1851

Like it or not, social media has permeated our daily lives. Facebook alone can count 1.9 billion users on its platform -- and that staggering number rises every day. Whether it&rsquo;s following your favorite celebrity&rsquo;s daily musings, commenting on photos of your high school friend&rsquo;s new baby or salivating over your cousin&rsquo;s food photography, we spend most of our waking hours on social media. Over the past few years, some smart brands have caught on that social media plays a key role in process of making a purchase, whether it&rsquo;s of a product or a business.

In current times, social media should be a key factor in a brand&rsquo;s content strategy. Creating content that is shareable, regardless of where it is placed, is incredibly important. Plus, brands should be paying close attention to what their fans are saying and sharing about the brand.

Jack Monson, Director of Digital Strategy at Qiigo, a seasoned social media and marketing executive, believes that social media is the first place franchise candidates will look during the due diligence process.

&ldquo;Social media has a bigger impact [in business] every day,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;A lot of franchise brands believe that potential franchisees will go to a few specific websites and look at information that we&rsquo;ve put together exactly how we want them to -- but the reality is, people just don&rsquo;t do that.&rdquo;

The days of brands creating carefully curated content for use in email newsletters or blogs are over. These days, franchise candidates have the world at their fingertips -- literally. They&rsquo;re able to read reviews of individual locations, check out hundreds of local pages on Facebook and subscribe to Google Alerts to stay on top of a brand&rsquo;s news -- in real time.

&ldquo;When a candidate looks at a brand&rsquo;s Facebook page, they&rsquo;re looking at their own future. Social [media] is a place where you can paint a picture for a candidate of what their life is going to look like,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If they look at a corporate or franchisee&rsquo;s Facebook page and the content hasn&rsquo;t been updated in two years, it makes them wonder how their store would be marketed and what support they would receive from corporate.&rdquo;

Outside of the brand&rsquo;s social media pages, users are driving endless brand content through reviews, check-ins, sharing and tagging brands and more.

&ldquo;Everyone is an influencer -- all they need is a social media account,&rdquo; said Nick Powills, CEO of No Limit Agency*. &ldquo;We can post a status on Facebook and influence our friends. We can share news and influence our friends. Social media is an incredibly important tool when it comes to brand perception and franchise development.&rdquo;

Monson adds that creating a solid online footprint doesn&rsquo;t have to be a super complicated process.

&ldquo;Just having well-managed social pages up and running is half the battle. Having old pages that aren&rsquo;t updated looks sloppy and is a poor reflection of a brand. As a candidate, you have to look at that and ask yourself if you want to be a part of it,&rdquo; he said.

Many franchise brands provide guidance and tools for franchisees to manage social media content at the local level. Others choose to keep social media on the corporate level and essentially do the work for them. For Monson, the former is the best way to maintain corporate brand standards while giving franchisees the freedom to add local flavor to the social pages.

&ldquo;Social media is no different than anything else a franchisor does,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Brands need to develop a program that someone can follow and be successful. In some systems, this may entail giving them content and in others, it&rsquo;s just advice. In either case, providing a playbook for social media is key.&rdquo;

Most candidates are savvy enough to check out Facebook pages and read review sites like Yelp. Monson stresses the importance of reputation management as being an important piece of social media, perhaps even more so than proactive posting.

&ldquo;Even the greatest store, restaurant or business is going to have at least a couple of bad reviews on Facebook, Google+, Yelp or any other site,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If those poor reviews aren&rsquo;t being mitigated or handled and there aren&rsquo;t enough good reviews being pushed out there to overshadow the bad, that is a really big hurdle for a candidate to get past.&rdquo;

Monson suggests that candidates that are concerned about a specific area of a brand&rsquo;s social media should dig in and ask for more information to determine if it&rsquo;s a systemwide problem or if it&rsquo;s specific to one unit.

When putting together a brand&rsquo;s content strategy to appeal to prospective franchise candidates, social media should not be overlooked. To stand out from the pack in the crowded franchise industry, brands should prioritize both proactive social media content creation and reactive social media management.&nbsp;

What Role Does Social Media Play in the Due Diligence Process?

1851 Franchise

In today’s digital age, everyone is an influencer

what-role-does-social-media-play-in-the-due-diligence-process

Children's Lighthouse

Children’s Lighthouse Ramps Up Growth in First Half of 2025 With Strategic Expansions, Franchise Signings, and New Headquarters

childrens-lighthouse-ramps-up-growth-in-first-half-of-2025-with-strategic-expansions-franchise-signings-and-new-headquarters

Right at Home

Right at Home® Named a 2025 Top Franchise Brand for Multi-Unit Owners by Entrepreneur Magazine

right-at-home-named-a-2025-top-franchise-brand-for-multi-unit-owners-by-entrepreneur-magazine

Dog Training Elite

Dog Training Elite -Tips-to-Ease-Dog Anxiety-for-4th of July- July-2025

Dog Training Elite Shares Tips To Ease Dog Anxiety for 4th of July

tips-to-ease-dog-anxiety-fireworks-4th-of-july

Melting Pot

Photo of interior of Melting Pot restaurant

Lexington Herald Leader: This Restaurant Chain Eyes a Return to Lexington After 10 Years

melting-pot-return-to-lexington

Keke's Breakfast Cafe

Keke's Breakfast Cafe - John and Kimberly Ehrhard - 1851 Franchise

Empowering Leadership, One Pancake at a Time: How John and Kimberly Ehrhard Are Building a Franchise Legacy with Keke’s Breakfast Cafe

john-kimberly-ehrhard-kekes-franchise

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 Development Website Builder

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

Drone Delivery Takes Flight in QSR: The Future of Franchise Operations?

drone-delivery-takes-flight-in-qsr-the-future-of-franchise-operations

Chick-fil-A Tops Customer Satisfaction Rankings for 11th Year as Challenger Brands Gain Ground

chick-fil-a-tops-customer-satisfaction-rankings-for-11th-year-as-challenger-brands-gain-ground

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

Rising Jobless Claims Could Signal Challenges — and Opportunities — for Franchising

rising-jobless-claims-affect-franchising

Hardee’s Lawsuit Highlights the Risk of Going Off-Model in Franchising

hardees-franchise-lawsuit-paradigm-investment-group

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise Built on Heart and Community

What Role Does Social Media Play in the Due Diligence Process?

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS