Digital Marketing Tips for New Franchise Owners

There are more than 745,290 franchises in the United States. Everything from pest control to luxury hotels can be a franchise. While they can be a great business, one problem that almost all have is how to market successfully. If you are a new franchise owner, then here are some digital marketing tips to help you get started.

Create a Website

As a new franchisor, one of the first things you should do is create a website. Use your website as a way to let people know that you are open for business. Start now to organize your navigation keeping the most important pages where it requires very few clicks to get to them. Use colors that will make an emotional connection with your intended audience. If you are not a great writer, then hire a professional to create your content so that it looks great because it will be a person's first introduction to your company in many cases.

Write Content for Real People

You need to have a blog, and it needs to attract real people. Choose a mix of topics that your targeted audience will be interested in learning about. Post on it regularly allowing people to get a glimpse of what you are thinking, feeling, and doing. Think about incorporating long-tail keywords into your writing. These keywords often consist of your type of business and the city name. Some long-tail keyword examples could be "pizza in Longview" or "pest control in Coleman" or "hotel in Dallas". Be sure that all of your content is well written and unique. Make sure that you connect with people by using high-quality copyright-free photos.

Use Social Media

Social media platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram can be important ways to let people know that you welcome their business. Spend as much time listening as you do posting on these sites, and you will quickly learn what people like and hate about your business. Figure out which one most of your target audience is using so that you can concentrate on that platform first if you are short on time. Learn the nuances of each platform allowing you to post great content that will connect with viewers on that platform. Even if the business is slow during the first few months, avoid the temptation to be pushy on social media since people are there to relax.

Get Reviews

Claim your business on various review sites as this is where people will head to learn about your new franchise. Start with Google My Business and make sure to use as many keywords in your description without losing their meaning. Then, claim your reviews on all the other sites too. You can even get reviews on Facebook or other social media sites. Dedicate part of each day to reading and responding professionally to each of these reviews since 90 percent of people trust them as much as if a friend was making a personal recommendation.

Provide Convenience

Now more than ever, customers expect fast and convenient service from businesses. If you want to be a successful business owner, then you need to meet customer demands. Part of meeting customer demands is using efficient processes and providing more service options. An easy way to provide greater convenience in your business is through the use of mobile transactions and bill pay.  Studies show that consumers are willing to pay 11 percent more for a faster and easier way to dine and buy food. Mobile bill pay is just one way for you to take a convenience-focused approach to serving customers. As you grow your business, look for other services and options that make frequenting your business easier and more convenient.

Gain Links

One of the great things about claiming your reviews is that you have created links to your site from some of the biggest websites in the world, but that is not enough. Look within your community for opportunities to support local events that will give you a link to your site. The local chamber of commerce may be a great place to start. Write high-quality blog articles that others in your community will want to share with their viewers. Offer to be the local expert with the media in exchange for a link to your site. Take a look at your competitor's linking scheme to see if there are opportunities for you to link to the same sources.

There are many different ways that you can successfully use digital marketing as a new franchisor. Think about what makes your business unique and use the internet to spread the news that you are ready to meet customer's needs. Harvest the power of reviews to show people that you care about them.

Image: NuSpine Chiropractic Franchising

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