It has never been easier or quicker to contact someone, find out the latest news or update your network with important information. Digital communication has revolutionised the way that we engage with the world, and there is little excuse for finding out the latest breaking story three days late when you own a smartphone, tablet or any other portable device. We are all more interconnected than ever before.
The digital age has also transformed the relationship between businesses and consumers. In the past it was simply a one-sided dialogue, where businesses promoted their brand using traditional marketing methods such as billboards or adverts, and customers had little control over what the market was offering them.
Digital platforms have ended this type of closed communication, for they offer consumers a space where they can make their views heard and their needs known. Consumers are now able to engage directly with businesses online, through the likes of websites and social media, and this kind of engagement has the potential to radically change a business’s plan or the market it chooses to target. Consumers have more power and more choice than before and businesses have to work harder than ever to grab their attention.
Online marketing, therefore, has become second nature for businesses who wish to stay relevant and keep their target audience happy. This type of marketing is quick, easy and cost effective when it is utilised correctly.
Navigating the murky world of online marketing can be tricky in the franchise world. Some franchisors prefer to manage online advertising on behalf of franchisees, in order to maintain brand consistency, while others encourage their franchisees to be creative and unique in establishing their online presence. The key is to ensure that both parties understand the brand and how best to promote it online.
In this blog we examine four different online marketing channels: websites, social media, blogs and email and see how two different UK franchises apply these channels to their business.
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Website
It goes without saying that a website is essentially the number one platform for your franchise; it is where new customers go first to find out more about your brand and where your updates and achievements should be clearly visible. It is vital that your website has a high ranking on Google (listed on the first page) so that customers can find your page quickly and easily. If it takes a customer too long to find you online, they will stop looking and take their business elsewhere.
Some franchisees are provided with their own regional website when they join the business. Usually, the website is primarily managed by the franchisor – they provide the copy, optimise the site and then submit it to search engines. However, some franchisees prefer to manage elements of the site themselves, such as writing copy and marketing key events on the site. The franchisor reviews the website on a regular basis and will advise the franchisee if something is not working or if it can be improved.
Social Media
There are many different forms of social media out there, and it is important to only use the ones that your customers will see. Anything posted online will be viewed by a wide audience, so it is important that content is consistent with brand guidelines and reflects the overall tone of the franchise.
Social media is an excellent platform for offering training, material, guidance and support as well allowing franchisees to reach out for support or to request extra training. If a franchisee chooses not to activate their own regional social media account, they are still able to have an online presence by connecting to the franchisor's national Facebook and Twitter accounts. Each franchisee is different in terms of how much they use social media to promote their franchise's products or services.
Check out our guide to the different social media platforms that can help you reach your target audience.
Blog
Blogging has become more and more popular for franchise businesses. It is a really effective way of giving each franchise an individual voice and identity and it gives customers an insight into how the business is run. The blog can be promoted on the franchise’s website and social media channels, which drives more traffic to it.
Some franchisors write the blog posts for their franchisees to ensure that the brand's identity is visible in each post, while others encourage their franchisees to set up their own regional blog. Blogging can be an excellent way to generate exposure for a franchise, once it is written well and promoted in the correct manner. Blogs can be published on a daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly basis – most franchises that have an active blog tend post on a weekly or monthly basis. There is no set rule for this.
Email Marketing
Email Marketing can take many forms, from online newsletters to mass updates about current events or products and it all really depends on the needs of the business. It is important that emails will be reaching a large number of customers and that their correct email address are stored, otherwise it is a waste of time. Emails are a great way for franchisors and franchisees to stay connected.
Many franchisors deliver an online newsletter to franchisees – they find that this is an effective means of offering advice, support and other relevant information. Some franchisors also use, email marketing as part of the lead nurturing process.
There are a lot of benefits to using online marketing, provided that you have an in-depth knowledge of your customers and the forms of marketing that they are likely to see. Do your research, look at what your competitors are doing and see how their audience is responding.
Trial and error can sometimes be the most effective way of seeing what works so don’t be afraid to try something new. New customers, increased sales and an expanding business could be the result!
Check out our exciting range of internet franchises right here.