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How to Choose the Best Franchise Social Media Management Software

Franchise social media management software helps franchisees manage their local social media efforts while keeping the content within branding guidelines. This software provides a single interface for all social media content creation, posting, and reporting data across all key social media platforms like Facebook, Google My Business, Instagram, and Twitter.

 

What is Franchise Social Media Marketing Software?

Franchise social media management software is a software that is designed for multi-location businesses that have the need to accommodate central brand management and local franchise personality. The software empowers franchisees to create on-brand local content, allows franchisor content approval if needed, and improves the franchise’s digital presence on social media, listings, and ads. Franchise social media marketing teams at both the corporate and local levels can better collaborate via franchise social media marketing software that balances a centralized (franchisor) and local (franchisee) approach.

 

Learn more about franchise social media management software and how it streamlines the social media workflow, boosting franchisor and franchisee marketing power.

 

5 Key Features to Look for in Franchise Social Media Marketing Software

 

1.   A Centralized System with Localized Control

Franchise social media management software will strike a balance between a centralized command center that provides guidance and expectations, with flexibility for localized teams to take control of their social media presence. Such software will allow for cross-team transparency and clarity of expectations through pre-approved content, central brand asset libraries, and more. Franchisees can be further empowered by choosing the social media content tools that works for their location’s marketing goals.

 

2.   Brand Guidance Adherence

Franchisors invariably have branding guidelines that franchisees need to adhere to on social media. The right franchise social media management software will allow franchisees to create local content that is on-brand at the local level and in accordance with franchisor expectations. Pre-approved content depositories and localized, automated postings are two examples of features to look for that can improve adherence to branding guidelines.

 

3.   Comprehensive Reporting

Franchise social media management software will have comprehensive reporting features for all key metrics, such as posting frequency, engagement, and responses. Data can be pulled to show local social performance at specific locations, groups, or regions to inform future marketing strategies. Reporting should also be dynamic and able to be shown to corporate C-level executives, or down the chain to local managers.

 

4.   Support & Training

Franchisees will have varying levels of social media skills. The right franchise social media management software will provide support and training that optimizes franchise social media output. Whether it is at the 10,000-foot level or working in step with a franchisee, social media software needs to truly support users where they are at any point in their social media management journey. The right support will also encourage alignment and buy-in of social media tools at all levels.

 

5.   Easy-to-Use App Interface

Many of us rely on our phones rather than our desktops to manage social media. Quality franchise social media management software will have a mobile-friendly app that allows franchisees to quickly and easily post content, respond to comments and reviews, boost ads, and more. This responsiveness is essential for an effective, on-brand social media presence.

How to Choose the Best Franchise Social Media Management Software

 

There are many franchise social media marketing software options on the market. To match the best franchise social media management software to your organization’s needs, consider the following four points:

 

1.   The Number of Social Media Profiles & Profile Managers

The number of social media profiles your business has and who is managing them is of central concern when choosing a social media management system. A company with 100s or 1,000s of social profiles managed by local teams will need franchise social media management software that allows them to collaborate with corporate while also providing the option to work independently. Such a system will have a centralized command so corporate can assume workflows and content options for local teams, while also giving franchisees the flexibility and tools to empower them.

 

2. The Importance of Brand Governance

Every business has branding guidelines, with brand identity, content alignment, and enforcement varying across locations and franchises. For brands with strict brand guidelines that must be adhered to at all locations, content governance features – like shareable content galleries, ratings for content relevance, trending topic sharing, and scalable, on-brand content – are critical to social media marketing success.

 

3.  The Need for Support & Training

Your company may need a franchise social media management software that closely supports both franchisors and franchisees. From onboard training on software tools to ongoing support for users at the local and corporate level, the best support and training teams are thorough, timely, and enhance the user’s use of the software.

 

4. Corporate-Local Requirements

A company with a blended franchisor-franchisee social media strategy will need franchisees and other local employees to post corporate-approved content about their local brand; however, not all localities will be in alignment with the franchisor’s social media and branding expectations. Corporate headquarters may need to become involved with approving local business’s social plan. This is where a franchise social media management platform that can be managed and monitored by both corporate and local teams helps to ensure a consistent social media presence.

 

 

Learn More About SOCi, the Software to Boost Your Franchise Social Media Management

 

SOCi is an award-winning social media marketing software company that was designed for a specific niche: franchisor-franchisee organizations with complex social media needs. Find out why so many national and regional franchises have turned to our franchise social media management software for smart and easy social media management.

 

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