Franchisee lead generation with Google Ads

In short: lead generation

• Google Ads reaches candidates at the moment they are actively searching for a franchise in your sector.
• The keywords are specific and the volume is low; every click has to count.
• We strictly separate recruitment campaigns from customer campaigns, with their own budget and their own measurement.
• A strong recruitment page with honest information determines success more than the bid.
• We measure qualified leads and conversations, with offline conversions where possible.
• Elisabeth, our Google Ads specialist, manages the campaigns; the account remains the property of the franchisor.

Which keywords do prospective franchisees search for?

Candidates search in three ways: generally for franchises, specifically for a sector, and for your brand name if they already know you. The first group is large but less targeted; the last group is small but very valuable.

How do we set up a recruitment campaign in Google Ads?

We create a separate campaign for recruitment, apart from all customer campaigns, with its own budget from the franchisor and its own conversions. Each keyword group gets its own ad group, with ads that answer the most important questions: investment, support and earnings model. Exclusions are especially important here: we do not want to reach people looking for job vacancies or free courses, or customers of the franchise brand.

Why does the landing page determine success?

A candidate who clicks on an ad wants answers to their questions before filling anything in. A page with only a form converts poorly and mainly produces unsuitable leads. A good recruitment page tells the story of the franchise brand, states the investment, lets franchisees speak for themselves and offers an easy first step, such as a brochure or an information evening.

On the page, we ask for a few qualifying details, such as available equity and preferred region. That reduces the number of leads slightly, but greatly increases their quality.

How do we measure whether Google Ads delivers real candidates?

A form is only the beginning. We also measure what happens next: which leads were qualified, who had a conversation and who signed. Where possible, we feed those steps back into Google Ads as offline conversions. That way the system learns which searches produce real entrepreneurs, and we optimise for cost per conversation instead of cost per click.

How do you combine Google Ads with other recruitment channels?

Google Ads captures active searchers. LinkedIn and social advertising reach entrepreneurs who are not yet searching but are open to running their own business. Together they form the recruitment funnel we describe under a recruitment marketing agency for franchises. Remarketing connects the channels: anyone who visited the recruitment page later sees a franchisee's story or an invitation to an information evening. A complete campaign plan can be found in a marketing campaign to recruit franchisees.

How much budget do you need for franchisee lead generation?

That depends on your sector, regions and growth target. Because search volumes are low, the budget is often lower than for customer campaigns, but the value per lead is much higher. We advise starting with a three-month test period, during which we measure what a qualified lead costs per keyword group. After that, we scale up what works. Management falls under outsourcing Google Ads for franchises; the service itself under recruitment marketing for franchisors.

What should an ad for prospective franchisees say?

In a few lines, the ad must show why your franchise brand is worth considering. Candidates scan for three things: the type of business, the investment or barrier to entry, and the support they will receive. A strong ad names the sector, a concrete benefit (such as a proven concept or training) and an easy next step, such as a free brochure or information evening. Avoid income promises you cannot substantiate; they attract the wrong candidates and damage trust. We test several variants at the same time and keep the version that produces the most qualified enquiries.

Who is behind this approach to lead generation?

The approach on this page comes from our team's hands-on experience. Gijs Bodenstaff built up a franchise brand himself, so he knows both sides: the head office that safeguards the brand and the location that has to attract customers with it. With Stanley Leijnse (chair of Stichting LODAK), he studied 500 Google Business Profiles of the 100 largest Dutch franchise chains. Angela, Elisabeth, Peter and ten trained freelancers carry out the work per location, following one method and with weekly training on changes at Google.

Read more about the team: who is behind this agency; the author's background is on Gijs Bodenstaff.