What Is Local SEO for Franchises?

In today’s extremely competitive world, it’s becoming more and more critical for franchises to have a local SEO strategy.  

Especially if you have a brick-and-mortar location, local SEO for franchises should be a huge, and we mean, HUGE part of your marketing efforts.  

Implementing the right franchise SEO strategy will position your products or services to people in your area who are searching for them online. They’ll be able to find you easily, or perhaps even instantly, after typing in keywords related to your business on Google.  

And, if they like what they’re seeing on your website, there’s a huge chance that they’ll head over to your store.

As an SEO company for franchises, you can count on us to provide you with expert advice. Today, we’ll walk you through the ins and outs of local SEO for franchises.

What Is Local SEO for Franchises?

Local search engine optimization for franchises is a process that involves optimizing a site so that it pops up in search results for location-based searches. In other words, it helps franchise owners promote themselves online to consumers within their city or region.  

Whereas SEO aims to make your website visible on a global or national scale, local SEO is all about enhancing your online presence among users within your area. It lets Google and other search engines know that your business is located in a particular area and wants to be found by customers in that area.  

This is essential for helping customers find you both online and offline. Even if a searcher doesn’t specify a location, search engines will assume that their search query has a local intent. They will use the searcher’s IP address to find their location and display local results.  

So, if someone close to your shop is browsing online for a certain product you’re selling, you’ll most likely appear as a top search result.

The Top Benefits of Local SEO for Franchises

With 97% of modern consumers turning to search engines to find shops nearby, neglecting to incorporate local SEO for franchises can spell disaster for your business. Apart from the fact that it can help get your website to rank on the first page of local SERPs, here are three other ways you’ll benefit from having a solid franchise SEO marketing strategy:

You Attract Local Consumers Who Are Ready to Buy

78% of local searches coming from mobile have led to an offline purchase. This means that websites that follow best practices for local SEO tend to reach prospects who are highly motivated to make a purchase.

You Spend Less or None at All

Running Google Ads can be quite costly. Fortunately, this is never the case when you’re optimizing your website for local search. You just need a Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) and you’re good to go! Setting up local business listings across the web won’t cost you a single dime, either!

You Generate Qualified Traffic

Since local SEO for franchises specifically targets people within your location who will possibly turn into customers, you don’t have to worry about low-quality traffic anymore. Users visiting your website are likely to become your future customers.  

Strategies to Dominate Search Engines

One of the most important things we can tell you as an enterprise SEO company is that getting your website to rank high, be it on global or local search, is an ongoing process. Especially for beginners, it can be an arduous and complex task.  

These are some of the SEO franchise opportunities that are most likely to contribute to your success:

1. Get Listed on Google Business Profile

Having a Google Business Profile is a must if you intend to rank high in local search results. This profile tells searchers everything they need to know about your franchise – from your products and location to your operating hours and contact details.  

Luckily, setting up a profile is completely free!

Once you’ve completed your Business Profile and gotten it verified by Google, your storefront will now be visible on Google Maps. Users will find it easier to find your multiple locations and get directions for each.  

You’re not done yet, though. Your next move is to optimize your account so you can leave a positive first impression for those who have just heard about your franchise. Highlight the things that make you stand out from your competition and provide high-quality photos of your products/services and building.

Make sure that you publish posts regularly to keep your audience updated. Ask your customers to leave reviews online and make sure you respond to them.

It’s important to respond to both positive and negative reviews. Here’s a post to help you deal with poor reviews as professionally as you can.  

2. Focus on Location-Based Keywords

Including location-based keywords on your web pages is one of the most effective ways to boost your visibility in local search results.  

Let’s say you’re a restaurant based in Austin, Texas. To rank higher in search engines like Google and Bing, you’ll want to add the phrase “restaurant in Austin TX” in vital elements such as title tags, headings, and body copy. Local landmarks, regional names, and nearby tourist spots can also be good keywords to use.  

Although most consumers rely on Google Maps and Yelp to find franchises, there are also others who trust search engines to provide them options, especially if they’re in a rush. No wonder nearly 80% of local searches convert!

3. Leverage Online Directories

Listing your franchise locations in popular online directories will improve your franchise’s online marketing presence, eventually bringing you new customers. Among our favorites are Yelp, Bing Places, Angie’s List, and MapQuest.  

See to it that your NAP (name, address, phone number) citations are consistent across all platforms, and check if there are discrepancies to correct. If Google detects any inconsistencies or errors, it’s less likely to present you to searchers. The last thing it wants is to provide inaccurate information.  

Don’t forget to update your citations whenever necessary. Otherwise, prospects will have trouble finding you, thus losing an opportunity to convert them.  

4. Optimize Your Content for Local SEO

Consistently posting valuable content that resonates with your local audience can grab their attention and keep them coming back to your website. Plus, it helps search engines rank you based on relevancy. The more relevant your content is, the higher they rank you.

That being said, aside from talking about your franchise and products, your content should focus on local topics. This can be anything from promoting local events and introducing your team members to the latest news related to your industry or city.  

Make sure that you sneak in your target keywords naturally throughout your blog posts to further boost your local SEO efforts. High-quality links and images should also be included, along with a compelling call to action.

5. Add Location-Specific Schema

Also known as schema markup, structured data can bolster your franchise SEO strategy. It allows you to tell search engines what your page is all about, making it easier for them to rank you accurately and appropriately.

For example, if you have a product page that features schema markup displaying the product’s price, inventory status, and reviews, you’re giving search engines the information they need to understand your page better.  

What’s more, schema markup gives your site an opportunity to show up in featured snippets in SERPs. This helps you stand out from the rest of the SERP listings, causing searchers to be drawn to you.  

6. Ask Customers to Leave Reviews

84% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, which is why seeking feedback from customers has always been an effective franchise SEO strategy.  

Besides helping your prospects decide whether you could be an ideal brand for them, reviews and ratings can also help you rank higher in SERPs, especially if they’re mostly positive.  

People will view you as a trustworthy name, increasing their odds of buying from you. Google will feel the same way, too. And, since it wants to provide its users with nothing but the best options, it will recommend you as a top choice.

Looking for a Trusted Digital Marketing Agency for Franchises?

Having worked with countless franchises across the country, Digital Resource is your go-to for the best franchise SEO services. That’s why we’ve received so much positive feedback from clients, which you can see here.

Our dedicated team of SEO specialists will be more than happy to optimize your professional website to ensure that you make your way to the top of search results. Not only will you be driving new visitors to your site, but you’ll be driving them to your storefront, too!  

Contact us now to get started!