The Power of Local SEO for Franchise Websites

As technology continues to evolve, so too does the way people discover and interact with new businesses. Every day, more consumers are turning to the internet to find local services and products. In fact, according to a recent customer review survey from BrightLocal, in 2022, roughly 98% of consumers used the internet to find information about their local businesses.

According to Paul Warren, the vice president of business development at The Local Agency, a new integrated search marketing firm that focuses on scaling and growing businesses, this digital shift highlights the power that local SEO can have on transforming businesses into local market leaders.

What Is SEO?

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a crucial digital marketing strategy that’s designed to enhance a website’s visibility. If done correctly, this improves a website’s relevance and ranking in the eyes of search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo.

Why SEO Matters

Deploying a robust SEO strategy can help websites rank higher, making them more visible and in turn, attract more traffic. According to Warren, this could lead to more franchises sold.

“Local SEO matters because more people are searching for services and businesses near them,” said Warren. “‘Near me’ searches have continued to increase every year. It directly affects how many people are finding your business and turning it into a door swing, a booking or a sale.”

But the impact of local SEO goes beyond just visibility. Positive online reviews and user-friendly online experiences are also crucial components of local SEO. Complimentary online reviews can significantly influence a consumer’s decision-making process.  

Additionally, the emphasis on local SEO aligns with the concept of community engagement. By catering to local needs and preferences, businesses can create a sense of belonging and loyalty among their customers. This hyper-localized focus fosters a deeper connection between businesses and their communities, leading to long-term relationships and repeat business.

When it comes to implementing local SEO, Warren recommends that franchisors create individual landing pages for each location in their network, with information such as the name, address and phone number for each franchise, along with city-specific content. Although this may seem tedious, Warren believes this approach not only facilitates easier analytics tracking across the entire organization but also provides valuable data to Google, ultimately boosting rankings and enhancing the franchise’s online visibility. Though, as mentioned, Warren recognizes that this isn’t always the easiest and most accessible solution.

“When there are a lot of locations in a franchise, it can be very hard to tailor marketing strategies to each market’s needs,” said Warren. “Every market and every store are going to have unique local issues that a corporate marketing team may not be able to give the time and attention to. Franchisees can also be limited in their ability to do their own local marketing, either due to the constraints of being a small business owner or due to lack of understanding the intricacies of local SEO.”

SEO: An Important Tool

With an overwhelming majority of consumers now relying on the internet to discover local businesses and services, we can’t emphasize enough how important it is to utilize SEO for your business in some form or fashion. By developing an SEO strategy for individual markets, businesses can create a strong online presence that not only resonates with their audience but also drives meaningful engagement, ultimately leading to increased brand recognition, customer loyalty and revenue growth.