Social Media Tips

by Michelle Hummel

As a franchisee, you know recommendations from current customers to their friends and colleagues is the fastest way to grow your business. Word-of-mouth advertising has been and will continue to be the backbone of American business, but the way customers are talking to each other has changed drastically in the last decade.

According to the most recent statistics from the Pew Research Center, a nonprofit and nonpartisan fact tank, an average of 72 percent of Americans regularly use social media to connect with friends, get information and entertain themselves. Think social media is just for the younger crowd and not your customers?

40 percent of Americans age 65+

69 percent of Americans age 50-64

82 percent of Americans age 30-49

90 percent of Americans age 18-29

When you’re busy running your franchise, finding time to deal with social media can be daunting, especially if you don’t know where to begin.

There are many social media platforms, but if you’re limited on time or resources, select at least three to get your message out and connect with customers. Regardless of your franchise specialty, every business needs to have a Facebook page. This platform dominates social media and not just for its ease of use. People use Facebook as a search engine to find information, so it’s key your franchise has its own page separate from the franchisor.

As long as your business has a physical location, Google Business is also a key platform. Make sure your page is fully optimized, including basic information, five to seven photos and a listing of your top products packed with keywords.

Instagram used to be the platform for the under 25 crowd, but according to Sprout Social, now 46 percent of Americans age 18-64 use the platform daily. Instagram can be successful for B2B franchises if you’re experienced on the platform, but B2C franchises definitely need to be there, showcasing amazing photos.

Twitter is its own world with a smaller percentage of users than other social media platforms, but it tends to reach a more affluent audience who is tech-savvy and looking for timely information and quality customer service.

All B2B franchises should have a personal and company LinkedIn page. There are other business platforms, including Alignable, but LinkedIn will give you the bang for your time.

Pinterest is an excellent platform for B2C franchises who target women aged 18-49 with an income of $75,000 or more. Like Instagram, Pinterest is a visual platform for inspirational and aspirational content.

The first thing potential customers will do after finding your franchise on social media is scroll through for a minute or two and look at your feed. A lackluster or sparse feed will be a cause for concern, so be sure you have a wealth of recent posts to build your credibility. Using platform analytics or through trial and error, post daily at the best time to reach your audience. Social Media Is More Than Selling When you’re watching TV, odds are you fast-forward through commercials. Social media users are the same way, so your posts cannot be all commercials. Be sure your content has a mix of personal stories, inspirational, informational and funny posts, direct ads and posts that connect with your customers on a personal level. When planning your content, remember this time-tested strategy: Teach me, inspire me, make me laugh, and I’ll remember you when it’s time to buy. “ Your franchisor may handle social media for the brand, but for your franchise location to be successful, you need to harness the power of social media for yourself.

When a customer comes into your franchise or you’re on a sales call, you wouldn’t ignore their questions or not engage with them on some level. Social media is the same way. Take time to like items from their feed, ask open-ended questions, answer their questions promptly, and respond immediately to both positive and negative reviews.

Your franchisor may handle social media for the brand, but for your franchise location to be successful, you need to harness the power of social media for yourself.

Michelle is the CEO and Founder ofWeb Strategy Plus, a full-service digital marketing agency, where her team of experts specializes in helping franchise owners develop websites, SEO and Social Media Strategies. A published author of three books in her series, “The Social Media Magnet: Everything You Need to Know to Attract Customers with Social Media.” She also holds a valuable Internet Marketing Degree and provides training to help individuals acquire Social Media Management Certification through Web Media Universityy. Contact Michelle at info@michelleshummel.com.