{"id":175419,"date":"2024-05-29T09:07:23","date_gmt":"2024-05-29T14:07:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=175419"},"modified":"2025-12-18T08:43:37","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T13:43:37","slug":"franchise-seo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/franchise-seo\/","title":{"rendered":"Franchise SEO: Local and National Growth Strategies for Franchises"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"intro-txt\">Franchise SEO is simple. It\u2019s basically local SEO multiplied by the franchise\u2019s number of locations, right? Wrong!<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>With more locations come greater challenges requiring a more nuanced approach than a typical local SEO campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this guide, I share successful strategies I\u2019ve used to scale SEO for local and national franchises. It\u2019s split up into three key segments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll find all the tips you need whether you\u2019re a franchise owner, an in-house marketer, or an agency working with a franchise client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"What is franchise SEO?\" data-section=\"what-is-franchise-seo\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_6x6f9p3lxbss\"><\/a>What is franchise SEO?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Franchise SEO (search engine optimization) is a marketing channel that improves the visibility of franchises on search engines like Google. It operates at two levels: a hyper-local level for each individual franchise and a national level for the overall brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a nutshell, SEO for franchises typically involves:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">Keyword research<\/a> for local services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Featuring each franchise in local directories<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Listing each location on map services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creating location landing pages<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eliminating duplicated or thin content<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improving the technical setup of the franchise\u2019s CMS<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tracking results for each location<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Local vs national SEO for franchises\" data-section=\"local-vs-national-seo-for-franchises\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_eg7r5c8wgw1i\"><\/a>Local vs national SEO for franchises<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>At a hyper-local level, franchise SEO strategies focus on ensuring each franchise is visible in local search results for the suburb they are located in. This includes visibility of the business listing in&nbsp;maps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At a national level, the strategy expands to incorporate the overall brand\u2019s visibility across all the cities, states, and regions where it has franchises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1768\" height=\"994\" class=\"wp-image-175420\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/local-vs-national-seo-visibility.jpg\" alt=\"Local vs national SEO visibility\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/local-vs-national-seo-visibility.jpg 1768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/local-vs-national-seo-visibility-680x382.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/local-vs-national-seo-visibility-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/local-vs-national-seo-visibility-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1768px) 100vw, 1768px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>There isn\u2019t a single SEO approach that works best for all franchises because it depends on how the website and branded assets are set&nbsp;up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s look at a few options you can consider for your franchise\u2019s SEO strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Local SEO tips for each franchise\" data-section=\"local-seo-tips-for-franchises\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_5l9dws24j2g\"><\/a>Local SEO tips for franchises<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For each franchise location consider doing the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_3iam3sckm6ko\"><\/a>1. Establish a consistent local address and phone number<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As with regular <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/local-seo\/\">local SEO<\/a>, you need to have consistent name, address, and phone number (NAP) details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consistency is important because these details will often appear elsewhere on the web. Think of it like a virtual business card that gets shared around. If your business details are inconsistent, it can be a confusing experience for potential customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While a regular local business can use the owner\u2019s personal mobile number and home address, this is a risky strategy for a franchise since ownership changes are more common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s best to avoid using the franchisee\u2019s personal details and establish the following instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_9vby9wm3bhow\"><\/a>Business name<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This is fairly easy. Add the franchise name + the location on the end, like \u201cXtend Barre Arlington.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"687\" height=\"572\" class=\"wp-image-175421\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-xtend-barres-business-naming-conventio.png\" alt=\"Example of Xtend Barre's business naming conventions for its local franchises\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-xtend-barres-business-naming-conventio.png 687w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-xtend-barres-business-naming-conventio-510x425.png 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 687px) 100vw, 687px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_xfzqhppxsjwv\"><\/a>Address<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If possible, establish an office that can be used instead of the owner\u2019s home address. Even a virtual office is better to consider than someone\u2019s home address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_kvrhdcw9cb13\"><\/a>Phone number<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Display a consistent local number online and forward all calls to the franchisee\u2019s mobile behind the scenes. I recommend using a call tracking service that can provide consistent, localized phone numbers for you to&nbsp;use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Call tracking allows businesses to connect marketing efforts to conversions. It also bridges the gap between online and offline conversion journeys allowing franchise owners and franchisees to see what marketing campaigns performed best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Better yet, call tracking also solves a unique challenge for franchises: measuring the success of each location. It\u2019s the best way to assess where weaknesses in national visibility may&nbsp;lie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many ways you can set up call tracking. A basic process would look a little like&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Select a call tracking provider like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.callrail.com\/call-tracking\">CallRail<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wildjar.com\/call-tracking\">WildJar<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Set up public-facing numbers to track (use these on your website, business listings, social profiles, and directories).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Set up forwarding so all calls go through to the right person in the right location.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Connect the numbers to your analytics software or create a dashboard to monitor conversions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_jdciqmtjp7xw\"><\/a>2. Create a dedicated page for each franchise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating a landing page for each location is franchise SEO 101. And yet, it still surprises me how many franchises don\u2019t do&nbsp;this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by designing a template you can use for each location page. Check out our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/location-pages\/\">location landing pages<\/a> and ensure you include the following features in your template:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Localize the page title and <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/h1-tag\/\">H1 title&nbsp;tag<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feature conversion-focused elements at the top of the&nbsp;page<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add a map showcasing the location of the franchise<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add images of the premises and staff on the ground<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If relevant, consider adding a short video or virtual tour<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mention the services available at the franchise<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add social proof elements, ideally specific to each franchise<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can see a great example of this in action on F45\u2019s website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"sidenote\"><div class=\"sidenote-title\">Sidenote.<\/div> I have no affiliation with F45, but I found this franchise\u2019s set up to be a great example of many of the points I make in this article so I will reference it a fair bit throughout.<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Each studio has its own page. They all follow the same design template which makes it easy for the franchise\u2019s web design team to add new locations to the website as they&nbsp;open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While there are many templatized elements, there are also the following unique features for each location:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A unique, location-optimized heading and description at the top of the&nbsp;page.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"860\" height=\"530\" class=\"wp-image-175422\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-seo-optimized-hero-section-for-local-franchi.jpg\" alt=\"F45's SEO-optimized hero section for local franchise pages\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-seo-optimized-hero-section-for-local-franchi.jpg 860w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-seo-optimized-hero-section-for-local-franchi-680x419.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-seo-optimized-hero-section-for-local-franchi-768x473.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Contact details for the specific franchise<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1217\" height=\"223\" class=\"wp-image-175423\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-localized-franchise-details.png\" alt=\"F45's localized franchise details\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-localized-franchise-details.png 1217w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-localized-franchise-details-680x125.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-localized-franchise-details-768x141.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1217px) 100vw, 1217px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The class schedule and booking functionality<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"980\" class=\"wp-image-175424\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-class-schedule-for-poolers-franchise-locati.png\" alt=\"F45's class schedule for Pooler's franchise location\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-class-schedule-for-poolers-franchise-locati.png 700w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-class-schedule-for-poolers-franchise-locati-304x425.png 304w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The on the groud team running classes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1420\" height=\"984\" class=\"wp-image-175425\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-team-at-the-pooler-location.jpg\" alt=\"F45's team at the Pooler location\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-team-at-the-pooler-location.jpg 1420w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-team-at-the-pooler-location-613x425.jpg 613w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-team-at-the-pooler-location-768x532.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1420px) 100vw, 1420px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And while there\u2019s a lot more F45 could be doing, especially when optimizing for non-branded keywords, the SEO performance of these pages is not too shabby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1409\" height=\"291\" class=\"wp-image-175426\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-franchise-seo-performance-in-ahrefs-site-ex.png\" alt=\"F45's franchise SEO performance in Ahrefs' Site Explorer tool\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-franchise-seo-performance-in-ahrefs-site-ex.png 1409w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-franchise-seo-performance-in-ahrefs-site-ex-680x140.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-franchise-seo-performance-in-ahrefs-site-ex-768x159.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1409px) 100vw, 1409px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>These location pages are a fast-growing segment of F45\u2019s website, reaching almost 45,000 monthly visits in around 10 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1213\" height=\"567\" class=\"wp-image-175427\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-local-franchise-seo-keyword-growth-graph-in.png\" alt=\"F45's local franchise SEO keyword growth graph in Ahrefs\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-local-franchise-seo-keyword-growth-graph-in.png 1213w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-local-franchise-seo-keyword-growth-graph-in-680x318.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-local-franchise-seo-keyword-growth-graph-in-768x359.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1213px) 100vw, 1213px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If your franchise doesn\u2019t have such pages, start creating them, pronto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_6x1kxyrp2ksd\"><\/a>3. Set up a business profile on Google, Bing, and&nbsp;Apple<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to put each of your franchise locations on the map, you\u2019ll need to set up business listings on platforms like Google Maps, Bing Places, and Apple&nbsp;Maps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example of what a simple listing looks like on Google:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"489\" height=\"552\" class=\"wp-image-175428\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-google-business-profile-for-a-local-f.png\" alt=\"Example of a Google Business profile for a local franchise\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-google-business-profile-for-a-local-f.png 489w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-google-business-profile-for-a-local-f-376x425.png 376w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 489px) 100vw, 489px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It is also often the case when someone searches for businesses like yours \u2018near me\u2019 (i.e., with unbranded keywords), your business listing may also show up in what\u2019s called a map pack, and it looks like this on Google:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1124\" height=\"535\" class=\"wp-image-175429\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-google-map-pack-listings.png\" alt=\"Example of Google Map Pack listings\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-google-map-pack-listings.png 1124w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-google-map-pack-listings-680x324.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-google-map-pack-listings-768x366.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1124px) 100vw, 1124px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Setting up your business listings on these platforms is free and very straightforward. Click the following links to get started on each platform and follow the set-up wizard or prompts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/business\/\">Google Business Profile<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/businessconnect.apple.com\/\">Apple Business Connect<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bingplaces.com\/\">Bing Places for Business<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t skimp on setting up these business profiles. Make sure you fill out all the information that you can. Get detailed with the services you offer at each location. Take the time to add images. You get the&nbsp;idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When adding a link to your website for these profiles, link to the franchise\u2019s dedicated landing page, not the general homepage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"802\" class=\"wp-image-175430\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-each-business-listing-to-the-franchises-loca.jpg\" alt=\"Link each business listing to the franchise's local landing page\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-each-business-listing-to-the-franchises-loca.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-each-business-listing-to-the-franchises-loca-680x266.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-each-business-listing-to-the-franchises-loca-768x301.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-each-business-listing-to-the-franchises-loca-1536x602.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, the F45 gym in Pooler has added this link to its Google listing: https:\/\/f45training.com\/studio\/pooler\/. It takes visitors directly to the page with information about their location. You should follow this strategy for each of your franchises too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_5czuceerjz7y\"><\/a>4. Create social profiles for each location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This tip seems like a no-brainer. However, some franchise owners do not release control of social media marketing to their franchisees. As a marketer, you may not be allowed to set up these profiles for your client, so it\u2019s worth checking. If this is the case, and there\u2019s no way to create custom social profiles for each location, skip this&nbsp;step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Otherwise, set up the social profiles for platforms that make the most sense for your industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you take the time to properly fill out these profiles as you did for the business listings on Google, Bing, and Apple. The same rules apply here too\u2014if there\u2019s a space to add information, add it. Don\u2019t cut corners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure each of your social profiles links to the dedicated landing page for the franchise it represents instead of the homepage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, make sure the only social profiles added to each landing page are the specific ones for that location. This way you create a network of links and brand properties for each franchise, which can help boost that franchise\u2019s local authority as a micro-brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1644\" height=\"1158\" class=\"wp-image-175431\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/interlink-each-franchises-social-profiles-with-th.png\" alt=\"Interlink each franchise's social profiles with their dedicated local landing page.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/interlink-each-franchises-social-profiles-with-th.png 1644w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/interlink-each-franchises-social-profiles-with-th-603x425.png 603w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/interlink-each-franchises-social-profiles-with-th-768x541.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/interlink-each-franchises-social-profiles-with-th-1536x1082.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1644px) 100vw, 1644px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Building each location\u2019s brand in this way may make it easier to rank for hyper-local keywords instead of relying on the authority of the national brand&nbsp;alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_mhl4zht603qs\"><\/a>5. Feature each franchise in local directories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Local directories are the online equivalent of the Yellow Pages. They feature information about businesses in the local area and function as a fairly easy link-building strategy for franchise SEO. They are essential for developing each franchisee\u2019s local authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A great example of a local directory is Yelp. For instance, here\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yelp.com\/biz\/f45-training-pooler-pooler\">F45\u2019s Yelp listing<\/a> for one of their studios:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1149\" height=\"1396\" class=\"wp-image-175432\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-yelp-directory-listing-for-franchise.jpg\" alt=\"Example of a Yelp directory listing for franchise SEO\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-yelp-directory-listing-for-franchise.jpg 1149w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-yelp-directory-listing-for-franchise-350x425.jpg 350w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-yelp-directory-listing-for-franchise-768x933.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1149px) 100vw, 1149px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A good way to find directories where you can feature your franchises is to use the <strong>Link Intersect<\/strong> report in Ahrefs\u2019 Competitive Analysis tool. It will show you websites that link to your competitors\u2019 sites but not&nbsp;yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Select the \u201cReferring domains\u201d tab<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add your franchise landing page in the \u201cNot linking to target\u201d section<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add competitors\u2019 landing pages in the \u201cBut link to these competitors\u201d section<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click \u201cShow link opportunities\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1686\" height=\"1198\" class=\"wp-image-175433\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-intersect-in-ahrefs.png\" alt=\"Link Intersect in Ahrefs\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-intersect-in-ahrefs.png 1686w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-intersect-in-ahrefs-598x425.png 598w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-intersect-in-ahrefs-768x546.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-intersect-in-ahrefs-1536x1091.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1686px) 100vw, 1686px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Look through the list of sites for directories that you might want to add your franchise to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1164\" height=\"938\" class=\"wp-image-175434\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-intersect-in-ahrefs-1.png\" alt=\"Link Intersect in Ahrefs\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-intersect-in-ahrefs-1.png 1164w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-intersect-in-ahrefs-1-527x425.png 527w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/link-intersect-in-ahrefs-1-768x619.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1164px) 100vw, 1164px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideally, each franchise location should have a good handful of local directory listings. When these directories ask for links to social profiles, the website, or map listings, add the ones you created for that specific location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make it as hyper-local as possible, and avoid adding the national brand\u2019s home page or generic profiles as much as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"National SEO tips for the entire brand\" data-section=\"national-seo-tips-for-franchises\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_p54dcws4arzh\"><\/a>National SEO tips for franchises<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Franchise SEO at a national level is where things start to get more interesting (and challenging). This is where it stops feeling like a local SEO campaign multiplied by the number of locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You have to work smarter than that to scale success at a national level. Here\u2019s how to do&nbsp;that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_leniep3jya9s\"><\/a>Scale keyword research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Normally, scaling keyword research at a national level can be very time-consuming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are new to SEO, I recommend you start by learning the foundations in our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/local-keyword-research\/\">comprehensive guide on local keyword research<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Presuming you already have some SEO chops, here are some ways to scale keyword research for national franchises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, identify relative search patterns in your country. For example, let\u2019s say you offer mold remediation services. In the United States, \u201cmold remediation\u201d is a more popular search term than \u201cmold removal\u201d or \u201cmold treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"621\" height=\"482\" class=\"wp-image-175435\" style=\"width: 407px; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-keyword-search-volumes-for-mold-service.png\" alt=\"Example of keyword search volumes for mold services in the US\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-keyword-search-volumes-for-mold-service.png 621w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-keyword-search-volumes-for-mold-service-548x425.png 548w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 621px) 100vw, 621px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, in Australia (putting spelling and population differences aside for a moment) it\u2019s more likely that people will search for keywords containing \u201cremoval.\u201d Relatively speaking, \u201cremediation\u201d is searched about 1\/10th as much as \u201cremoval\u201d is searched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"656\" height=\"528\" class=\"wp-image-175436\" style=\"width: 404px; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-keyword-search-volumes-for-mold-service-1.png\" alt=\"Example of keyword search volumes for mold services in Australia\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-keyword-search-volumes-for-mold-service-1.png 656w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-keyword-search-volumes-for-mold-service-1-528x425.png 528w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 656px) 100vw, 656px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you identify the relative search patterns in the countries you operate in, you can use these as a baseline for all your SEO efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also apply these patterns to locations that don\u2019t get many searches or new franchises before you have time to complete a thorough <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/orchard-seo-strategy\/\">SEO strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, you can also argue that people don\u2019t really search at a granular local level that much anymore. They\u2019re far more likely to search for a service \u201cnear me\u201d or even to leave the search without a location and expect Google to personalize the results based on their device\u2019s location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While my experience also agrees with this sentiment, you do in fact need to find granular location keywords if you want to scale national franchise SEO effectively for these reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To unify your Google Ads and SEO strategies nationally<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To track and report on local visibility more accurately<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To find untapped regional opportunities to optimize for<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_z8vr6vf0illb\"><\/a>Here\u2019s how Ahrefs can help shortcut the process<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\/\">Keywords Explorer<\/a> add a list of all services your franchise offers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add the list of locations and regions where you have franchises to the \u201cinclude\u201d filter.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Segment suitable keywords by location so you can optimize appropriate pages.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, let\u2019s say you have a mold remediation franchise. You can add a list of all your services and variations in Keywords Explorer like&nbsp;so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1416\" height=\"880\" class=\"wp-image-175437\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-ahrefs-keyword-explorer-to-scale-franchise.png\" alt=\"Using Ahrefs' Keyword Explorer to scale franchise SEO keyword research nationally.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-ahrefs-keyword-explorer-to-scale-franchise.png 1416w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-ahrefs-keyword-explorer-to-scale-franchise-680x423.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-ahrefs-keyword-explorer-to-scale-franchise-768x477.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1416px) 100vw, 1416px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"sidenote\"><div class=\"sidenote-title\">Sidenote.<\/div> You can add up to 10,000 keywords at a time so don\u2019t be shy about making it a long list. Make sure you set the correct country location and then hit the search button.<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In the <strong>Matching Terms <\/strong>report, you\u2019ll want to add all locations in the \u201cinclude\u201d filter and ensure it\u2019s set to \u201cany word\u201d like&nbsp;so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"315\" height=\"275\" class=\"wp-image-175438\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-ahrefs-filters-to-segment-keywords-.png\" alt=\"Using Ahrefs' filters to segment keywords.\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you add all of the following here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The exact suburbs each franchise is located in and can service, like Pasadena or Glendale.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The overall city or region where you may have multiple franchises, like Beverly Hills.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The states you operate in, like California.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The zip codes for all of the above, like 90210 for Beverly Hills.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Any relevant abbreviations for all of the above, like CA for California.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Then apply the filter, and you\u2019ll get a condensed list of service keywords in the areas relevant to your franchise. You should see long-tail opportunities like the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"837\" height=\"693\" class=\"wp-image-175439\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-returning-keyword-result.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer returning keyword results.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-returning-keyword-result.png 837w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-returning-keyword-result-513x425.png 513w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-returning-keyword-result-768x636.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 837px) 100vw, 837px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The final step is to segment these keywords based on locations so you can target them to the correct page on your website. How you structure your website will influence your keyword segmentation so let\u2019s look at that&nbsp;next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_pkhjqa1xwznv\"><\/a>Establish an SEO-friendly site structure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have a list of relevant service and location-focused keywords, you need to determine where to target them. There are a few options available to you based on how your franchise CMS is structured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I recommend the second option to most of my franchise and national SEO clients as it provides the best opportunity for ranking both locally and nationally with one website. However, the third option works just as well if your technical ecosystem can handle managing multiple website assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_k4eeepn85lt\"><\/a>Option 1: One website and each franchise gets a single page<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a very common option for franchises. It uses a single website for the entire franchise, and each franchisee has only one dedicated page to make their own. It is the structure F45 uses, for instance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-307\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-307 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-full\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Pros<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Cons<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><ul><li>Simple to manage<\/li><br>\n<li>Lower risk of duplicated content<\/li><br>\n<li>Brand has more control over visibility<\/li><br>\n<li>Leverages the main brand\u2019s authority<br>\n<\/li><br>\n<\/ul><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><ul><li>May not rank well for non-branded keywords<\/li><br>\n<li>Limited space to display location-specific info<\/li><br>\n<li>Limits control each franchisee has to market their business<br>\n<\/li><\/ul><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-307 from cache -->\n\n\n<p>The URL structure for these pages is usually something like www.myfranchise.com\/location\/franchise-1, and it looks a bit like this when rolled out across the whole website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"996\" class=\"wp-image-175440\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f.png\" alt=\"Example of a franchise' site structure with each franchisee having only a single page\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-680x423.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-768x478.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-1536x956.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you choose this structure, you will need to segment all local keywords based on the franchises for which you create pages. If you find keywords for multiple services in a particular area, they will also be targeted on the same page for the relevant franchise since there are no other pages you can optimize with&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll need to create dedicated sections on each franchise\u2019s page for each service to do this. Here\u2019s an example of what that might look&nbsp;like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"725\" height=\"688\" class=\"wp-image-175441\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-keyword-targeting-for-multiple-services.png\" alt=\"Example of keyword targeting for multiple services on a single page for each franchisee.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-keyword-targeting-for-multiple-services.png 725w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-keyword-targeting-for-multiple-services-448x425.png 448w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 725px) 100vw, 725px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_tre63035fhii\"><\/a>Option 2: One site but each franchise gets a subfolder that can be optimized<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This option involves creating a mini content hub for each franchisee. It opens up more SEO opportunities and allows you to target specific services in each location better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Essentially, instead of targeting all services on one page, like the previous option, you can create separate pages for each service in each location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-308\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-308 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-full\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Pros<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Cons<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><ul><li>Improves ranking potential for location-specific service keywords<\/li><br>\n<li>Gives franchisees more control over their marketing visibility<\/li><br>\n<li>Distributes the main brand\u2019s authority at a hyper-local level<br>\n<\/li><br>\n<\/ul><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><ul><li>Increased risk of duplicated content<\/li><br>\n<li>More pages to manage and optimize<\/li><br>\n<li>Requires more technical nuance for internal linking<br>\n<\/li><br>\n<\/ul><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-308 from cache -->\n\n\n<p>The URL structure would be something like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\/new-york<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\/new-york\/plumbing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\/new-york\/gasfitting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When you create multiple hubs across your website, it may look similar to&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1208\" class=\"wp-image-175442\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-1.png\" alt=\"Example of a franchise' site structure with each franchisee having a content hub.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-1.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-1-563x425.png 563w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-1-768x580.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-1-1536x1160.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This option offers many advantages for SEO performance if you can create unique and valuable content for each location. You can segment your keywords at two levels: by location and by service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, you should avoid using templated sections or simply spinning content between each hub as this could lead to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/duplicate-content\/\">duplicate content issues<\/a>. Instead, only create these hubs in the locations where you have a strong presence and can add <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/eeat-seo\/\">E-E-A-T<\/a> factors to differentiate your content about the same service from other locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_yqjjdu3dv5w8\"><\/a>Option 3: Multiple websites or subdomains, one for each major location<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Although rare, some franchises allow franchisees to build their own dedicated website either on a separate domain (myfranchiseflorida.com) or as a subdomain (florida.myfranchise.com).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-309\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-309 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-full\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Pros<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Cons<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><ul><li>Gives loads of control to each franchisee for their marketing<br>\n<\/li><br><li>Allows each franchisee to update their community with news and local updates<\/li><br>\n<\/ul><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><ul><li>More website assets to manage<\/li><br><li>Technical SEO can become a challenge across multiple website assets<\/li><br><li>Requires more governance to maintain brand consistency and quality<\/li><\/ul><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-309 from cache -->\n\n\n<p>While the SEO community debates whether <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/subdomain-vs-subfolder\/\">subdomains or subfolders<\/a> are better, we\u2019ve found no discernable SEO benefit to choosing one over the&nbsp;other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if it makes sense within your CMS to create a subdomain for each location or to give each franchisee a separate website, go for&nbsp;it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an idea of what that ecosystem might look like when segmenting your keywords:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1400\" class=\"wp-image-175443\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-2.png\" alt=\"Example of a franchise' site structure with each franchisee having their own separate website.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-2.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-2-486x425.png 486w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-2-768x672.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-a-franchise-site-structure-with-each-f-2-1536x1344.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"sidenote\"><div class=\"sidenote-title\">Sidenote.<\/div> It\u2019s important that you don\u2019t make the choice to give each franchisee their own website because of vague advice that it\u2019ll \u201cbe better for SEO. Only take this approach if it makes sense for non-SEO reasons and is easily achievable in your CMS and technical ecosystem. If you do not implement this approach correctly, you risk many technical challenges that will hinder SEO and cost a lot to&nbsp;fix.&nbsp;<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_ihgwdubvde83\"><\/a>Create regional content and internally link it together<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many franchises forget to optimize their websites for the general cities and locations where the brand has a presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, F45 has multiple gyms in New&nbsp;York:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"469\" height=\"419\" class=\"wp-image-175444\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45s-gym-locations-in-new-york-.png\" alt=\"F45's gym locations in New York.\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And there are quite a lot of searches for gyms in New&nbsp;York:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"464\" height=\"258\" class=\"wp-image-175445\" style=\"width: 281px; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-keywords-and-search-volumes-for-gyms-in-ne.png\" alt=\"Example keywords and search volumes for gyms in New York.\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, F45\u2019s website does not have a page optimized for gyms in New York, so it doesn\u2019t rank for any of these keywords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"739\" height=\"616\" class=\"wp-image-175446\" style=\"width: 524px; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45-does-not-rank-for-gyms-in-new-york-.png\" alt=\"F45 does not rank for gyms in New York.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45-does-not-rank-for-gyms-in-new-york-.png 739w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/f45-does-not-rank-for-gyms-in-new-york--510x425.png 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 739px) 100vw, 739px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The solution is simple. Create pages for the general regions, cities, and states where:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You have a presence, even a single franchisee in the area is enough.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>And, there is some search volume for your services in the&nbsp;area.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Design the pages to accommodate multiple locations, and to programmatically add new locations as you add them to your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can either design such a section using map functionality, like&nbsp;so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1429\" height=\"852\" class=\"wp-image-175447\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-a-map-design-feature-to-add-multiple-franchi.jpg\" alt=\"Using a map design feature to add multiple franchise locations to a page's design.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-a-map-design-feature-to-add-multiple-franchi.jpg 1429w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-a-map-design-feature-to-add-multiple-franchi-680x405.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-a-map-design-feature-to-add-multiple-franchi-768x458.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1429px) 100vw, 1429px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Or you can simply create cards or listings for each location, like&nbsp;so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1379\" height=\"751\" class=\"wp-image-175448\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-a-card-layout-to-add-multiple-franchise-loca.jpg\" alt=\"Using a card layout to add multiple franchise locations to a page's design.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-a-card-layout-to-add-multiple-franchise-loca.jpg 1379w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-a-card-layout-to-add-multiple-franchise-loca-680x370.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-a-card-layout-to-add-multiple-franchise-loca-768x418.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1379px) 100vw, 1379px\">\n<figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheengroup.com.au\/locations\">Source<\/a><\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As you plan these pages, consider the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/internal-links-for-seo\/\">internal linking opportunities<\/a> you can capitalize on. Ideally, you can add a bunch of internal links programmatically so that you don\u2019t need to worry about this as new locations are added to your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what that might look&nbsp;like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Link from the regional page to each franchise within the region.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Link from each suburb or franchise page to the relevant regional pages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cross-link nearby regions and suburbs to each&nbsp;other.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_bt4tlt04mat\"><\/a>Track performance for each region<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Implementing scalable franchise SEO strategies is one part of the puzzle. The other is your ability to monitor the performance of each regional hub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thankfully, segmenting and monitoring keywords by location is fairly easy with Ahrefs. We offer three options depending on what works best for your business model:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Track pages for each region using <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/portfolios\">Portfolios<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Set up custom location-specific tags in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/rank-tracker\">Rank Tracker<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use the <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.ahrefs.com\/docs\/api\/reference\/introduction\">Ahrefs API<\/a> to show regional performance within your own analytics dashboard<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>The easiest option is to set up a separate portfolio for each region you wish to track and add all pages relevant to that region within the portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"930\" height=\"963\" class=\"wp-image-175449\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-ahrefs-portfolio-feature-for-segmenting-loc.png\" alt=\"Using Ahrefs' Portfolio feature for segmenting local pages and tracking performance.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-ahrefs-portfolio-feature-for-segmenting-loc.png 930w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-ahrefs-portfolio-feature-for-segmenting-loc-410x425.png 410w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/using-ahrefs-portfolio-feature-for-segmenting-loc-768x795.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 930px) 100vw, 930px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While this is suitable for smaller franchises without many locations or regions to set up, it may not be suitable for larger franchises or for those who want to compare their share of voice against competitors in the same regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this case, our Rank Tracker is a far more suitable option. Set up a new project and add your keywords, taking the time to tag each keyword with the relevant region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1098\" height=\"720\" class=\"wp-image-175450\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/segmenting-franchise-keywords-in-ahrefs-rank-trac.png\" alt=\"Segmenting franchise keywords in Ahrefs' Rank Tracker.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/segmenting-franchise-keywords-in-ahrefs-rank-trac.png 1098w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/segmenting-franchise-keywords-in-ahrefs-rank-trac-648x425.png 648w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/segmenting-franchise-keywords-in-ahrefs-rank-trac-768x504.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1098px) 100vw, 1098px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Tags will help you segment the data to see how specific regions perform compared to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the project is set up, you can navigate to the \u201cTags\u201d report to see metrics for each region you created as a tag. Here\u2019s an example of some tags we\u2019ve set up on our own website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"674\" height=\"416\" class=\"wp-image-175451\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/example-of-the-tags-report-in-ahrefs-rank-tracker-.png\" alt=\"Example of the Tags report in Ahrefs Rank Tracker.\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also add some competitors and monitor their visibility for the same regions. The Competitors &gt; Tags report will be especially helpful to show you the areas where competitors may have stronger search visibility than&nbsp;you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And finally, if you already have an existing dashboard or analytics platform, you can use our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-apis\/\">SEO API<\/a> to pull performance data into the same dashboard automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s the fastest way to scale performance tracking nationally and monitor search visibility for each of your franchise locations. However, you\u2019ll likely need to enlist the help of your developers to get the ball rolling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Common franchise SEO challenges\" data-section=\"overcoming-common-franchise-seo-challenges\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_eancga57dha\"><\/a>Overcoming common franchise SEO challenges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Implementing franchise SEO best practices may be challenging depending on the specific CMS used to create the franchise website and how the site has been set&nbsp;up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the most common challenges to look out&nbsp;for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_hvkun3kad8px\"><\/a>1. Scaling SEO on a custom CMS can be difficult<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many franchise sites are built on custom CMS\u2019 that are not inherently SEO-friendly. These CMS\u2019 may present technical challenges if they limit your ability to optimize the technical setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re an agency or freelancer working with a franchise, learn the CMS and what\u2019s possible for SEO before quoting on services or promising results. In particular, make sure you learn about&nbsp;the:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Technical capabilities for customizing SEO essentials like sitemaps, robots.txt files, and permalinks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ability to add content and links to pages programmatically<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customization options for page layouts and design<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_gmvjq7uhh65v\"><\/a>2. There\u2019s a high risk of duplicated content or doorway pages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Franchise websites are at risk of duplicate content, often caused by templated pages that do not allow franchisees to add unique information about their locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is why I\u2019m a big advocate of adding custom elements to your templates and only creating pages for which you can add unique information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To diagnose if your franchise site has a high degree of duplicate content, check out the Duplicates report in Ahrefs\u2019 Site Audit&nbsp;tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1246\" height=\"923\" class=\"wp-image-175452\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/duplicate-content-report-in-ahrefs-site-audit-.png\" alt=\"Duplicate content report in Ahrefs Site Audit.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/duplicate-content-report-in-ahrefs-site-audit-.png 1246w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/duplicate-content-report-in-ahrefs-site-audit--574x425.png 574w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/duplicate-content-report-in-ahrefs-site-audit--768x569.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1246px) 100vw, 1246px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_ljce6huy14nv\"><\/a>3. Maintaining brand consistency and SEO governance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Maintaining brand consistency and SEO governance can be a challenge as your franchise grows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While it\u2019s tempting to minimize the amount of content each franchisee can add to the website and the social profiles they\u2019re allowed to create, doing this can hurt your entire brand\u2019s visibility at a national level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, you can try centralizing your marketing efforts by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sharing a detailed brand guide with each franchisee, marketer, or stakeholder involved in promoting the&nbsp;brand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Considering a <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/headless-cms-seo\/\">headless CMS<\/a> that allows non-technical franchisees to make edits without needing developers. This setup also minimizes the risk of publishing mistakes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hiring an agency or marketing team that works with all franchisees and maintains brand consistency across all assets.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-175419-_uraiwed85i89\"><\/a>Grow your franchise\u2019s SEO visibility with Ahrefs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When implemented correctly, franchise SEO improves your franchise\u2019s visibility in search engines at both a local and national level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, it can be hard to scale franchise SEO without the right tools to help. With Ahrefs you&nbsp;can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Search up to 10,000 local service keywords with one&nbsp;click<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Monitor share of voice and traffic value for each location<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Track performance for each location against competitors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Audit technical issues in any&nbsp;CMS<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use our API to automate performance + competitor tracking<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Feel free to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/enterprise\">contact our enterprise team<\/a> to see how we can help you grow your franchise\u2019s SEO visibility today, or reach out to me on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/despina-gavoyannis\/\">LinkedIn<\/a> if you have any questions I can answer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With more locations come greater challenges requiring a more nuanced approach than a typical local SEO campaign. In this guide, I share successful strategies I\u2019ve used to scale SEO for local and national franchises. It\u2019s split up into three key<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":195,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[335,197],"tags":[],"coauthors":[458],"class_list":["post-175419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-seo","category-local-seo","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Franchise SEO: Local and National Growth Strategies for Franchises<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Franchise SEO is basically local SEO multiplied by the franchise&#039;s number of locations, right? Wrong!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/franchise-seo\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Franchise SEO: Local and National Growth Strategies for Franchises\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It&#039;s a three-part process.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/franchise-seo\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SEO Blog by Ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-05-29T14:07:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-18T13:43:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/local-vs-national-seo-visibility.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"994\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Despina Gavoyannis\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ahrefs\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/franchise-seo\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/franchise-seo\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Despina Gavoyannis\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/143d08bacfea1ed0736d76ad138ce704\"},\"headline\":\"Franchise SEO: Local and National Growth Strategies for Franchises\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-29T14:07:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-18T13:43:37+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/franchise-seo\/\"},\"wordCount\":3998,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/franchise-seo\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/franchise-seo-local-and-national-growth-by-despina-gavoyannis-general-seo.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"General SEO\",\"Local SEO\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/franchise-seo\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/franchise-seo\/\",\"name\":\"Franchise SEO: Local and National Growth Strategies for Franchises\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/franchise-seo\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/franchise-seo\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/local-vs-national-seo-visibility.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-29T14:07:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-18T13:43:37+00:00\",\"description\":\"Franchise SEO is basically local SEO multiplied by the franchise's number of locations, right? 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