How to Use Search Engine Marketing to Promote Your Franchise

Search engine marketing (SEM) is an essential tool for franchises looking to boost their online visibility and attract new customers. By leveraging both paid and organic search engine optimization (SEO) strategies, franchises can ensure that their brand stands out in an increasingly crowded digital marketplace. 

1851 Franchise reached out to Searcht SEO Strategist Quentin Aisbett and Intellar Founder and SEO Consultant Ben Poulton, who offered some valuable insights into how franchisors can leverage SEM to promote their brands.

Ensuring Maximum Visibility with SEM

One of the primary advantages of SEM is that it gets the eyes of motivated searchers on the brand. "With SEM, brands can get noticed in search results instantly, grabbing people’s attention right away," said Aisbett. "This immediate impact is crucial for franchises that need to make a strong impression quickly, especially in competitive markets."

Aisbett also highlights the importance of integrating SEM with organic search efforts. By driving quick traffic through SEM, franchises can simultaneously work on building their organic presence. "This combo approach ensures that brands stay visible over time, using both paid ads and organic rankings to dominate the Search Engine Result Page (SERP)," he said. 

Supporting Keyword Research with Google Ads

Keyword research is the backbone of any successful SEM strategy, and Google Ads provides a wealth of data to guide these efforts. 

"Google Ads is a goldmine for keyword data, especially when it comes to finding those high-converting search terms," said Aisbett. "This data not only informs paid campaigns but can also refine organic strategies by identifying the most valuable keywords to target."

Additionally, Aisbett notes that SEM can be used to test different headlines and descriptions, providing clear insights into what messaging resonates with audiences. 

"This gives us a clear picture of what messaging works best, which we can then apply to organic meta titles and descriptions, helping to boost those all-important click-through rates (CTR)," he said.

Optimizing National and Local SEO

For franchises, SEO efforts are typically divided between the national brand site and individual franchisee sites. "Significant amounts of organic traffic can flow from national sites to franchise sites,” said Poulton. “So it's in your best interest, and the brand's best interest to have this optimized.”

Franchisees should prioritize localized SEO efforts by including local keywords on their websites and optimizing their Google Business Profiles.

"Suburb level keywords are lower competition and easier to move the needle on. Build from there," Poulton said. "Suburb level keywords can also convert incredibly well as they are highly targeted and the people searching for them are more likely than not, ready to convert."

Creating High-Impact Landing Pages

When promoting franchise opportunities, the landing pages used must be highly informative and rich in social proof.

"The keyword sets for franchise opportunity terms by niche are small, so you may even only need one 'selling page,'" said Poulton. "Support this page with informational content throughout your website."

Search engine marketing offers franchise businesses a powerful way to enhance their online presence and attract both customers and potential franchisees. By strategically using SEM to ensure visibility, support keyword research, optimize SEO at both the national and local levels, and create impactful landing pages, franchises can maximize their marketing efforts and achieve sustained growth. 

To learn more about SEO, check out these related 1851 Franchise articles:

• Website Analytics: Understanding Your Franchise's Online Performance
• How To Optimize Your Franchise Website for Increased Traffic and Leads
• 10 Tips for Making Franchise SEO Work Better