Digital Marketing for Restaurant Franchise Brands

 width=One of the best things about being part of a restaurant franchise is the brand name recognition that individual locations receive. The franchisor leads the overall marketing initiatives, to which franchisees contribute, thereby relieving the stress and time it would take for them to go it alone.

But, don’t forget you will need to pepper in a little local flavor that speaks directly to each location’s community of foodies! This local approach along with the support of corporate marketing efforts will help locations to generate new and repeat business.

 

A Six Course Meal

For multi-location restaurant brands, having the right pairing of digital marketing tools is vital to building a strong localized online presence. With current and potential customers all searching in different ways, it can be an ongoing challenge to stay top of mind and visible to your audience. Ensuring that your digital marketing efforts are driving more hungry consumers to your front door requires a comprehensive strategy that includes:

 

Pay Per Click

SEO

Social Media

Local Listings and Reviews Management

Website

Programmatic

Seasoning with SEO for Multi-Locations

There is a lot to unpack in the six course meal so today we’ll focus on a couple of the most important elements, SEO and Local Listings.

 

 width=For multi-location businesses, challenges with localized SEO often arise at the corporate level. A common strategy is to list all their locations’ information on one master landing page. This is not really the best idea for effective SEO. It is recommended to create separate, optimized pages for each restaurant location because, let’s face it, the favorite appetizer in New York City may not be the same in Phoenix.

 

Your franchisees’ individual location page is a sort of microsite giving them a community brand that can be used to create relevant content to entice the locals to come in for a taste! So, keeping that in mind you want to include location specific information on each location page including:

 

  • Location information, directions, and a Google map
  • Food specialties
  • Local testimonials – people want to be heard
  • Social media connections (be sure to include local listings such as Google My Business, Yelp, Facebook, Twitter, Big Places, Apple Maps, and City Grid)
  • Restaurant affiliated or sponsored events at the local level

 

You’ll also want to focus on adding localized content on a regular schedule. Any content should be focused on keywords and geographies that are relevant to each location. If day to day operations keep your franchisees too busy to develop content, you can hire a professional writer. Many digital marketing agencies, including Qiigo, offer professional writing services as part of their SEO package.

 

Confirm Listing Information for Full Flavor Results

After location pages have been optimized, there are some additionals things that should not be overlooked. Directory site listings for each location should be claimed and all information should be verified. Look for the following points:

 

    • Verify each location’s information (Name, address, phone number) and ensure it matches across all directories
    • Confirm operation hours
    • Respond to reviews (Flattering or not, reviews can be your benchmark between “good” and “great” customer satisfaction)
    • Current photos. Take photos of a “full” restaurant with people enjoying themselves.

 

In the End – Digital Marketing Is a Delicious Dessert

You now have an excellent foundation to get your restaurant’s locations noticed. Be sure to continue to link to other businesses, local and community events, and most importantly update your content often! Nothing turns off foodies like the sale old, same old.

 

Local SEO for multiple locations can be a lot of work to set up and maintain, but the payoff is worth it. There are lots of tools out there to help you manage your efforts and a qualified digital marketing partner can help you to refine your strategy.

 

Bon appétit!

 

Learn more about digital marketing solutions for Franchise Restaurant Brands and schedule your free demo.

 

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