For a franchise organisation, outsourcing online marketing works when the roles are clearly defined: head office decides, the agency delivers and every location gets its own measurable result. We take over delivery across all channels, from Google Business Profile to Meta Ads, for a public fee per location per month.
How do you divide tasks between head office and agency?
The biggest mistake when outsourcing is a vague boundary. Then the agency waits for approval that never comes, or publishes something head office does not support. In the first week we record who does what, per channel and per location.
Head office keeps the brand, the franchise policy, the budget and contact with franchisees. We handle delivery: profiles, content, campaigns and reporting. For the profiles in Google Maps, for example, that means full management of Google Business Profiles, including opening hours, photos and posts.
You choose how far that goes. Most head offices simply let their own marketers and regular agency carry on and bring us in for Local SEO, GEO, AI automation and recruitment. If you want everything in one pair of hands, we take over the online marketing completely.
| Area | Head office | Franchise Marketing Bureau | Franchisee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand, house style and tone of voice | Defines and approves | Applies in every channel | Follows |
| Google Business Profile, Apple Business Connect, Bing Places | Grants access | Manages and monitors NAP | Reports changes to opening hours |
| National and local campaigns | Chooses budget and goals | Sets up, adjusts, reports | Supplies local promotions |
| Reviews | Sets the response policy | Replies within 24 hours (Growth) | Handles complaints on the shop floor |
| Franchisee recruitment | Selects and holds interviews | Brings in candidates | No role |
Which governance agreements do you make when outsourcing?
Good governance prevents arguments afterwards. We work to a fixed rhythm: a monthly report per location, a short quarterly meeting with head office and a fixed route for approving texts and campaigns. Everything AI prepares is checked by a human before it goes live.
Access and ownership
Profiles, advertising accounts and social channels remain in the name of the franchise brand. We receive management rights. If you stop working with us, everything stays yours.
Approval and speed
Agree which topics need prior approval and which do not. A reply to a review cannot wait three days; a new national campaign can.
Communication with franchisees
Head office remains the face towards the franchisees. We supply the figures per location, so you can hold the conversation with the facts on the table.
Work together on measurable results, not on an annual contract. Start with the free visibility scan.
How do you use the marketing fund for online channels?
Many franchise brands fund marketing from a pool to which every franchisee contributes. Then every franchisee wants to know what happens to their money. A fixed amount per location makes that easy to explain: every location gets the same package and sees its own figures in the marketing dashboard per location.
You pay advertising budget directly to Google, Microsoft or Meta, so it does not go through our invoice. If you want to substantially change how the fund is allocated, look at Article 7:921 of the Dutch Civil Code on franchisee consent for changes to the franchise brand with financial consequences. Have your contract reviewed by a franchise lawyer; this is not legal advice. More about the amounts can be found on the page about what online franchise marketing costs.
| Item | Calculation | Per month excl. VAT | Where the money goes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth package, all locations | 30 x €400 | €12,000 | Franchise Marketing Bureau |
| Local advertising (fictitious) | 30 x €150 | €4,500 | Directly to the platform |
| Quarterly strategy session (fictitious, 6 hours) | 6 x €65 / 3 months | €130 | Franchise Marketing Bureau |
| Fictitious total | €16,630 | Mixed |
How do you roll out outsourced online marketing across all locations?
We never roll out all at once. You go through four phases, from scan to roll-out and then monthly fine-tuning. That way you see in a small group of locations what works before you bring in the rest. You choose the channels we use from the complete package of online services.
| Step | Why | How we measure it |
|---|---|---|
| Baseline measurement per location | Without a starting point you cannot prove growth | Score per profile and channel in the visibility scan |
| Choosing the pilot group | A mix of strong and weak locations shows the difference | The same KPIs as the rest, reported separately |
| Arranging access | Without management rights everything gets delayed | Number of profiles with active access |
| Informing franchisees | Support determines whether local input comes in | Number of locations supplying local information |
| Roll-out and evaluation | What worked in the pilot, you scale up | Monthly report per location after roll-out |
Can you also outsource franchisee recruitment?
Yes. Alongside the marketing of your locations, we can recruit new franchisees online for new regions. We bring in candidates and filter them on region and own capital. The pre-contractual disclosure obligation and the four-week standstill period under the Dutch Franchise Act remain with head office. If you would first like to see which other clients we help, take a look at our target audiences.
What does a location outside the Google Maps top 3 cost you?
This calculation uses Dutch figures instead of American click-through rates. The average revenue per franchise location comes from the Dutch Franchise Association (NFV) statistics, reference year 2025. Nobody can say in advance exactly how much revenue a location loses without a top position in Google Maps, with a Google Business Profile that is not in order, or without proper review management. So you calculate a scenario per cause: a few percent of revenue going to a more visible competitor. Add them up and you see the combined cost.
| Sector | Revenue per location per year | 1% revenue missed | 3% revenue missed | Growth package (€4,800 a year) as share of revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All sectors (average) | €1,445,000 | €14,450 | €43,350 | 0.33% |
| Services | €480,000 | €4,800 | €14,400 | 1% |
| Hospitality | €1,230,000 | €12,300 | €36,900 | 0.39% |
| Health care | €1,270,000 | €12,700 | €38,100 | 0.38% |
| Non-food retail | €1,750,000 | €17,500 | €52,500 | 0.27% |
| Food retail | €2,910,000 | €29,100 | €87,300 | 0.16% |
| Other brands | €680,000 | €6,800 | €20,400 | 0.71% |
- 6 of the 100 largest Dutch franchise chains reply to a Google review within 24 hours; the average response time is 6.8 days and 90% has no demonstrable review management process.
- Only 40% of the 500 Google Business Profiles examined is fully completed.
- In the measurement one review was viewed around 15,000 times on average: an unanswered complaint stays visible to thousands of people.
- 42% of consumers would rather not do business with a company that never replies to reviews (BrightLocal 2026).
Sources: NFV Franchise Statistics, reference year 2025 (34,937 locations, €50.5 billion revenue); Local SEO Franchise Benchmark 2026 (100 largest chains, 500 profiles); sector model on franchiseseo.nl (in Dutch). The percentages are scenarios you choose, not a measurement or a promise. We do not promise rankings or revenue.
Questions from head offices about outsourcing
Do the profiles and accounts remain the property of head office?
How do we keep control of what is published on behalf of the brand?
Can franchisees also make changes themselves?
How do we explain the costs to franchisees?
What if not every location wants to take part?
How often do we meet with head office?
Can you work with our existing marketing team?
What happens to the other locations during the pilot?
Is the advertising budget included in your fee?
Who is our point of contact at the agency?
Sources
Gijs Bodenstaff
Franchise marketer, local SEO and GEO specialist, author
Book an introductory call and discuss what the division of tasks could look like for your franchise brand.
