Franchise SEO: Strategies for Local and National Growth

Franchise SEO (search engine optimization) is a marketing channel that improves the visibility of franchises on search engines like Google. It operates at two levels:

1. Hyper-local level: Focuses on ensuring each franchise is visible in local search results for the suburb they are located in, including visibility of the business listing in maps.
2. National level: Expands to incorporate the overall brand’s visibility across all the cities, states, and regions where it has franchises.

In a nutshell, SEO for franchises typically involves:

• Keyword research for local services
• Featuring each franchise in local directories
• Listing each location on map services
• Creating location landing pages
• Eliminating duplicated or thin content
• Improving the technical setup of the franchise’s CMS
• Tracking results for each location

Creating a landing page for each location is franchise SEO 101. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Design a template: Start by designing a template you can use for each location page. Ensure you include the following features:

   • Localize the page title and H1 title tag
   • Feature conversion-focused elements at the top of the page
   • Add a map showcasing the location of the franchise
   • Add images of the premises and staff on the ground
   • If relevant, consider adding a short video or virtual tour
   • Mention the services available at the franchise
   • Add social proof elements, ideally specific to each franchise

2. Example: F45’s website is a great example. Each studio has its own page following the same design template, making it easy for the franchise’s web design team to add new locations as they open. Unique features for each location include:

   • A unique, location-optimized heading and description at the top of the page
   • Contact details for the specific franchise
   • The class schedule and booking functionality
   • The on-the-ground team running classes

These location pages can significantly boost the SEO performance of your franchise.

To put each of your franchise locations on the map, you’ll need to set up business listings on platforms like Google Maps, Bing Places, and Apple Maps. Here’s how:

1. Google Business Profile: Set up your profile
2. Apple Business Connect: Set up your profile
3. Bing Places for Business: Set up your profile

Steps to follow:

• Fill out all the information that you can. Get detailed with the services you offer at each location.
• Add images and other relevant details.
• When adding a link to your website for these profiles, link to the franchise’s dedicated landing page, not the general homepage.

Example: The F45 gym in Pooler has added this link to its Google listing: https://f45training.com/studio/pooler/. It takes visitors directly to the page with information about their location. You should follow this strategy for each of your franchises too.

Call tracking allows businesses to connect marketing efforts to conversions and measure the success of each location. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Select a call tracking provider: Options include CallRail or WildJar.
2. Set up public-facing numbers to track: Use these on your website, business listings, social profiles, and directories.
3. Set up forwarding: Forward all calls to the right person in the right location.
4. Connect the numbers to your analytics software: Or create a dashboard to monitor conversions.

Benefits:

• Call tracking bridges the gap between online and offline conversion journeys, allowing franchise owners and franchisees to see what marketing campaigns performed best.
• It helps assess where weaknesses in national visibility may lie.

Example: Display a consistent local number online and forward all calls to the franchisee’s mobile behind the scenes. Using a call tracking service can provide consistent, localized phone numbers for you to use.

Here are some local SEO tips for franchises:

1. Establish a consistent local address and phone number (NAP): Consistency is important because these details will often appear elsewhere on the web.
2. Create a dedicated page for each franchise: Design a template for each location page and include localized elements.
3. Set up a business profile on Google, Bing, and Apple: Ensure each franchise location is listed on these platforms.
4. Create social profiles for each location: Set up social profiles for platforms that make the most sense for your industry and link them to the dedicated landing page for the franchise.
5. Feature each franchise in local directories: Use local directories like Yelp to develop each franchisee’s local authority.

Example: F45’s website is a great example of how to implement these tips effectively. Each studio has its own page, and they follow a consistent design template, making it easy to add new locations.