In our previous blog, we discussed the Five marketing areas that franchise businesses should familiarize themselves with and shouldn’t ignore. In this blog, we will delve deeper into why paid advertising is crucial for franchise businesses. We will use examples of different types of franchises and how they can leverage paid advertising to reach their target audience, increase conversions and generate more revenue. Whether you are a franchise business looking to support new franchisees or you’re a franchisee looking to expand your business this blog will help you understand the importance of paid advertising and how to use it effectively.
Paid advertising can help franchise businesses reach a larger audience quickly. Here’s why paid advertising is essential for franchise businesses:
Reach a Larger Audience
Paid advertising allows franchise businesses to reach a larger audience quickly. They can use paid advertising on platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram Ads to promote their products and services to a broader audience.
EXAMPLE
Let’s say the franchise business is a fast-food chain called “Burger Haven” and they want to reach a larger audience quickly through paid advertising on Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram Ads.
Google Ads:
Burger Haven can create paid search ads on Google Ads targeting relevant keywords such as “best burgers near me” or “fast-food restaurant in [location].” They can also use Google Display Network to create image ads that appear on relevant websites, blogs, and apps. For example, Burger Haven can create an ad with an enticing image of their signature burger and a call-to-action to visit their website or place an order online.
Facebook Ads:
Burger Haven can create sponsored posts on Facebook that appear in the newsfeeds of users who fit their target audience criteria, such as age, location, interests, and behavior. They can create carousel ads showcasing different burger options, or video ads showing how their burgers are made. They can also use Facebook’s “Store Visits” ad objective to promote their physical locations and encourage users to visit their nearby Burger Haven restaurant.
Instagram Ads:
Burger Haven can create visually appealing image or video ads that appear in the Instagram feed or Stories of users who are likely to be interested in fast food. They can use eye-catching images of their burgers, along with mouth-watering captions and call-to-action buttons, to drive engagement and conversions. Burger Haven can also collaborate with local influencers on Instagram to promote their products, services, and locations to a larger audience.
Targeted Advertising
Paid advertising provides franchise businesses with an opportunity to target their advertising efforts to a specific audience. They can create targeted ads based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. This targeted advertising can lead to higher conversion rates and increased sales.
EXAMPLE
Let’s take the example of a fitness franchise called “FitLife” that offers specialized workout programs for seniors. FitLife wants to use targeted advertising to reach their specific audience of seniors and promote their services to increase conversion rates and boost sales.
FitLife can leverage the following strategies for targeted advertising:
Demographics:
FitLife can use demographic targeting to focus their ads on seniors who are more likely to be interested in their fitness programs. They can set parameters such as age (e.g., 60+), location (e.g., retirement communities or senior living neighborhoods), and gender (e.g., targeting females more, as they tend to live longer than males on average). This way, their ads will be shown only to the intended audience, maximizing relevancy and engagement.
Interests:
FitLife can use interest-based targeting to reach seniors who have shown an interest in health and fitness. For example, they can target users who have previously shown an interest in fitness-related topics, such as nutrition, wellness, or home exercises. FitLife can also target users who follow fitness influencers or engage with fitness-related content on social media platforms.
Behaviors:
FitLife can use behavior-based targeting to reach seniors who have demonstrated specific behaviors relevant to their fitness programs. For instance, they can target users who have recently searched for fitness classes for seniors, visited fitness websites, or engaged with fitness apps. FitLife can also target users who have made purchases related to health and fitness, such as fitness equipment or supplements.
Measurable Results
Paid advertising provides measurable results that franchise businesses can use to optimize their marketing efforts. They can track impressions, clicks, and conversions, and use this data to improve their advertising campaigns.
EXAMPLE
Let’s consider a franchise business called “TechGeeks” that sells technology gadgets and accessories, and how they can track measurable results from their paid advertising campaigns.
TechGeeks can use the following methods to track measurable results from their paid advertising efforts:
Impressions:
TechGeeks can track the number of impressions, which is the number of times their ads are displayed to users. This data can help them assess the reach and visibility of their ads. They can monitor impressions in the reporting dashboard of their advertising platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or Instagram Ads, and analyze trends over time to see how their ad exposure is changing.
Clicks:
TechGeeks can track the number of clicks their ads receive, which indicates how many users have clicked on their ads to visit their website or landing page. Clicks can be a valuable metric to measure the level of user engagement with their ads. TechGeeks can monitor clicks in their advertising platforms and use this data to identify which ads or campaigns are driving the most traffic to their website.
Conversions:
TechGeeks can track conversions, which are actions taken by users after clicking on their ads, such as making a purchase, filling out a form, or subscribing to a newsletter. By setting up conversion tracking in their advertising platforms, TechGeeks can measure the effectiveness of their ads in driving desired actions and ultimately generating revenue. They can use this data to optimize their campaigns, such as adjusting ad targeting, messaging, or bidding strategies, to improve their conversion rates.
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS):
TechGeeks can calculate their ROAS, which is the ratio of the revenue generated from their ads to the cost of their ads. ROAS is a key metric that can help TechGeeks assess the profitability of their advertising campaigns. They can use this data to identify which ads or campaigns are delivering the highest return on investment (ROI) and allocate their advertising budget more effectively to achieve their business objectives.
Cost-Effective Marketing
Paid advertising is a cost-effective marketing strategy for franchise businesses. They can set a budget for their advertising campaigns, and only pay when someone clicks on their ad or takes another desired action. This makes paid advertising an affordable marketing option for franchises of all sizes.
EXAMPLE
Let’s take the example of a franchise business called “BakeMaster” that specializes in selling freshly baked goods, and how they can implement a cost-effective marketing strategy using paid advertising.
BakeMaster can utilize the following cost-effective marketing tactics with paid advertising:
Set Budgets:
BakeMaster can set budgets for their paid advertising campaigns, which allows them to have better control over their advertising costs. For example, they can set daily or monthly budgets in platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or Instagram Ads, and only spend up to the allocated budget. This helps BakeMaster avoid overspending and ensures that their advertising costs are within their planned marketing budget.
Pay-per-Click (PPC) Advertising:
BakeMaster can implement pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, where they only pay when someone clicks on their ad. This ensures that BakeMaster is only paying for actual engagement with their ads, rather than paying for impressions or views that may not result in any meaningful actions. With PPC advertising, BakeMaster can set bids for keywords or target specific audiences, and only pay when users click on their ads, making it a cost-effective marketing tactic.
Ad Scheduling:
BakeMaster can take advantage of ad scheduling features offered by advertising platforms. This allows them to display their ads only during specific days of the week or times of the day when their target audience is most likely to be active online. By carefully scheduling their ads, BakeMaster can optimize their advertising budget and ensure that their ads are shown to their target audience at the most cost-effective times.
Ad Optimization:
BakeMaster can constantly monitor and optimize their ads for better performance. This includes regularly reviewing and analyzing ad performance data, such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS), and making adjustments to their ads, targeting, and messaging to optimize their campaigns. By continuously optimizing their ads, BakeMaster can improve their ad performance and ensure that their advertising budget is being used effectively.
Brand Awareness
Paid advertising can also increase brand awareness for franchise businesses. By promoting their products and services through paid advertising, franchises can reach a broader audience and introduce their brand to potential customers.
EXAMPLE
Let’s take the example of a franchise business called “FitZone” that offers fitness and wellness services, and how they can increase brand awareness through paid advertising.
Display Advertising:
FitZone can use display advertising through platforms like Google Ads to create visually appealing ads that showcase their brand logo, colors, and messaging. They can target relevant websites and online platforms where their target audience is likely to spend time, and display their ads to potential customers who may not be aware of their brand. Display ads can help increase brand exposure and create awareness among a broader audience.
Social Media Advertising:
FitZone can utilize paid advertising on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to reach a wider audience and create brand awareness. They can create engaging ads that highlight their fitness services, testimonials from satisfied customers, and their unique value proposition. By targeting specific demographics, interests, and behaviors of their ideal customers, FitZone can increase brand visibility and create awareness among potential customers who may not be familiar with their brand.
Video Advertising:
FitZone can use video advertising on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram to create engaging and informative videos that showcase their fitness services, success stories, and brand personality. They can use video ads to capture the attention of their target audience and create brand awareness in an engaging and memorable way. Video ads can be an effective way to increase brand visibility and create awareness among potential customers who prefer visual content.
Remarketing Campaigns:
FitZone can implement remarketing campaigns through platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads to target users who have previously visited their website or engaged with their brand online. By showing targeted ads to these users as they browse the internet or social media, FitZone can reinforce their brand message, create brand recall, and increase brand awareness among potential customers who have already shown an interest in their products or services.
Influencer Partnerships:
FitZone can collaborate with relevant influencers or bloggers in the fitness and wellness niche to promote their brand through paid advertising. Influencers can create sponsored posts or videos that feature FitZone’s products or services, and share them with their engaged audience. This can help increase brand exposure and awareness among the influencer’s followers, who may be interested in fitness and wellness offerings.
In conclusion, paid advertising is an essential marketing strategy for franchise businesses. By reaching a larger audience, targeting their advertising efforts, providing measurable results, being cost-effective, and increasing brand awareness, franchise businesses can succeed in today’s digital world. By investing in paid advertising, franchise businesses can stay competitive and grow their business.