15th Banque Populaire annual survey of the franchise sector: social networks at the heart of the communication strategy
Banque Populaire’s annual survey of the franchise sector, in partnership with the Fédération française de la franchise (FFF, or “French Franchise Federation”) with the participation of CSA Research and the l'Express magazine, is the benchmark study on the world of franchising.
It is national in scope and sheds light on the profiles of the players, their strategies, strengths and concerns for the future. The second chapter of this 15th edition, unveiled on December 21, highlights the growing use of the social networks.
Social networks at the heart of the brands' communication strategy
According to the survey, 93% of franchisors have taken account of the social networks in their communication strategy. Aware of the importance of their brand's image, 71% of franchisors surveyed indicated that they had set up a reputation monitoring system for their brand (+2 points). 48% of them also state that consumers are offered the possibility to publish opinions on their website, and 4 out of 10 even consider being referenced on a website collecting consumer opinions.
On the franchised side, the social networks are also widely used: 62% of them (+5 points) use them to publicize their point of sale. Among the most popular social networks, Facebook is still in the lead with 92% of franchisees having created a page dedicated to their point of sale.
The use of social networks by franchisors and franchisees, particularly to promote their brands, sell, and build loyalty, is in line with the expectations of the general public: 39% of French people follow at least one brand on social networks, with the main motivations being to find out about prices and promotions (27%), to be informed about new products from the brand (21%) and to consult consumer opinions (18%).