The website supplier shares the biggest trends, pitfalls and opportunities found in today’s franchise development space.

SpaceCraft Inc. is on a mission to help brands take their franchise development websites into their own hands. With responsive design and intuitive editing tools, the SpaceCraft platform has provided thousands of clients with the ability to promote their brands through a creatively customized and managed online presence.

“SpaceCraft was started with the simple idea to help customers build beautifully effective websites through an easy-to-use DIY platform,” the Austin-based company wrote in an email. “By being a CMS platform at our core, we've been able to layer additional services on top to take a customer's experience even further. In essence, we are playing in a unique space between a software provider on one end, and an agency on the other.”

With plans ranging from $8 to $49 per month including cloud-based hosting and SSL encryption, SpaceCraft’s cost-effective platform features functionalities specifically geared toward franchise development sites and the targeted audiences they attract.

“Through our numerous franchise clients, we are heavily experienced in the website needs of a franchise model,” wrote SpaceCraft. “Additionally, we have franchise and multi-location functionality built directly into the platform. This allows us to provide a cost-effective solution for franchisors, and alleviate the need for a custom-built application with higher development costs.”

SpaceCraft recommends franchise clients searching for the right website supplier first get to know developers’ design processes and project schedules. And since franchise development sites are frequently in need of content and informational tweaks and updates, SpaceCraft also recommends asking suppliers a few key “post-launch” questions:

• What level of support is provided?
• Will I be able to update/edit my site myself, or will I have to rely on the supplier and/or a developer?
• If reliant on the supplier, what fees will I be charged for site updates? In other words, what’s your hourly rate?
• What is the typical turnaround time for updates?
• Do you provide SSL and other security-related features or will I need to provide and manage site security?

Since a franchise development site is the main sales tool for brands, an open line of communication between leads and the corporate team should be at center stage. In today’s hyper-connected world that increasingly expects lightening-fast engagement, new technological innovations are key to meeting this demand.

“We're seeing franchisors integrating real-time chat features on their sites, focusing on AI-driven playbooks,” wrote SpaceCraft. “Including an interactive chat software helps you capture, connect and qualify new leads throughout all hours of the day.”

But when it comes to the outdated use of technology solutions, SpaceCraft noted that some franchise development sites try (unsuccessfully) to pass stock photographs of models off as team members. “Your franchisees are your most valuable resource, and having them represented on your franchise development site will make your brand feel more authentic and attractive to potential franchisees,” they pointed out.

This personal appeal is key. As the digital landscape continues to shift more toward interactive and immersive content, SpaceCraft sees a big opportunity to invest in video—and capture the attention of future franchisees all across the web.

“Video is a great way to engage website visitors and tell your story,” the company wrote. “Not only does video engage users while they are on your franchise development site, but video content and still images from video can be used across multiple marketing channels such as email, search engines and social media platforms to drive potential franchisees to your website.”

For more information about SpaceCraft, visit https://gospacecraft.com.