Not every franchise business is the same, especially when it comes to their digital marketing options. Some may have the freedom to advertise on their own, while others will have to follow rules when it comes to their digital marketing approach.
At Gazz Consulting, we’ve been contacted by multiple franchisees over the years asking for digital marketing assistance. However, depending on the client, our options were often limited as they hadn’t discussed digital marketing with their franchisor.
Questions to Ask Your Franchisor
It’s essential to know what you are and aren’t able to do when it comes to digital marketing as a franchise business. Below, we’ve included some important questions to ask your franchisor to determine where you stand as a franchise weighing digital marketing options.
- Do I Have My Own Standalone Website for My Franchise Business?
Your website, even though it has its own URL, may be part of your franchisor’s website or website hosting. What this means is that any marketing you do, including adding content to your website, could affect your franchisor’s site down the line. Asking your franchisor if you have your own standalone website will help us determine how to move forward with marketing your franchise business online.
- If So, Am I Able to Manage the Content of My Website?
If you have your own website separate from your franchisor’s business, your next question is whether or not you can manage the content of your website. It may stipulate in your business arrangement that the franchisor creates and manages the content, and so your options may be limited in this respect. However, if no such clause exists, you may be able to design and implement an independent content marketing strategy for your business.
- If Yes, Do My Content and Website Updates Need to Be Approved in Advance?
Should you be able to manage your website’s content, ask your franchisor if your content and any updates you make to your website need to be approved ahead of time. If so, you may still have a considerable number of options for your digital marketing strategy, but we would need to be mindful moving forward of any potential delays or limitations due to getting approval prior to publishing.
- Am I Able to Do Paid Digital Advertising in My Franchise Territory?
Different franchisors have different requirements in regard to the specific territories of their franchisees. You’ll need to check with your franchisor if you’re able to conduct a paid advertising campaign in your franchise territory. If so, you may have a lot of flexibility in terms of moving forward with your digital marketing.
Discover Your Digital Marketing Options With Us
With the answers to these questions, you can determine whether you’re in a position to hire a digital marketing agency like Gazz Consulting, or if you have certain limitations or no options at all. Ask your franchisor about your flexibility with digital marketing to see if you could benefit from a campaign to take your franchise business to the next level!
