Instagram page directly into their website, Rustix Studio keeps their visitors aware of all their recent projects and designs 

“If you want to jazz up a basic website, we can sync your Instagram easily,” says Faulds. “It’s great for contractors or those in the beauty business — as soon as they have a new project, they can put it up on the website. A lot more of our customers are just doing the Instagram gallery, because it’s not very labour intensive.”

“SlyFox recommended an Instagram Gallery on our website and it saves me so much time updating our website with all the cool unique designs we come up with,” notes SlyFox client, Heather Aristone of custom furniture and design firm, Rustix Studio. “Even if folks don’t have Instagram, they can come on our website and see it anytime!”

Likewise, Penny Rumming, owner of The Posh Cheeseboard Co., a unique cheese and charcuterie board delivery business, appreciates the freshness, colour and attractiveness the feature lends her website.

“SlyFox made us a website and added our Instagram feed on the bottom which keeps our content on the website fresh without having to make any changes,” says Rumming. “There is no extra cost to do this, and we love that they recommended this feature to us. The whole process with them was above and beyond!”

The Posh Cheeseboard Co. utilizes Instagram integration to keep their website looking fresh and updated without having to go to the trouble of posting on the backend

Using Facebook Messenger for top-notch customer service

One way business owners can transform a static website into an interactive one ― and supercharge their customer service ― is with a live-chat function. And one of the simplest ways to make that happen is to link Facebook Messenger with a business page to make interactive customer service a breeze.

With no need for a clunky chatbot, Messenger integration enables business owners to respond to customers quickly and personally right from their Facebook Business Page. What’s more, customers appreciate the authentic touch — not to mention getting their questions answered straight from the source. As a bonus, there is no monthly fee to use this service.

SlyFox client Live Love Lash London incorporates Facebook Messenger integration on their website to enable a live-chat feature

Giving you a competitive edge for years to come

Instagram and video integration are only two of the many ways SlyFox Web Design & Marketing optimizes websites for every modern device used to connect to the internet.

“There’s so many things that we can do, like creating booking calendars where customers can make appointments online, or to incorporate a parallax scrolling effect to add a sense of depth and create a more immersive browsing experience,” explains Faulds. “It’s something that’s very easy for us to do, but it really pleases our customers ― and more importantly, impresses their customers.”

The idea that if you simply build a website that customers will discover your products or services is no longer true — and probably never was.

“If you had a brick-and-mortar store and hung out a small, black-and-white sign — you’re simply not going to stand out,” Faulds observes. “It’s the same thing on the internet. ‘If you build it, they will come’ just doesn’t apply to websites. You need to reach out and engage with your customers and audience, and we can give you the tools to do just that.”

To find out more about how SlyFox Web Design & Marketing can easily and affordably improve your website or marketing efforts, visit them here or check out their social pages on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

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This story was created by Content Studio, TreeTown Media’s commercial content division, on behalf of SlyFox Web Design & Marketing