Top 10 Franchise SEO Companies For 2026

If you’re viewing this page, you’re probably hunting for a new SEO vendor for your franchise system or individually as a franchisee.  If you look online with Google, what you’ll find is a bunch of generic SEO companies that rank highly for all sorts of SEO terms, but they don’t actually have much experience within the franchising space.

As a vendor within the franchising industry for 15+ years, here’s our take on the top vendors within the space that actually work with franchises and know what they’re doing in regard to Franchise SEO:

#1 – Ninth Root

If you are a franchisor or a franchisee within a system that has multiple locations and you want to drive more business for your local franchisees, we would highly recommend having a discussion with Ninth Root.  The upside is that they have one of the lowest attrition rates and highest satisfaction rates within the industry.  Why?  Because their strategies work and drive a lot of business organically for franchisees.  The downside is that like several other vendors SEO franchise vendors, they have their own proprietary Content Management System (CMS).  So, if you’re an avid WordPress user and that’s a non-negotiable for you, then Ninth Root will not be a good fit.

#2 – Scorpion

Scorpion has long been known as an agency with beautiful designs and a strong organizational structure.  They are a very business savvy group of people that have acquired many smaller agencies in order to expedite growth.  While they were originally known for doing good work in the Law Firm and Dental spaces, they acquired agencies such as Wheat Creative that have a strong backbone and reputation within the franchise marketing arena, and they’ve acquired a large marketshare of companies who need help with Franchise SEO & PPC.  The upside with them would be beautiful designs.  The downside would be that they too use their own CMS and you will be tied to their website infrastructure.

#3 – Lead PPC

I’m going to put ourselves as 3rd on this list.  We’re primarily known for Franchise Development PPC, FSO Services, and local consumer ads via PPC.  However, our SEO skills have continued to grow.  We would be a good choice if you need help with Franchise Development PPC and SEO.  But, if you’re just looking for Franchise SEO services, we’re probably not a great fit.

#4  – Top Fire Media

Although we compete against Top Fire Media quite a bit on the franchise development lead generation side of things, they are an agency whose approach I have come to respect and appreciate as a near peer in the industry.  If you’re evaluating various franchise marketing related services, this is a group that is definitely worth having a conversation with.

#5 – C Squared

C Squared is another name that we hear our clients use for organic traffic.  While C Squared isn’t your traditional SEO company, they do provide Organic Social services.  If you’re a home service franchise, this probably isn’t what you need, as many home service franchises do better with Google / Bing SEO strategies.  However, many retail franchise brands or QSR franchises, might benefit greatly from an Organic Social strategy.  If so, this would be an agency work taking a look at.

#6 – Ignite Visibility

Ignite Visibility is an agency that we hear about occasionally.  Our clients say that they’ve had some ups and downs (as many agencies do).  But, they are a full-service agency that has a broad reach and a heavy emphasis on the franchising space.  It’s our understanding that they don’t go as far as selling franchises on behalf of their clients, but they do work with both franchisors and local franchisees from an SEO and paid media vantage point.

#7 – SOCi

I’m going to through SOCi in the mix next.  One thing that I like about SOCi is that they’ve gone all in on using AI Agents.  I think that these will become more important and popular when it comes to landing page conversion rates, especially with deeper funnels.  One of the big probems with doing sales online is the jump between a web form lead to a live call.  Some local home service businesses don’t deal with this as much because people would rather all and get a service taken care of immediately.  But, when it comes to other types of franchises, having an AI Agent book an appointment or help guide you along the franchise experience or even hold a call for you and do a live transfer from an AI Agent to a sales rep is a powerful, up and coming approach that you will see more of in the future.

#8 – Neil Patel

As far as SEO Influencers go, Neil Patel is probably the best that I’m aware of.  What started as more of a Frank Kern / Ryan Deiss / Dan Kennedy type of information marketing approach has turned into a huge, dynamic SEO agency that is spread internationally throughout the world.  These guys produce some of the best content that ranks high for many, many brands including those within the franchising space.  It’s hard to mention SEO in general without mentioning Neil Patel.

#9 – HigherVisibility

These guys get confused sometimes with Ignite, but they are actually two totally different companies that both provide Franchise SEO services.  I’d say that a major area of emphasis for HigherVisibility is probably Google My Business / Google Maps listings.  They also use SEMRUSH quite extensively to make sure that your SEO rankings are in tip top shape.

#10 – Thrive

If you’ve spoken with the groups listed above and still haven’t found the right agency for your business, might we recommend having a conversation with Thrive Internet Marketing Agency, as they are also a strong digital marketing agency.

 

What is Franchise SEO?

Franchise SEO is a blanketed term that can mean a few different things.  Most commonly, “Franchise SEO” refers to franchise development SEO.  The goal of franchise development SEO is to generate high quality leads of candidates that are interested in purchasing a franchise.

In general, franchise development SEO leads are the highest quality leads that you can drive via the internet.  Internally, we have found that franchise SEO leads have a contact rate of around 66%, which is about twice as high as franchise leads driven via PPC mediums such as Google Ads or Meta Ads.  And, franchise SEO leads typically have around a 4X higher chance of converting into a franchise sale than PPC leads.

Having said all of this, franchise PPC leads have a contact rate of around 33%, which is still about 10X higher than that of portal leads.  Franchise portal leads have a contact rate of about 3%, which makes it extremely difficult to close deals from franchise portals, especially if you are only selling 1 brand.  If you’re a franchise broker, then franchise portals leads are just about all that you can find.

The other meaning of the term “Franchise SEO” is search engine optimization for local franchisees.  The best agency that we know of for this type of work is actually Ninth Root.  We’ve referred a lot of business to them over the years, and in general they’ve done an excellent job.

If you need help with franchise development SEO, then that’s something that we can help you with.  Our franchise SEO services are focused on content creation, much like this article that you are now viewing.

Our strategy is to write and publish anywhere from 3 to 20 articles per month that are focused on your franchise niche.  These services range from about $750 / mo to $3,000 / mo.

 

Why is Content Creation Important for Franchise Development SEO?

In today’s digital age, content creation forms a pivotal component of any successful franchise development strategy, particularly when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO). Unique and engaging content not only enhances brand visibility but also serves to attract and retain prospective franchisees. By crafting content that is both informative and engaging, businesses can significantly improve their search engine rankings, making it easier for potential franchisees to discover their brand.

Content creation acts as a bridge between a franchise brand and its target audience. By consistently producing valuable content tailored to the interests and needs of potential franchisees, businesses can position themselves as authoritative voices in their industry. Quality content creates trust and establishes a brand’s credibility, which are vital factors in franchise development. This also encourages audience engagement, which can lead to increased inquiries and conversions.

Moreover, SEO is heavily reliant on content that incorporates relevant keywords and phrases, enhancing the likelihood of a franchise appearing in search results. Blog posts, articles, videos, and other content formats can be optimized to include these keywords, improving search engine performance. High-quality content also attracts backlinks from other sources, which further boosts a site’s SEO metrics. By exposing a brand to a broader audience, these efforts ultimately contribute to building a recognizable and respected brand identity in the marketplace.

In summary, content creation is not mere buzz but a fundamental element in franchise development through its extensive impact on SEO. It promotes brand awareness, drives traffic, enhances visibility in search engines, and serves as a catalyst for engaging and attracting prospective franchisees, all of which are essential for growing and sustaining successful franchises.

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