Who we work for: outsourcing franchise marketing

By Gijs Bodenstaff · Updated: 2026-10-04

We work for three groups that outsource franchise marketing: head offices that hand over everything, franchise marketers looking for extra hands and specialist knowledge, and new franchise brands that want to be online from their very first location. The NFV statistics for 2025 come to 34,937 locations spread across 936 franchise brands. They all face the same question: how is every location found?

Which three types of franchise client do we help?

Anyone who brings us in is in one of three situations. The question differs, the foundation is the same: we make sure every location shows up in Google, Maps, AI assistants and social media, and we show per location what it delivers.

Do you not recognise yourself exactly in one group? That is normal. Many franchise brands shift from one situation to another over the years. Below you can read for each group where we come in.

A fourth group are agencies already working for a franchise brand that do not have local SEO, GEO or AI automation in house. For them we work behind the scenes or alongside the agency; read more about local SEO and GEO for marketing agencies.

Diagram of the three client groups of Franchise Marketing Bureau: head offices, franchise marketers and new franchise brands — The three types of client and what they look for from us.

Head offices and boards

You want to place all online marketing for the franchise brand and its locations with one partner, with clear agreements on budget and approval. Read more about online marketing for franchise head offices.

Franchise marketers

You are in charge, but you have too few hours or too little knowledge of a specific channel. We add capacity without taking over your role. See support for franchise marketers.

New franchise brands

You are opening your first locations and want to rank well in search engines and map services straight away, as well as recruit candidates. See online marketing for new franchise brands.

How do the client groups differ in needs and approach?

The starting point determines what we tackle first. An established chain with dozens of locations often mainly has profile clutter to clear up. A young franchise brand still has to set everything up. The table puts the three situations side by side.

Three types of client side by side
Client	Typical question	Where we start	Who stays in charge
Head office	Outsource everything online, one point of contact	Baseline measurement of all locations and channels	Board or marketing lead
Franchise marketer	More capacity and knowledge per channel	The channels where you are currently short of hours	You; we carry out the work
New franchise brand	Visible and recruiting from the start	Establishing the brand and first profiles	Founder or franchise brand manager

Does outsourcing franchise marketing suit your organisation?

Outsourcing works best if you want to be able to steer per location and if you value openness about price and results. According to the NFV, around 80% of franchise brands are SMEs, so 50 locations or fewer. That is exactly where a dedicated team for each channel is often missing. Use the worksheet below to quickly see where you stand.

Worksheet: does outsourcing make sense for you?
Question to ask yourself	Why it matters	How we measure it
Do you know per location how often it appears in Google Maps?	Without a figure per location you steer on gut feeling	Views and actions from the Google Business Profile
Are your locations also listed in Apple Business Connect and Bing Places?	Many chains only do Google	Check of every listing in the baseline measurement
Is your franchise brand mentioned by ChatGPT or Gemini?	AI assistants are becoming a search channel in their own right	Fixed test questions, repeated monthly
Does every location respond quickly to reviews?	In our benchmark 6 out of 100 chains did so within 24 hours	Response time per location in the dashboard
Do you know what marketing costs per location?	Franchisees want to see where their contribution goes	Fixed price per location per month

What do all client groups get as standard?

Whatever your situation, a few things are always the same. You start with the free visibility scan, so you have a starting point per location. We then run a pilot with a group of locations and only roll out once the figures add up. You see everything in a dashboard per location.

The way we work is the same too. AI collects data and flags discrepancies across all profiles; people make the decisions. Read how AI speeds up our work and where we deliberately stop. You will find an overview of all channels under our online marketing services.

What does it cost per type of client?

We charge fixed rates per location: a location on Basic costs €199 per month, on Growth €400 and on Full service €600, always excluding VAT. For strategy or training we charge €65 per hour, but you first receive a quote with a fixed amount. Three fictional calculations make it concrete.

Fictional worked examples per client group
Fictional situation	Package	Calculation	Per month excl. VAT
Head office with 30 locations	Growth	30 x €400	€12,000
Marketer outsourcing basic management for 12 locations	Basic	12 x €199	€2,388
New franchise brand with 4 locations	Full service	4 x €600	€2,400

Questions about who we work for

Do you also work for an individual franchisee?

Our client is in principle the head office or the marketing department of the franchise brand, because we work per location within one approach. If a franchisee wants more visibility, we discuss that via head office. That keeps the franchise brand consistent and prevents locations from getting in each other's way in Google or on social media.

From how many locations is outsourcing worthwhile?

There is no fixed minimum. Because we charge per location per month, with four locations you only pay for four. Small franchise brands often benefit most from us, because they do not employ a specialist for each channel. After the free visibility scan you first see which locations are falling behind, and only then do you decide.

Which sectors do you work in?

We work for franchise brands in all the sectors the NFV distinguishes, such as food, non-food, hospitality, services and care. The difference lies in the channels: a hospitality brand relies more on Maps and reviews, a service provider more often on organic SEO and local landing pages. We tailor that in the baseline measurement per location.

As a marketer, can I outsource just one channel?

Yes. You can, for example, place only review management or only Apple Business Connect and Bing Places with us. You then keep the rest in your own hands. We deliver our figures in the same dashboard, so you keep one overview of all locations and channels, including the ones you handle yourself.

What if our head office and the franchisees disagree?

That happens, especially over budget and local freedom. We agree in advance what happens centrally and what is allowed per location. The dashboard per location helps, because every business owner sees in black and white what their contribution achieves. If you change the franchise formula and that has financial consequences, the Dutch Franchise Act comes into play. Have your contract reviewed by a franchise lawyer; this is not legal advice.

Do you also help with recruiting franchisees?

Yes, that is our second task alongside the online marketing of the franchise brand and its locations. We set up campaigns and landing pages that qualify candidates on region and own capital. The statutory disclosure obligation and the cooling-off period remain with you as the franchisor. We make sure the right candidates come forward and that you see per channel what works.

How quickly can we start?

We usually schedule the visibility scan within a few working days of your request. With the results on the table, we choose a group of locations for the pilot together. We agree in advance how long the pilot runs. So you know from the start when you will make a decision about the rollout.

Are we tied to a long contract?

We work with a pilot over a fixed period, so you see results first. Only then do you choose whether to roll out to all locations. We put the terms for the period after that on paper in advance. Feel free to ask for them during the introductory call, so you know exactly where you stand.

What sets you apart from a general marketing agency?

We only work for franchise organisations and so think in terms of franchise brand plus locations as standard. Prices per location are public, reporting is per location and we include channels that are often skipped, such as Bing Places, Apple Business Connect and visibility in AI assistants. Founder Gijs Bodenstaff set up his own European franchise brand as a franchisor and knows the tension between central and local from the inside.

Who will we be in contact with?

You have a fixed point of contact and speak per topic to the specialist doing the work, for example Elisabeth for local advertising or Angela for local SEO analysis. Gijs Bodenstaff is involved in strategy. You can call, message or email every day, including weekends, between eight in the morning and seven in the evening. You can book an introductory call yourself in the calendar.

Who we work for: franchise marketing for head offices, marketers and new brands