Atlanta, GA – (October 16, 2014) – Small-business owners and entrepreneurs are mobilizing – literally – to invest in new franchise opportunities as the U.S. economy enters a post-recession growth phase.
They are “mobilizing” online, using smartphones and tablets to search for franchise investment opportunities through mobile websites and apps. More than half of franchise-recruitment leads are now generated through mobile devices, according to the latest data from the largest network of franchise-investment directories.
“Mobile share of franchise leads has essentially doubled in each of the last four years,” said Michael Alston, president of Landmark Interactive. “And this year we are also seeing a 40 percent surge in total franchise searches over last year. It’s a tremendously positive leading indicator for the U.S. economy,” he said.
“The franchising business model has always put the dream of business ownership within reach of everyday people,” agreed Therese Thilgen, CEO of the Franchise Update Media Group. “Now franchise ownership is literally in your own hands, with so many people using Internet phones and tablets to take their first steps.”
New research was shared with industry executives at the Franchise Update Leadership and Development conference in Atlanta Thursday, based on visits to the largest online franchise recruitment sites, including Franchise.com, FranchiseOpportunities.com, FranchiseSolutions.com, FranchiseGator.com and BusinessBroker.net. The companies have pioneered online franchise sales since 1995.
Research showed:
- Mobile devices now account for 52% of all visits to the group’s digital sites and 54.2% of all qualified investment inquiries to franchisors.
- Mobile phones account for 42% of the sites’ franchise-recruitment leads, and phones’ share nearly doubled over the past year, growing 86% over the previous year. The 2013 share for phones had grown 130% over 2012.
- Total visits to the franchise websites and apps surged 41.6% in the third quarter compared to last year, and leads to franchise development teams grew 35.6% year over year.
“We are witnessing the start of a small-business recovery in real time,” Alston said. “Franchise-recruitment contacts have grown every quarter this year, even during the doldrums of August.”
“Small-business owners are ready to move forward with the economy, and our websites and mobile apps will help them find the right franchises to own,” he said.
