National Social Isn't Enough: Why Local Social Drives Real Franchise Growth

Many brands invest in national social media strategies to build brand awareness. But when customers and now AI search systems decide where to go, they research brands at the local level. Consumers increasingly use social media as a search engine, and it plays a growing role in their buying decisions. If your locations aren’t showing up locally, you could be missing out on customers. When individual franchise locations aren’t active on social media, it can weaken local discovery, trust, and engagement. In this session, we’ll explore why local social media is one of the most underutilized growth engines in franchising and how even smaller location-level accounts can create powerful signals that strengthen the brand as a whole. We’ll also discuss how brands can manage local social at scale while driving meaningful engagement in their communities. You’ll learn: • The role social media plays in local discovery and trust • How AI and search engines interpret social signals • Why local activity often influences customer decisions more than national visibility • Strategies for driving local engagement • Systems that help brands manage local social at scale Speakers: Xan Gulish, VP of Business Development Elle DeLaura, Marketing Coordinator, Voda Cleaning & Restoration