1851

For the latest iteration of its <a href="https://1851franchise.com/franchisedevelopmentawards" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Franchise Development Website Awards</a>, 1851 Franchise did a deep dive into more than 175 websites to determine the brands that stood out from the crowd. 

1851&rsquo;s panel of judges evaluated each franchise development site according to three criteria: quality of site, quality of content and quality of form. Sites were scored on a five-point scale in accordance with these three criteria for a maximum score of 15 total points; <a href="https://1851franchise.com/1851-franchise-s-2019-franchise-development-website-awards-an-introduction-2709828#mainTrending" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">the overall website rankings are based on a composite average of these scores</a>.

Over the course of the month of May, each of the top 20 franchise development sites as determined by the judges will be broken down, one by one, to highlight their strengths and what stood out to the judges. 

Along with <a href="https://1851franchise.com/franchise-development-website-awards-showhomes-comes-in-tied-at-no-6-in-2019-top-20-2710039#mainTrending" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Showhomes</a> and <a href="https://1851franchise.com/franchise-development-website-awards-aamco-part-of-three-way-tie-for-no-6-in-2019-rankings-2710044#mainTrending" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">AAMCO</a>, the No. 6 overall spot in this year&rsquo;s rankings is held by <a href="http://coldstonecreameryfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-development-website-awards-cold-stone-creamery-joins-three-way-tie-for-no-6-spot-in-2019-top-20-2710050" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Cold Stone Creamery</a>. The gourmet ice cream franchise brand pulled in a composite score of 11.8 out of 15, breaking down into a score of 4.0 in quality of site; a score of 3.8 in quality of content; and a score of 4.0 in quality of form. 

When reviewing Cold Stone&rsquo;s franchise development site, <a href="https://franchisebusinessreview.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-development-website-awards-cold-stone-creamery-joins-three-way-tie-for-no-6-spot-in-2019-top-20-2710050" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Franchise Business Review</a> president and COO Michelle Rowan commended the brand&rsquo;s placement of third-party awards front and center, as well as its &ldquo;high-quality&rdquo; imagery and video throughout. &ldquo;There is tons of information available in the drop-down navigation for people to research the opportunity on their own,&rdquo; she noted.

After noting that this franchise development site made him hungry for some ice cream, <a href="https://www.franconnect.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-development-website-awards-cold-stone-creamery-joins-three-way-tie-for-no-6-spot-in-2019-top-20-2710050" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">FranConnect</a> president Keith Gerson said that the site had &ldquo;awesome SVG video running behind the banner and very well-placed calls to action.&rdquo; 

&ldquo;I also appreciated the simplicity of the navigation with only four tabs to engage with,&rdquo; Gerson said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s very powerful on the home page to read all of the award accolades &ndash; after all, a brand these days isn&rsquo;t what you say it is &ndash; it&rsquo;s what your customers and other third-parties say it is, particularly on social. It&rsquo;s nice to see current posts in the news section and the sales process laid out for prospects.&rdquo; 

An opportunity Cold Stone has, Gerson noted, is in the text-heavy portions of the site: &ldquo;Check out your Google Analytics to get a sense of where you&rsquo;re losing interest based on page views and time on site,&rdquo; he recommended of brands when updating their franchise development sites.

Cold Stone Creamery | Top Franchise Website Awards | 1851 Franchise

1851 Franchise

A panel of 10 franchise industry experts judged more than 175 franchise development websites to determine the best of the best. 

Franchise Development Website Awards: Cold Stone Creamery Joins Three-Way Tie for No. 6 Spot in 2019 Top 20

franchise-development-website-awards-cold-stone-creamery-joins-three-way-tie-for-no-6-spot-in-2019-top-20

Sylvan Learning

The Recorder: Sylvan Learning Expands to St. Johns County

The Recorder: Sylvan Learning Expands to St. Johns County With New Franchise Owners Focused on Education and Community

sylvan-learning-st-johns-county-expansion

Wings and Rings

Restaurant Magazine: Wings and Rings Turns Up the Heat With Bold New Summer Menu 

Restaurant Magazine: Wings and Rings Turns Up the Heat With Bold New Summer Menu and Ongoing Promotions

wings-and-rings-summer-menu-2025

Fresh Coat

Photo of Jeff and Jenn Berry standing in front of their Fresh Coat Painters vehicle

After Health Concerns Pushed Jeff Berry to a New Opportunity, He Earned Fresh Coat Rookie of the Year in Year One

fresh-coat-franchise-jeff-berry-rookie-of-the-year

Pigtails & Crewcuts

Pigtails & Crewcuts Leadership Team Brings Over 70 Years of Experience to the Table

Pigtails & Crewcuts Leadership Team Brings Over 70 Years of Franchise and Child-Focused Industry Experience to the Table

pigtails-crewcuts-leadership-team-brings-over-70-years-of-franchise-and-child-focused-industry-experience-to-the-table

Dog Training Elite

How Dog Training Elite Helps Individuals With Mental Health Challenges

Training Support That Makes a Difference: How Dog Training Elite Helps Individuals With Mental Health Challenges

training-support-that-makes-a-difference-how-dog-training-elite-helps-individuals-with-mental-health-challenges

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

McDonald’s To Hire 375,000 Workers as It Prepares for Major U.S. Expansion

mcdonalds-to-hire-375000-workers-as-it-prepares-for-major-us-expansion

Subway Pushes Global Growth Despite U.S. Closures 

subway-pushes-global-growth-despite-us-closures

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

How Car Sales Taught Buddy's Home Furnishings’ Mitchell Lee the Secrets of Franchise Development

how-car-sales-taught-buddys-home-furnishings-mitchell-lee-the-secrets-of-franchise-development

Bumble Roofing Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

bumble-roofing-franchise-deep-dive

From Rock Bottom to Rock Solid: Why Butch Mogavero’s Franchise Journey Is Striking a Chord With Entrepreneurs

butch-mogavero-boulder-designs-border-magic-franchisor-hot-seat

1851 Franchisee Spotlight graphic with photo of Steve & Mia Kim & Paris Baguette logo

After Falling in Love with Paris Baguette, This North Carolina Couple Decided To Open One of Their Own

paris-baguette-franchise-charlotte-nc

The Top 20 Cleaning Franchises to Invest in for 2025

top-cleaning-franchises-to-invest-in

Affordable Franchise Opportunities: Exploring Low-Cost Home Service Franchises Under $50K

affordable-franchise-opportunities-exploring-low-cost-home-service-franchises-under-50k

Franchise Development Website Awards: Cold Stone Creamery Joins Three-Way Tie for No. 6 Spot in 2019 Top 20

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS