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Digital Marketing

Boost Your Business and Sales through Social Media

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Are you avoiding using social tools to generate business? You’re missing out on a world of opportunities

In 2016, your company and employees ought to be using social media tools consistently to communicate with your existing clients, and get involved in online conversations with the wider world. Why? Because your business’s fortunes – and your employees’ livelihoods – depend on it.

More than 2 billion people use social media tools on a daily basis. Nowadays, even a small, independent startup is locked in intense competition with enterprises of all sizes worldwide. After all, the Internet knows no regional or national boundaries. Ergo, all businesses are international businesses, and the ones that are using social media effectively, have a competitive edge over those that are not.

Furthermore, companies that use social media tools regularly and smartly can generate more sales or potential sales. An integral part of the sales process involves developing relationships, and some social channels can help you and your sales team cultivate new leads or prospects, and find out what people are saying about your brand as well as your competition.

Why Your Business Needs to Embrace Social Media

There are five valuable points to consider as you transition your business to become a social business:

  • Facebook at Work. Not only is Facebook the English-speaking world’s most popular social platform, but it’s also continuing to grow at a healthy clip. Facebook at Work is the platform’s soon-to-be-released tool that will allow companies to create internal social networks among employees. That pits Facebook against the likes of Slack, Socialcast, Yammer and countless others eager to lead the enterprise social space. Will this be the so-called “killer app” that rings the death knell for our reliance on email? Time will tell. In any event, it’s likely to induce Facebook holdouts on your team to become more familiar with the network, and over time, turn them on to engaging with the world outside the office walls in a responsible manner.
  • Transform your employees into brand ambassadors. When it comes to promoting your business organically, there are no greater influencers in the world than the people who work with and for you. You may already have a social media team or coordinator and a public relations professional doing much of the heavy lifting, but garnering good online or public relations should be every employees’ responsibility.
  • Social media drives analytics. Each social network provides analytics tools, and the data these provide can be weighed alongside your website’s performance that’s tracked by Google Analytics. Plus, you can plug your social channels into Google Analytics for additional insights. It’s not a secret that smart business decisions are based on quantifiable data. Social data can help you identify new potential clients, provide insight into the content you’re sharing, and if/how it resonates with your intended audience.
  • Understand the role of social pay-per-click. Advertising via social media isn’t taboo provided you’re doing it properly. Regarding social pay-per-click (PPC), it’s simply a matter of advertising on a social network be it Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or any other platform. Different social networks provide different click-thru percentages depending on the nature of the ad, and the audience you’re targeting (e.g. if you’re selling to teenagers, don’t advertise on LinkedIn). Social PPC is unique from search engine PPC in that social PPC is tailored directly to users based on their interests, not solely on what they have searched for. It’s estimated social ad spending will grow in 2016 to US$24.2 billion, up from $19.8 billion in 2015.
  • Social-based video is exploding. In 2015, Facebook doubled its daily video views to approximately 8 billion, surpassing the hits YouTube got. Other social networks from Twitter to Snapchat have also rolled out video-sharing features. Clearly, the future of social and digital marketing is branded video content, and its influence will continue to grow year-over-year. While many companies balk at paying for professional video production, there are more cost-effective alternatives cropping up all the time.

“All businesses are international businesses, and the ones that are using social media effectively, have a competitive edge over those that are not.”

Never Forget Your Audience

What’s critical to remember when using any social channel is your audience – both your existing clients and the general public. Here’s a simple rule of thumb for using social media: be helpful, be genuine, and create value. In other words, transform your company’s marketing messages by focusing more on being human to connect effectively with others intellectually or emotionally.

Personalize your social posts to create genuine, long-lasting relationships or connections with existing and prospective clients. Understand the way your audience wants to be spoken to, and the topics they care most about. Moreover, use different content and different tones of conversation for each social platform that you’re sharing content on.

The tsunami of random or relentless marketing messages that people are swamped by on a daily basis simply encourages people to tune out. If you’re producing engaging content that is truly helpful and adds value to other people’s lives in some way, then they won’t dismiss your content as an annoying interruption. Your social content should always be educational or entertaining. We recommend spending one-third of your time on social channels doing promotions, one-third providing value-added content, and one-third engaging with others. Most importantly, as part of your overall digital ecosystem, your social content needs to mesh with your company’s website messaging, and help to support overall business growth.

Have questions about how you can transform your business into a more social business? Get in touch.

We’ve got the people, the expertise, and the technologies to help you achieve your strategic goals using social media.

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Branding & Design

3 Reasons to Hire a Professional to Retouch Your Photos

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There’s a significant difference between sharing personal photos you altered on a social network and relying on the same methodology to promote your business

As graphic designers, we hear this phrase a lot from new clients: “We want to look like Apple!” But what most don’t realize is that “looking like Apple” involves investing in a graphic design team that can produce that type of cutting-edge imagery.

From its inception, Apple relied on high-quality, slick-looking imagery to sell its products. A young Steve Jobs was initially inspired by the work of architect and interior designer Frank Lloyd Wright, a man who believed in a philosophy he called “organic architecture.” Wright was the leader of the Prairie School architectural style that dominated the U.S. in the late 19th century and early 20thcentury. Growing up in a neighbourhood Wright had designed left an indelible mark on Jobs. Thanks to Wright’s work, it started Apple’s co-founder down a path of insisting on distinctive, clean, beautiful but simple designs for his company’s products. To put it another way, if you’re shopping for used goods on Kijiji, chances are you’re more inclined to click on a classified ad which features crisp, clear photographs of an item up for grabs instead of one with photos that are blurry or dimly lit. Why? In all likelihood, it’s because you suspect the item for sale with the shoddy photos is of poor quality or that the seller is untrustworthy. Now apply the same train of thought to the quality of the images you want to use on your company’s website or in its marketing materials. Your company’s website, and the photos you use to promote its products and services should never cause potential customers to doubt the high level of professionalism you and your team are capable of delivering. However, subpar imagery will do exactly that.

Hiring a Professional versus Do-It-Yourself

Advancements in raster graphics editor programs (software that allows anyone to create or edit images on a computer) has spawned a generation of amateur, do-it-yourself (DIY) image editors. Many of the freely available image editing software programs available are capable of coming close to matching the full-featured professional software designers use. It’s become commonplace for anyone with a smartphone or desktop computer to simply add a predefined filter to a digital photo, adjust the image’s level of brightness and contrast, and then upload it to Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest. But there’s a significant difference between sharing personal photos you altered on a social network and relying on the same methodology to promote your business. Here are three reasons why you should work with a professional design team to retouch your photographs and design your marketing materials:

  • Experience and expertise. Graphic designers have professional training, and they have honed their craft over many years. They have a deep understanding of the art of photography, the high-quality editing software they use on a daily basis, and they know how to leverage both to make your business stand out from your competition. Moreover, designers know how to produce the professional-looking business materials you want, even if you’re unable to convey to them what that is exactly.
  • Time and money. Despite the enthusiasm for taking the DIY approach, it’s not a wise business decision to make. Graphic designers know the most cost-effective ways to produce the high-quality photos and marketing materials you want in a reasonable amount of time. You’re busy running your business and serving your customers. How will you find the time to research, design, and create a professional logo, photos, and sales and marketing brochures?
  • Consistency and continuity. Every professional graphic designer takes pride in his/her work. They know if your materials don’t look good, neither do they. Quality design includes consistency and continuity across all of your online properties and printed materials. A designer will zero in on ensuring every pixel in every one of your images is perfect. They know what fonts and colour patterns to use, and they’ll ensure the overall look of all of your company’s marketing and promotional materials meshes with your brand and resonates with your targeted audience.

“There are three responses to a piece of design: ‘yes’, ‘no’, and ‘wow!’ Wow is the one to aim for.”– MILTON GLASER

Getting the Results You Want

Though on the surface it may seem like improving a digital image is quick and easy to do, more often than not it’s far more in-depth work. Professional designers know how the human eye works, how and where it will rest on an image, and how colour and graphic layout can impact emotions and stir intellectual activity. In some cases, photo retouching can be straightforward. In other cases, it can be vastly complicated. Here are a couple of examples of where that complexity comes into play.

In the first example to the left, the goal is to remove the framework we can see in the background of this image from the sky. The sky features a subtle gradient that gradually changes from light to dark grey. It will be tricky, but we need to ensure the sky is painted carefully to avoid banding in the colour and creating discrepancies. To the left, we can see pillars in the background. We also have to remove the framework from this area. We are no longer dealing with a smooth background colour as the sky. Now we must remove the framework and add textured pillars seamlessly. We would achieve a similar effect if we removed the framework the model is resting on and simply showed the tiled floor. Regardless, a textured background such as this one will need to be replaced, all the while ensuring it fits perfectly with the rest of the image’s lighting and its overall perspective. Now cast your eyes upon the parrot and its beautiful plumage below (apologies to Monty Python). Our goal with this image is to isolate the bird by removing him from the black background. As the background is one consistent colour, it appears to be easy to select and isolate the contrasting parrot, but the bird’s body is out of focus. If we’re not careful, we’re going to get a parrot with a blurry black outline in places where the attempt to isolate him from the background is made. It is possible to isolate him, but it would be far easier to do if the parrot was entirely in focus.

In the end, investing in a professional design team to edit your photos and give your business that “wow” factor will help you attract more customers and grow your business. It may be cheaper to take the DIY route, but the sting of the less-than-stellar quality of your marketing materials will last much longer than the initial satisfaction you felt by saving a few bucks.

A man's hands hold drawn mock ups of a website design
Branding & Design

Love Your Graphic Design Experience

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Keeping the love alive in your relationship with your designer

Whether your business is new and you’re starting from the beginning or you’re refreshing your well-established brand, designing a new look is an exciting move for any company.

When you first sit down with a designer and the ideas are flying fast and furious, it’s easy to fall in love with the whole process. The creative juices are flowing and the possibilities seem endless, and they are! It’s energizing and invigorating!

So what happens if you aren’t as delighted as you hoped to be when your design is unveiled?

Here are a few tips to bring back the love when the excitement starts to fade:

Explore Possibilities

No matter how serious and professional your business is, design is a chance to enjoy a little creative freedom – to play in a way.  Keep your mind open to the suggestions your designer brings you. What seems a little too “out there” at first might be just the revitalizing perspective you need.

Speak Your Mind

Communication is key in any relationship, including the one with your designer. There’s no need to beat around the bush – tell them what you want. If you have a concrete idea of what you want to see, be clear with your designers. They are skilled at eliciting and interpreting your ideas, but even in the best relationships, mind reading is rare. Be honest and direct about what you want so that you will give them a fair chance at creating your heart’s desire.

Keep an Open Mind

You may have a perfect vision for your business, but no matter how well you describe it, all designers will perceive it through their own creative filters. If the results don’t match your ideal right off the bat, tuck it away for a day or two to let your initial emotional response settle and then come back and give it another chance. You might find you can grow to love it even more than your original idea. If you still can’t love it, try to be specific about what pieces aren’t working so that your designer can work with you to achieve your goals. Make the most of their expertise by hearing them out on their ideas, feedback and rationale for their designs.

Trust the Professionals

You hire the pros to get results, but also to manage your designs for you so that you can get back to running your business. Let them put their creativity to work to help your business stand out in a crowd.

Your business is very personal to you, so when it comes to creating the visuals that will represent you out in the world, it can be difficult to find exactly the right look. If you’ve hired a professional design firm, you’re on the right track to getting the professional and appealing image you want and need for your company and your brand.

Woman holding a coffee mug
Web Design & Development

Working With Web Designers

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After first feeding them a latte…

So you’ve decided that you need a website, and you’ve started the gears turning with the Frogs (or, perish the thought, another agency entirely). Maybe you’ve done some sketches on a cocktail napkin and now you’re ready to start working with the graphic designer assigned to your project. You’re on your way to having a beautiful new website design.

For any designer, the process is clear and simple, but it may be new to you so here are a few tips to help you understand what’s happening so that you can develop a fruitful and stress-free relationship with your designer.

You’re paying for experience

You may have heard of Photoshop and even used it once or twice, but there are people in the world who have forgotten more about Photoshop than most of us will ever know. These are design professionals – the ones who work with Photoshop day in and day out, learning the intricacies of the software and understanding how to craft a piece of art with nothing more than a keyboard and a mouse.

It’s this expertise you’re paying for when you hire a graphic designer to artfully construct the look of your website – not just knowing Photoshop, but also understanding a variety of software, design philosophy, how to draw a user’s eye to important visual and textual concepts, and that you never wear brown shoes with black pants.

A designer has spent years learning about design and what looks good, but when you’re paying good money for a website and you think of it as your baby, it can be difficult to step back and let the designer do the job you’re paying them to do. To make the relationship as smooth as possible, though, there’s a point where the conversation about design intent and message is over, and it’s time for the designer to get to work.

A good, experienced designer will be able to recognize patterns of colour and shape, and be able to draw every element of a website’s design together into a piece of art that not only gets the point across but also pushes a viewer to focus in on the most important elements.

Some people want to micro-manage every aspect of the design instead of relying on the professional’s advice, and that’s where problems can start to arise. A designer will put together the best design they can, based on the client’s needs and objectives. While a client may not love it at first sight, it will be professional and will be based on the information the designer was given.

“A good designer will bring their many years of training and experience together to build an excellent website – something that fits the objectives”

Getting that one version

Clients may be surprised when they only get one version of a website design instead of several to choose from. This is the complete opposite of what they get when a designer creates a logo (typically a few different ideas are presented based on the client’s needs).

With a website, though, a designer doesn’t need to generate several ideas. In fact, that’s a lot of extra time and money that doesn’t need to be spent. A good designer, with an understanding of the client’s brand and intent, will bring their many years of training and experience together to build an excellent website – something that fits the objectives. They’ve gone through a variety of versions in their head and come up with the best result.

“I think the main thing is just trust our expertise and knowledge,” says Jen Hawkyard, Treefrog’s art director. “I think what happens a lot of times is people come in with the ‘this is the way I think it should be done attitude’ and aren’t listening to the advice and expertise that we have. We do things for a reason and it’s not haphazard.”

To get the most from the relationship with the designer, clients should ideally listen to the designer’s advice. It’s okay to question the advice; it means you’re interested and invested in the project. However, there are reasons designs are done in a certain way.

As Jen explained, web design is very intentional. Designs make a user’s eyes follow a very specific path, leading them to see key attributes – all based on what a client says is the most important parts of their business. As long as that information is accurate, the design is appropriate.

The Dos and the Don’ts

Do you want to make things as easy and seamless as possible during the website design process? It’s not as hard as you might think. Here are a few tips from the Frogs that will make your life easier and help you get the design you really want:

The Dos

  1. Do understand you’re paying for a professional instead of your nephew who “knows something about computers.”

  2. Do listen to the advice of the designer. They’re professionals with mucho experience and talent.

  3. Do be very clear about your objectives and brand identity. If you want things to run smoothly, it’s important that the designer knows where you’re coming from and what you want.

  4. Do use the designer for the appropriate task. You wouldn’t use a hammer like a screwdriver. Use the designer for their expertise.

  5. Do trust and relax. Treefrog looks for the best talent. They know their jobs, and they’ll do a fantastic job if you let them.

The Don’ts

  1. Don’t micro-manage. Nobody is at peak performance with the boss hanging over their shoulder. Let the designer do the job they were hired to do for you.

  2. Don’t treat the designer like a layout person. They went to school for their job and spent years doing it. They know what looks good, and they’ve already thought of alternatives. They’ve chosen what is best based on your objectives.

  3. Don’t keep tweaking excellence. Once the design is excellent, don’t keep tweaking in the hopes of getting perfection.

  4. Don’t hire a designer if you want a computer operator. You’re spending a lot of money to get good graphic design and a designer’s professional advice. Don’t worry, be happy. The designer will come back with a website design tailored to your needs. If you communicate those needs well, the design will be in line with your business goals.


A blue chameleon.
Web Design & Development

Is Your Website Truly Responsive?

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Since Google’s famed mobile-friendly algorithm update this past April, everyone has been jumping on the responsive bandwagon.  To make mobile users happiest, Google suggests having a responsive website. Of course, making your website responsive is not like flipping a switch. A lot can go wrong. And it often does.

Exactly what goes wrong, you ask?

Check out these most common issues with responsive design.

Does your logo resize and rescale correctly?

Your logo is the pinnacle of your brand. It should look great on all devices to best represent your business and start the conversation with your clients. If your logo looks blurry, too big, too small, cut off, or broken in any way – speak to your web team about getting it fixed right away.

Are your icons retina-ready?

Icons are hugely helpful for helping users navigate on the smaller mobile devices. They are often used to replace lengthy words to save space – and since we respond quicker to visual stimuli than we do words it makes for a quicker viewer and user experience. Are your icons blurry rather than crisp? With the multiple resolutions that laptops, tablets, and mobile devices come in nowadays it’s a wonder anyone can get image formatting right. But if your web team is a team of experienced professionals they should be able to manage multiple resolutions. If your icons are clear on a laptop but appear blurry when viewed on a mobile phone, it’s a sign that your mobile site is unable to handle responsive images. With a little work, your icons can be retina-ready!

Can you tap to call?

Seems like a simple question, but it can make or break a user’s mobile experience.  With the rise of smartphones, users are moving their viewing habits from desktop to mobile. Did you know 82% of Canadians use their smartphone for accessing the Internet? From checking out your store hours to booking an appointment, users are relying on the mobile experience for their digital needs. With a little bit of extra code, web developers can ensure that when a user taps your contact number it will call you directly. Similarly, they can also launch a map app to pinpoint your exact location. You can also set up click to call tracking that carries into Google Analytics. Make your client’s life easier by implementing these simple improvements on your responsive website.

Do images scale correctly with the content?

When you move from desktop to mobile, do your images look huge? Do parts of your images seem to be cut off? The mobile experience is a fluid environment and images designed for desktop consumption will wreak havoc on your mobile site.  These images have been assigned a fixed position and will cause mobile mayhem on your beautifully crafted page.

Does the site change when you go into a horizontal orientation?

Depending on your developer, your site will be designed to reflow at certain dimensions. Here at Treefrog our main “break points” are desktop (1024 pixels and up), phone (768 pixels and 320 pixels). We use 480 pixels when a user turns and operates the device horizontally. We also include an in-between dimension that allows a responsive site to reflow naturally and adjust itself to the size of the device. If your site looks the same across all devices other than it looking bigger or smaller, then there is something wrong and the user-experience will likely not be ideal.

Do you have to insert content multiple times?

A content management system (CMS) like Treefrog’s LEAP will help minimize the time it takes to insert content. With a CMS, you will only have to input your content once, and it will seamlessly reflow on all your mobile devices. If you have to insert content for a mobile version in addition to your desktop site your likely do not have a fully responsive page.

Do your call-to-action buttons reflow to match the device?

Depending on the device the user may have different priorities and interests. A tablet has the natural ability to make reading easy and compelling. The size of the screen allows you to prioritize content and include a call-to-action button without sacrificing any space. The mobile device, however, is a different story. Users are often on-the-go and need to find information without the hassle of infinite scrolling. Guide users to the information they need by avoiding visual clutter and creating a dominant call-to-action button—remember space is at a premium here!

“Today’s web developers need to be mindful of user’s data plans, so load times need to be fast. Mobile sites must be tailored to be less data-heavy.”

Be respectful of data

Remember when you would click a link, go get a coffee, read a report, and still have time to rearrange your office supplies alphabetically before the page loaded? Thankfully those days are over, so unless you have dial-up (in which case, our sincere condolences), users expect lightning-fast service on all of their devices. Today’s web developers need to be mindful of user’s data plans, so load times need to be fast. Mobile sites must be tailored to be less data-heavy. Unnecessary clutter that could impede a streamlined experience must be removed.

Was the site tested on the latest devices?

If your site is on its way to becoming responsive be sure to ask which devices your web developers are using to test performance. Ensure that all users can access your site by testing all current mobile devices on all common browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and unfortunately Internet Explorer). The mobile experience should be seamless no matter which device is being used to access your site.

Is your site finger-friendly?

Today’s information is literally at our fingertips. Users interact with their devices using touchscreens on their phones and tablets—letting their fingers do the browsing. When designing a responsive site, keep in mind that fingers are a lot less accurate than a mouse pointer.  A touch-friendly design includes buttons that are large and easily identifiable. Hover-style functions will have to be removed, as mobile devices are unable to detect these functions.

Given the countless ways that users can access the Internet, it is imperative that you provide them with a user experience that is seamless across all devices. Making your website desktop and mobile-friendly will keep your customers (and Google) happy, and keep you in business!

Glass ceiling with clouds
Branding & Design, Web Design & Development

The $100 Difference

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Some things to consider when deciding if the nickels and dimes are worth it

When selecting a web or graphic design provider, sometimes that $100 difference can make all the difference in your decision. When you’re stuck in a rut between providers, be sure to compare “apples to apples”

Consider these possible deal breakers:

1) Template solution OR custom concepts?

A template solution website takes a lot less time and money to build generally, however makes a great difference in the overall impression that your business gives online as well as your site SEO.

2) Outsourced Hosting OR their own servers?

Many smaller web firms sub-out or host your websites on servers that do not belong to them. This often times creates a web of confusion of who has what and where. When comparing the cost of hosting across the board, keep who owns the servers in mind and stray away from subbed-out solutions.

3) Two-Pop-Shop or Team of Professionals?

The reality is that a two-pop-shop firm (of which many exist and come and go each day) does not have the overhead cost of a larger marketing solutions firm, thus the reason for the cost difference in many cases.  But can two people provide the level of expertise and diversity that a firm with a team of designs, programmers, content writing, SEO specialists and admin /support staff can?

4) What happens if all doesn’t go well?

Should the scenario happen where you do select the $100 less company and things should not go as planned, what will the cost be to you to switch firms? Will you have issues getting ownership of the work that you’ve already completed? Will you be able to take what you have and move elsewhere OR will you be stuck?

5) Not a one-night-stand but a marriage

Remember that when selecting a web provider, your relationship will not be a one-night-stand but rather a long term marriage. With this said, it’s important to select a company that not only has been around for a while, but will still be around for you when you need them. Check on the availability and costs of long term support and webmastering.

Close up of clock gears
Branding & Design

7 Ways to Audit Your Brand

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Is it time for a brand refresh?

Your logo is one of the most critical parts of your branding. It is the visual manifestation of your business, voice, messaging and values. It multitasks, acting as your signpost, your calling card, your signature. It ties together every aspect of your marketing efforts and customer experience, from your website and signage to your invoices and receipts.

Your brand, however, is so much more than just your logo. It is your company’s personality and reputation. More importantly, it affects your customers’ recognition and positive impression of these elements. The most memorable and enduring logos stem from strong brand identities. Think of Nike, or Coca-Cola. Understanding your brand is the foundation for the visuals of your corporate character.

As with any part of your business, it is important to stay up to date with your branding.

How do you know that your brand needs an update? Here are seven important considerations.

1. You’ve recently changed your business

If you have acquired a new company, grown your business, or if you’ve started offering new services, it is a perfect time to update your brand. Your brand must speak to your marketing and consumers. If your business changes, your brand should adapt to reflect those changes.

2. There is inconsistency between branches of your business

We see this all too often with companies who have extensive, divided sectors of their organization. These sectors should compliment one another to promote a concise, consolidated brand.

3. You cringe or apologize when you show someone your logo or website

If this is you, stop reading right now and call Treefrog. You should be proud of your brand, your logo and your website. If you aren’t, your customers will know it.

4. Your competitors have updated their brands

We don’t mean this in a “keeping up with the Joneses” sort of way, but if your competitors are updating their brands, it means that they are going after new potential clients. That means, your potential clients. If they have a sexy new look that better represents their company, then something needs to be done about it.

5. It’s been 10 years since you updated your branding

A decade is a long time. Look at the differences in time between the 1990s to now. Your brand should keep up with how you do business. At no point should someone look at your logo and think “That looks so 1999!” Changing your brand does not mean losing sight of who you are. In fact, it means the opposite. Updating your brand carefully shapes your business while maintaining the authenticity, history and evolution of your company.

6. Your previous logo was not designed by a professional

If you used clip-art or a stock company to create your logo, you have not invested in your brand. Creating a brand should be a thoughtful, thought-provoking exercise that takes into account all the aspects of your company. It should be an investment into the identity of your organization.

7. You have lost your voice, audience or identity

If your current marketing is not working for you, it’s time to re-evaluate. You cannot expect to continue with your marketing as-is and expect different results. If you are not reaching your audience with the tactics you are using, then it’s time to change the conversation.

Your brand should capture and align with what your ideal customer is looking for. It should stand out from the crowd and invoke an immediate trust in your business.

Treefrog can help you gain new perspective on the perception of what your brand is, and what its potential could be. We can also help you understand your customers’ opinions and incorporate this into your messaging. Once we’ve helped you create a brand image that fits, we’ll help you transform the concepts into insightful and imaginative visuals that will make an unforgettable statement.

For more information or to inquire about updating your brand, contact us today.

Close up of a plant
Web Design & Development

Retail Rule Applied To Websites

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3:30:3

You’re walking through the mall (perhaps looking for something specific, but maybe not). You come across a compelling storefront with a nice green tie in the window. You decide to pop your head in and take a quick walk around. As you walk around, your experience is great. You are not harassed by a sales associate, the store is neat and tidy and you are drawn all around the store and finally find that table of green ties. You commit and buy one.

This good old retail rule applies much the same to websites:

1) Grab Their Attention

Compelling graphic design and a professional look and feel makes all the difference in the next step of actually getting someone to commit to come dig in deeper and spend the next 30 seconds. You have 3 seconds to catch their attention and make them find something that they want to click on. For this, Site Architecture and proper navigation is key.

2) Give Them Something Of Value

Have information of value to your target audience that draws them to spend the next 30 seconds finding some areas that they wan to commit to. Caution against putting too much fuzzy “about us” content front and centre. Give people calls to action that answer the things that they need.

3) Have Them Commit

If you’ve done the job of giving them something to chew on, your site visitors will spend another 3 minutes exploring through the site. This critical path and end result will lead to your goal on the website, whether that is making a call, donating now, making a purchase, posting a comment or more…

How do you know that the 3:30:3 rule is in effect on your website?

Check your Google Analytics reports. If your bounce rates are high, that is usually an indicator that people are not finding what it is that they need off of your homepage and some work may be required. In addition, check and see the average time spent on your site. It should be greater than 3 minutes.

gold ore
Web Application Development, Web Design & Development

What’s the Best Payment Gateway Provider for Canadian Businesses?

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Choosing the right online payment system for your company website can be tricky as it depends on multiple factors. Each provider’s platform and related services have benefits and drawbacks. Knowing what questions to ask as you weigh each one can make a difference and help you choose wisely

Managing a business and balancing the books each month is a particular trapeze act. To that end, ensuring your e-commerce site has the right payment gateway provider is a pivotal part of the equation. There are options aplenty, but which one suits your company and website best?

What is a payment gateway? It’s an application service provider that facilitates e-commerce transactions between you and your customers, allowing you to accept credit and debit card payments online. Think of it as the online version of a point-of-sale terminal you see in bricks-and-mortar retail shops, at restaurants, and other businesses serving the public.

32% of small businesses increased sales when they began to accept credit cards online

Your business is unique, thus, it has unique requirements when it comes to partnering with a payment gateway provider to accept online payments. Though not all businesses accept credit cards from their customers online, there’s a good argument for doing so. According to Visa Canada, 32% of small businesses in Canada experienced an increase in sales once they started to accept credit cards.

If you currently use InternetSecure’s platform, be advised that company was acquired by Elavon, and in the months ahead, you will be required to migrate to a new API.

Answers You Need to Know

If you’re seeking a new provider because you’ve become disenchanted with your current one, or if you’re simply weighing your options before launching your website, there are a few questions you need to ponder before making a selection, including:

  • What merchant rates and fees do they charge?
  • Will their platform integrate seamlessly with your e-commerce platform?
  • What will the customer’s experience be?
  • How responsive is their technical assistance?
  • Will their technical assistance team speak to a third party on your behalf?
  • How will their platform evolve with your business as it grows?

If you need to pick a new payment gateway provider, there are many worthwhile options to consider. Although Treefrog has the expertise to ensure your site is seamlessly integrated with the payment gateway provider of your choice, we have worked closely with PayPal and Moneris on behalf of many of our clients. Any one of the following reputable firms may provide you with what your company needs:

PayPal

The industry leader in third-party processors, PayPal is probably the most popular and most trusted digital wallet used by consumers worldwide. PayPal is easy to use, has transparent pricing, and good customer service support. For startups and small businesses, PayPal is a great choice. Its technical setup is quick and simple, and if you opt to go with a PayPal Pro account, you can access its API to allow transactions to be completed entirely on your website. Be aware, though, that the former eBay subsidiary’s merchant fees can sometimes be higher than other processors’ fees, and there is a waiting period for transferring monies earned into your bank account.

Moneris Solutions

Based in Toronto, Moneris is Canada’s largest processor of credit and debit card transactions providing a wide range of services for merchants. As of spring 2016, its technology also facilitates electronic business-to-business payments. The Moneris platform is reliable and secure, and the company provides customer support 24/7, a virtual terminal, shopping cart integration, and support for recurring payments. Through its partnerships with Sage Accounting, and its co-founders BMO and RBC, Moneris also provides inventory and sales tracking features. It’s important to note there are financial penalties if you decide to terminate your partnership with Moneris prematurely, and reportedly, there are significant new account setup fees.

Beanstream

Founded in Canada in 2000 and acquired in late 2015 by a Swedish payment-services firm, Beanstream provides payment, risk management, and authentication solutions. Considered a pioneer in the merchant e-commerce space, Beanstream offers monthly contracts, competitive fees, and good customer support services. There are no account setup fees, no monthly fees, no monthly sales minimum requirement, and no termination fee.

Amazon Payments

A subsidiary of Amazon.com, Amazon Payments competes directly with PayPal giving businesses the ability to accept online payments from their customers. Its platform integrates seamlessly with several e-commerce platforms including Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce. Implementing Amazon Payments is a straightforward matter, and it provides one-click buying, so your customers don’t have to go through the online shopping cart rigamarole. The company’s user fees are viewable on its website, there are no setup or monthly fees, and no fees related to being PCI-compliant. Contracts with Amazon Payments are month-to-month, and there are no termination fees if you decide to end your contact with them. Furthermore, Amazon Payments offers extensive support services for its clients and their third-party developers.

Braintree Payment Solutions

Highly customizable and flexible, Braintree’s payments platform accepts PayPal, Apple Pay, Android Pay, Venmo, Bitcoin and most credit and debit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB and Diner’s Club. It accepts payments from a website or mobile app. In general, integrating with Braintree is quick and straightforward, and it works with several shopping carts including Bigcommerce, Shopify, Magento, and Wufoo. There are no monthly fees, no PCI-compliant charges, and no minimum monthly transaction processing amount restriction. PayPal owns Braintree. You do need a PayPal Business Account to link to through Braintree’s administration panel.

Do you have questions about which online payment gateway provider is the right one for your company’s website? Get in touch via email or call us at +1-905-836-4442. We can help you make an informed decision.

A hand holds a credit card, while the other types on a laptop keyboard
Digital Marketing

5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Buy Followers on Social Media

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Growing your social media presence takes time and effort, and it can be tempting to succumb to the concept of ‘buying followers’ to speed things up. However, this does more harm than good.

Here are five reasons you shouldn’t consider buying followers for your social media accounts:

1.    This is not your real audience.

These followers are not your customers or clients, if they are even real people. They will not be spending money on your products or services and they will not be engaging with your content. The goal of your social media presence should not be to have the biggest following; it should be to connect with your customers regularly so that you are top of mind for them.

2.    Your engagement will decrease.

Adding followers that don’t interact with your account results in your overall engagement rate decreasing. On some platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, this will work against you. Having a low engagement rate tells Facebook and Instagram’s algorithm that your followers aren’t interested in your posts. This means the chances of your posts appearing organically into your followers’ news feeds will decrease.

3.    You become a platform for spam.

Once you start incorporating fake followers into your community, those fake followers can target your genuine customers with their own spam. If your brand becomes known for spamming followers with irrelevant nonsense, you will begin to lose your real and genuine followers.

4.    Your reputation gets jeopardized.

Your online reputation is everything, as one of the pillars of a great brand is transparency. Being discovered for buying fake followers can be humiliating for your brand and can result in your real customers losing trust in you.

5.    It goes against the terms of conditions.

Buying followers is against the terms of service of almost every major social media network. These companies have strong policies against ‘fake followers’ and will actively delete or ban accounts that use services to buy fake followers and likes.

Buying fake followers cannot only destroy your brand, but it can also put your entire company at risk. Getting banned from popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, will mean you can no longer access major marketing channels.

Social media brand building takes a lot of time and effort, but if you have a strong strategy in place, and work hard to gain followers organically, you can still be successful amongst your strong competitors.

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