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How to Choose the Best Franchise Social Media Management Tool

A franchise social media management tool is designed to meet the unique social media marketing needs of franchisors and franchisees. The best franchise social media marketing tool balances a centralized-localized approach so that marketing teams at the corporate and local levels can collaborate seamlessly. This tool allows franchisees to create on-brand content at-scale and enhances the franchise’s digital presence on social media, listings, and ads.

 

What is a Franchise Social Media Management Tool?

A franchise social media management tool is software that provides a user-friendly system for content creation, posting, and social media reporting data in a way that accommodates central brand management and local franchise personality. It is an efficient way for franchisees to manage their local social media in alignment with franchisor branding guidelines across all key social media platforms, like Facebook, Google My Business, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

Learn more below about the benefits of franchise social media management tools and how to choose the best social media tool for franchises

 

5 Key Features to Look for in a Franchise Social Media Marketing Tool

 

1.   Central Command with Localized Flexibility

The most useful franchise social media management tools provide a centralized command for corporate oversight, but with the flexibility for local teams to take control of their social media presence. Cross-team transparency and clarity of expectations throughout the social media content creation and posting process are improved with tools such as asset libraries and content approval processes. This flexibility in the centralized-local approach empowers franchisees to choose social media content that works for their local marketing needs.

 

2.   Brand Governance Control

It can be challenging for franchisees to create content that follows franchise branding expectations. The right franchise social media management tool will make it easier for franchisees to create content that is on-brand for their location and in keeping with corporate branding guidelines. Pre-approved content depositories and localized, automated postings are two tools that improve local adherence to corporate branding expectations.

 

3.   Comprehensive Reporting

Franchise social media management tools should have comprehensive reporting features on key metrics, such as posting frequency, engagement, and responses. Performance reports can be pulled to show local social performance at specific locations, groups, or regions to inform future marketing efforts. Reporting should also be dynamic and able to be shown to all management levels, including to corporate C-level executives and down to local managers.

 

4.   Easy-to-Use App Interface

It is essential that users can manage social media on a phone, instead of or in addition to using a desktop. Mobile management frees users to manage their social media wherever they are needed. A useful franchise social media management tool will be responsive, including having an app with push notifications that connects to all features. Franchisees can quickly and easily post content, respond to comments and reviews, boost ads, and more.

 

5.   Support & Training That Meets All Skill Levels

A valuable franchise social media management tool will provide support and training that optimizes franchise social media output, regardless of the user’s social media management abilities. Whether generalized support or hands-on training is provided, the right tool increases user skill sets and social media use.

 

How to Choose the Best Franchise Social Media Management Tool

 

There are many franchise social media marketing tools available on the market. To find the most valuable social media tool for franchises for your organization, consider the following questions:

 

1.   How Many Social Media Profiles & Profile Managers Are There?

The number of social media profiles your business has and who is managing them is crucial to consider when choosing a social media management tool. A company with 100s or 1,00s of social profiles managed by local teams will need a franchise social media management tool that allows them to collaborate with corporate while also providing the ability to work independently. This flexible, centralized approach allows corporate to assume workflows and content options for local teams when needed, while also giving franchisees the flexibility and tools to empower them to produce their own work product.

 

2. How Important Is Brand Governance?

Companies with defined and enforced brand guidelines that must be followed by all franchisees will need a franchise social media management tool with strong content governance features. Features like shareable content galleries, ratings for content relevance, trending topic sharing, and on-brand content will help ensure that social media content is on-brand at all locations.

 

3.  Do You Need Support & Training?

How much support and training your franchisees (and franchisors) need may be very important when choosing a franchise social media management tool. Your company may require ongoing support for users at different points in their social media management journey. Additionally, some users may need to be encouraged to use franchise social media management tools, thereby facilitating the buy-in of franchisor social media marketing goals.

 

4. What Are Your Corporate-Local Requirements?

A blended franchisor-franchisee social media strategy means there needs to be a balance in responsibilities between corporate and locations in creating and posting content at the local level. Franchisees may be expected to produce most on-brand content; however, corporate may need to approve a local business’s social media plan. As such, a franchise social media management tool should create a workflow that can be managed and monitored by both corporate or local teams to ensure a consistent social media presence.

 

 

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

 

SOCi is an award-winning social media marketing tool company that was designed for a specific niche: multi-location businesses with complex social media needs. Find out why so many national and regional corporations have turned to our franchise social media management tool for smart and easy social media management.