Updated Date: May 21, 2022
Social media marketing holds an incredible amount of value for franchised businesses, presenting the opportunity to connect with customers on a growing number of unique platforms. Businesses can interact with existing and potential customers on a genuine level, build brand awareness, and drive a steady stream of business through their doors. Social media also paves the way for connecting with taste-makers and community influencers, gaining valuable and instant feedback, and reaching new talent. Continue reading to see how the pros conduct franchise marketing with social media.
See also: Franchise Businesses & Social Media: Getting Started, Managing Multiple Profiles
4 Ways to Successfully Promote Your Franchise Across Social Media
However, along with its numerous benefits, social media marketing also comes with a few distinct challenges. One of these challenges is maintaining a consistent brand voice and identity across all franchises and social channels. Here are a few critical keys to aligning social media marketing efforts across franchises to deliver optimal results for your business:
1. Have a Clear Set of Guidelines – and Stick to Them
Establishing clear social media marketing guidelines for your franchisees is a non-negotiable part of any good foundation. Communicate the expectations clearly and consistently, focusing on setting the bar for elements like brand identity. By outlining a set of corporate guidelines, you can set the stage for aligned marketing efforts right from the start. Consider aspects such as what is and isn’t acceptable for posting on social media, how often franchisees should be posting, and what platforms (if any) are off-limits.
2. Prepare Franchisees for Social Media Conversations
One of the biggest benefits of social media is that it enables a brand to engage in genuine conversation and interaction with customers, but those can be tricky waters to navigate. Your franchisees should have a plan for dealing with both positive and negative feedback from customers, as well as an effective approach for responding to questions and comments in a timely manner. If all franchisees are on the same page about how and when they should be engaging in social media interactions, it can contribute significantly to balancing your brand identity across platforms.
3. Give Franchisees the Tools to Get Organized
Behind every successful marketing strategy is a streamlined, highly organized content calendar that keeps things running smoothly. A content calendar is an excellent way to align efforts across multiple franchises and can help your franchisees see their part in the larger company whole. Additionally, content calendars can serve as a guide to help franchisees know when, what, and where to post, successfully focusing their marketing efforts in a way that makes the most sense for your brand.
4. Keep the Focus on Engagement, Not Outright Selling
Social media users are expecting to interact with content that is genuine, relevant, and valuable in some way – not necessarily just cut and dry advertising. Content-based marketing achieves this by presenting useful information in a way that connects users to your brand, creating a sense of identity while still moving users towards conversion. Help your franchisees avoid focusing social media efforts on outright ads, and encourage them to create on-brand content and aim to connect with users in a more personalized manner.
Partner with V Digital Services for an Effective Social Media Marketing Plan
At V Digital Services, our team of marketing experts has the knowledge and experience to align and optimize your franchises’ social media marketing efforts. Using your company’s business goals and brand identity, we can help you ensure that your franchises are presenting a united front in the dynamic, ever-shifting landscape of social media. Your brand will be able to build effective connections with the right prospective customers, translating into long-term growth and success for your franchised company.
To learn more about V Digital Services and our franchise marketing services, contact our team today.