Social Media Advertising for Service Brands

I’m thrilled to be a part of the new Multi-Unit Franchisee Report – Service Brands Edition newsletter. I hope to share some insights on how franchisees in the service brand space can best use social media to grow their businesses.

There’s so much marketing advice and so many case studies out there that might be interesting but not necessarily helpful to service brands. Just because two systems are both franchised does not mean that they should be marketed the same way, especially on social media. Many marketing events and webinars lump all franchise-related social media strategies together. That is a huge mistake. 

Service brands should not be promoted on social media in the same manner as retailers, QSRs, business services, or others. 

Some marketers consider Google search advertising to be the only way to advertise service brands. Yes, consumers searching when they need help is very important, especially in a crisis. On Facebook, no homeowner will likely see your ad and think, “Yes, I need to get my flooding under control.”

But Facebook, like franchising, is all about the brand. When a homeowner searches for someone to fix their water damage they’ll see multiple results. Who will they call? You or your competitor? Who has touched this potential customer a few times already? Who has shared messages and content that position their brand or local unit as a trusted service provider? That’s who will get the call!

Note, I’m not talking about organic posts. Posts are nice to have. Paid ads are need to have. The only way to grow your business is to reach homeowners and business owners who are new to you. If you’re not advertising, you’re not on Facebook. Here are three types of ads that will make your service brand top of mind.

• Video ads. These are certainly excellent for telling the story of your brand or location. Showing your team in action cleaning, repairing, and taking care of customers gives your business instant credibility that viewers will remember when they someday need help. 

• Carousel ads. If you have multiple services, consider carousel ads, which allow viewers to swipe through and see all of your services, for example, restoration for fire damage, then water damage, then mold damage.

• Some newer ad features to consider include Facebook’s Click-to-Call ads. You can literally get your phone to start ringing with these ads, which allow your audience to call your business with one click. It also shows an instant return on your ad budget.

Jack Monson is the Chief Revenue Officer at Social Joey and host of the Social Geek Radio Network. He has been working with franchise brands and small businesses in social media for more than 13 years. He serves on the IFA’s Marketing and Innovation Committee and speaks at dozens of events each year on using social media to grow local businesses.