Day: May 31, 2022

Local SEO has become a key factor in improving online visibility; its goal is to drive more traffic to your franchisees. Our partner Mobilosoft, a specialist in local digital marketing, has compiled 7 tips to help your franchise network succeed. 1. Website: Ensure a consistent brand image for a top-notch customer experience. One of the goals of a franchise network is to offer a consistent customer experience across all franchise locations, whether in-store or online. Ensure your brand image is always top-notch by using the same branding across the national website and franchisee pages. Ideally, as a brand, you should include a “store locator” page on the national website and provide local pages associated with each franchisee. This ensures consistency in the brand image (theme, font, logo, etc.) and formats names, hours, and other details according to the same template. 2. Website: Incorporate Franchisees’ Unique Details into Their Local Pages Each franchisee has its own unique characteristics, including, of course, the address, but also hours of operation and the products and services offered. Here are 5 recommendations: Optimize the pages for local search: include the name of the neighborhood, town, or region, depending on the franchisee’s service area. This will help the pages rank for these search terms, provided they are properly structured within the webpage’s structured data schema. Include an interactive map (Google Maps or similar) on each local page. This allows users to easily locate the store. Describe accessibility options (public transportation, driving, etc.). Add images of the store, products, and staff. Include customer reviews specific to each franchisee. Certain platforms, such as Trustpilot and Google, can be automatically integrated into website pages using a plugin. 3. Leverage local pages on Google, Facebook, GPS, and industry directories. Create or claim pages for your franchisees on the platforms that generate the most traffic: Google (Business Profile), Facebook (Places), Bing, GPS navigation apps, and relevant industry directories. Note that each platform has its own specific requirements for organizing and linking national and local pages. Plan ahead on how to structure the accounts and access rights between the corporate headquarters and franchisees. 👉 Having pages on these different platforms allows franchisees to reach a wider audience and gain visibility. 4. Standardize data across different platforms Once the pages have been created or claimed, make sure the information is consistent across all platforms. Imagine if, across the website, Google, and Facebook, the opening hours weren’t up to date—especially for a holiday. Consumers wouldn’t know which information to trust, which would slow down their decision-making and purchasing process. 5. Highlight products and services specific to each franchisee. Although franchisees generally offer similar items, they have their own local specialties depending on the region, season, and other factors. Take advantage of the website’s local pages, as well as Google, Facebook, and other platforms, to promote these offerings. 💡 It’s a good idea to adjust your featured products based on seasons, occasions, events, and promotions.  6. Encourage local content strategies Local pages serve two purposes: to increase visibility through search engine optimization (SEO) and to generate positive engagement (customer reviews, comments, photos, etc.) to convert other website visitors. Depending on the size and brand recognition of the network, as well as its authority in the industry, various communication strategies can be applied to local pages. 🔍 Keep in mind that each platform (Google, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) has its own unique characteristics, of course. For example: On social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram, content specific to the store’s news (promotions, events, staff, etc.) generates on average 9 times more interactions (likes, comments, shares, etc.) than national “branded” content. 💡 Local content for a local audience. 7. Boost franchisees’ visibility with local Google and Facebook ads. The little extra? Boost your Facebook posts and invest in local Google Ads campaigns. These campaigns are specifically designed for local businesses looking to promote their locations easily and within a budget that works for them. This can help franchisees easily gain visibility within a specific radius around their location. Conclusion on Local Digital Marketing for a Franchise Local digital marketing is a powerful tool for a franchise network that organizes itself to take advantage of it. Centralize or decentralize day-to-day management between the corporate headquarters and franchisees, depending on your needs. Collaborate using tools to effortlessly manage a high-performing online presence. Ensure consistent communication that puts the local community at the center to drive more traffic and revenue for franchisees 🎯 Author, Mobilosoft, Article Title, Local Digital Marketing: 7 Tips for Franchise Success, Available on the Mobilosoft blog You might also be interested in these articles: