The Franchise website power play: How DevHub is redefining the ‘hub’ of digital marketing
Franchise digital marketing ‘hub.’
When it comes to franchise websites, the pressure is on not just from consumers but also franchisees both current and prospective. Delivering an aesthetically pleasing website is franchise marketing 101. Understanding how performance, constant testing, content refreshes, more native integrations, form routing and localization all play into the ‘right’ ecosystem of agencies and martech tools - is how leading Chief Marketing Officers win. This strategy dictates how a franchise becomes a powerhouse for lead generation. At the heart of this transformation? - DevHub is a platform built on 17 years of experience in understanding how marketing technologies, agencies, and the demand for convenience can challenge a franchise brand's ability to fully optimize their digital presence.
“We believe the website is the most important digital asset a franchise has,” Mark Michael, CEO / DevHub.com
Regular updates: the fuel for lead generation.
Let’s start with the basics: your franchise corporate and franchisee websites need to stay fresh. Gone are the days of yearly updates. If you do not have the ability to quickly launch five extra pages to a franchisee’s territory - you are dead in the water. Updating content at least two to three times per quarter is essential to staying relevant (from hero images, to testing different calls to action i.e. “schedule, contact, book appointment.”
What does having the right mix of content and conversion have in common? On average a 44% boost in traffic - more visitors, optimized correctly - more conversions to customers.
Stanford did a study called: The Web Credibility Project that studies how users evaluate the credibility of websites and online information. The key takeaways:
Making information verifiable
Showing a legitimate organization
Highlighting expertise
Showcasing trustworthy individuals
Offering easy contact methods.
Additionally the study found that websites should be visually professional, easy to use, frequently updated, and clear in distinguishing ads from content. Errors of any kind, especially typographical, should be avoided to maintain trust.”
Plug and play with ‘best of’ marketing technologies and agencies
In 2011, Scott Brinker published the ‘Martech Technology Landscape,’ with only 150 ‘martech’ companies…fast forward to 2024, over 14,106 marketing technology companies. From the Salesforce of the world to a Serviceminder. The level of ‘best of,’ technologies now exists for franchise marketing leaders to choose what’s best for their franchisees. .
No longer is a franchise forced to use a CRM built for ‘anyone’ but rather a CRM built for them.
No longer is a franchise forced into a technology or even agency that doesn’t perform.
No longer are franchise leaders choosing convenience over what’s best for franchisees.
No longer is a franchise stuck with a provider because they do too much and yet too little where it counts.
Metrics that matter.
Franchise marketing is no longer a guessing game - it’s a science or simply put it's a dialed in workflow. Key performance metrics like site speed, organic traffic and lead generation effectiveness drive decisions and shameless plug: DevHub is built to enhance each of these. One standout? Mobile optimization with localization. With the majority of traffic now coming from mobile devices, having franchisee sites that perform seamlessly on smartphones isn’t just a perk—it’s all that matters today. Most design conversations are based around desktop mock-ups - and true franchise marketing leaders should always be calling for the “mobile mock-ups,’ as part of any website project, refresh, testing. Testing to make sure forms are being routed, appointments are being booked and online ordering is attributed to the right franchisee.
Consumer digital experience: A deal-breaker
Great design isn’t just about looking good—it’s about guiding consumers through a seamless experience that encourages conversions. From strategic call-to-action placements to clear, user-friendly layouts, every detail matters - NO POP UPS EVER ON MOBILE. If your current website forwards people to a different portal to complete an action - you lost. Integrating features like native form fills and appointment booking tools to capture leads effectively, even when users don’t complete the full form - is table stakes for a high performing cms platform.
Storytelling as strategy
When it comes to content, it’s all about storytelling. In franchise marketing, the ability to craft authentic, engaging narratives can set a brand apart in a crowded market. But there’s two sides to storytelling for franchise marketing and each has a different relationship with the brand in the moment of their intent.
1) Consumers want to know how, when and what services or offerings will be delivered.
2) Future franchisees want to understand the brand story, numbers and opportunity.
Each ‘story,’ needs to be crafted to match the persona showing up to the digital front door of the franchise brand - website.
Takeaways: Websites are the ‘hub’ of a franchise’s digital marketing journey.
By owning your website you dictate the rules - simple.