Why this matters for a franchise: a dealer group is a multi-location business with strict brand rules, which is very close to how a franchise works. Across 436 dealerships, #1 keywords went from 65 to 119 per store and the average Business Profile grade went from 78.8 (C) to 91.9 (A). See the case study.
What is franchise SEO?
Franchise SEO is local SEO repeated with discipline across many locations. Each real location gets its own page on the brand site, its own Google Business Profile and its own review flow, while corporate keeps names, templates and tracking consistent. The goal is that a customer searching near any location finds that location first, not a competitor.
It uses the same method I describe on the SEO consultant home page. What changes is scale: fifty locations means fifty chances to get the details right, and fifty chances to get them wrong.
How many pages does a franchise website need?
One page per real location, plus the brand pages that sell the service itself. Do not create extra pages for towns where you have no location just to rank there. Google calls pages that target cities and funnel users to one place doorway abuse, and they can drag the whole domain down.
Google's spam policies list pages targeted at specific regions or cities that funnel users to one page as an example of doorway abuse. A good location page is different: it has the real address, hours, team, photos, services offered at that store, local reviews and directions. I built this kind of structure at scale on a national directory with more than 70,000 location pages, and the rules were the same: every page had to be useful on its own. See that case study.
What I work on for franchises
One profile per location
A verified Google Business Profile for every real location, with the same brand name and the right categories.
Location page template
A template with fields each location fills with real local content, so pages are consistent but not copies.
Consistent NAP
Name, address and phone that match across the site, the profile and the main directories.
Reviews at scale
A simple, honest review request flow each location can run, and reply guidelines for managers.
Location schema
LocalBusiness markup on each location page so search engines connect the page and the place.
Per-location reporting
Calls, direction requests and leads by location, so you see which stores grow and which need help.
The profile work is covered in local SEO and Google Business Profile, and large sets of location pages in programmatic SEO. Location markup follows Google's local business structured data guide.
Who should control SEO, corporate or the franchisee?
Corporate should own the website, the templates and the Google Business Profiles, and give franchisees manager access to what they know best: photos, posts, hours and replies to reviews. When every owner runs their own site and profile, names drift, duplicates appear and nobody can compare locations fairly.
Google lets a profile have several owners and managers, so this split is easy to set up. Names must follow Google's guidelines for representing your business: all locations of a chain should use the same name, with no city or keywords added, and each profile needs a real address with staff during stated hours. Your franchise agreement should say who owns each profile if a location changes hands; check that with your counsel.
How do you get reviews across dozens of locations?
Make asking easy and part of the routine. Each location gets its own review link, staff ask at the right moment, and managers reply within a few days using shared guidelines. Never buy reviews, write them for customers or pay only for positive ones. Steady, real reviews beat a sudden burst that looks suspicious.
The FTC's final rule on fake reviews and testimonials applies to every location, so the review process should be written down by corporate and followed by everyone.
- Every real location has one verified profile, with no duplicates.
- Names, addresses and phones match on the site and the profile.
- Each location page has unique local content, not a swapped city name.
- Reports show calls, directions and leads per location every month.
How much does franchise SEO cost?
It depends on the number of locations and how much already exists. A franchise usually starts with an audit of the site and a sample of profiles, then a monthly plan: Growth at $1,750 or Scale at $2,500, with location pages at $90 each. Larger networks get a custom quote after a free diagnosis.
See the pricing page or book a free diagnosis for your locations.
Frequently asked questions
Can franchisees keep their own websites?
They can, but it usually splits authority and creates inconsistent information. A single brand site with strong location pages works better in most cases.
Do you work with corporate or with individual franchisees?
Mostly with corporate or the marketing team, because the structure has to be decided centrally. I can also help a single franchisee within the brand's rules.
What happens to a profile when a location closes?
Mark it as permanently closed instead of deleting it, and update the location page and internal links so visitors are sent to the nearest open location.
Can you fix duplicate Google Business Profiles?
Yes. I find duplicates, decide which profile to keep and request the removal or merge through Google's process.
Will you name the brands you have worked with?
No. Client work is confidential. I can walk you through anonymized results on a call.
Sources
- Business Profile Help, Guidelines for representing your business on Google
- Google Search Central, Spam policies for Google web search
- Business Profile Help, Manage your Business Profile owners and managers
- Federal Trade Commission, Final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials (August 14, 2024)
- Google Search Central, Local business (LocalBusiness) structured data