Franchise development teams are all about finding and converting high-quality leads, which is one reason they love LinkedIn. Users on the premier business-oriented social media site are generally open to business opportunities, and teams that maximize LinkedIn ads – and take advantage of its organic options – can support leads in all phases of the fran dev sales funnel.

Advantages of LinkedIn

The 2025 Annual Franchise Development Report said 79% of franchises use LinkedIn – the highest of all social media platforms. One huge advantage of LinkedIn is its wealth of first-party data. Users essentially upload their resumes to show work experience and education, and LinkedIn allows advertisers to use that information for targeting. That data acts as a qualifier that ultimately produces more high-quality leads; it also disqualifies less-qualified leads. So, although advertisers may get fewer leads on LinkedIn than they would on some other platforms, the leads may be of a higher quality.

LinkedIn marketing solutions include a variety of options – single image static ads, video ads, carousel ads, text ads and sponsored content. Ads can and should be created with a goal in mind, whether that is to increase brand awareness, generate leads or drive traffic. The objectives also work together; it’s a good idea to run an awareness campaign alongside a lead gen or conversation campaign so the prospect sees the opportunity in their feed before they get a message in their in-box.

LinkedIn’s platform integrates with many customer relationship management (CRM) systems, so with the proper setup, leads can funnel directly into the CRM.

LinkedIn also offers direct outreach ads that are more personalized than what’s available on other platforms.

Direct Outreach

LinkedIn’s Message and Conversation ads are delivered like private messages to users who fit your targeted criteria, similar to the now-defunct InMail ads. Message ads are concise, with a single call to action (CTA) and may include a lead gen form attachment.

Conversation ads are designed to foster engagement, with multiple CTAs that connect the user with relevant content. These act as personalized, choose-your-own adventure ads. They may choose “Tell me more” and be rewarded with info on startup costs or available territories; “Available territories” might link to a website where they can look up the area they are interested in. They can also click “Book now” to go directly to a lead gen form or “Not interested” if the opportunity is not for them.

Organic Options

In addition to paid advertising, the business nature of LinkedIn offers plenty of organic ways to support franchise development and virtually “network” with relevant audiences. For starters, your company page should be optimized, spelling out that a franchise opportunity exists and where interested users can learn more about the opportunity, fill out a form or talk with a recruiter.

Because the fran dev sales cycle is long, averaging 14 to 16 weeks, sharing content on LinkedIn is one way to stay in touch with leads as you nudge them down the funnel. Regular posting allows you to share valuable brand content from the company blog, discuss markets you want to develop, congratulate new franchisees on opening their own locations or even share testimonials from current franchisees. Note: Any posts can become sponsored posts and delivered to your target demo to gain traction.

Additionally, LinkedIn articles provide an opportunity to discuss topics like “Why Our Industry Is Recession-Proof” or “How Great Franchisors Support Franchisees” in depth.

Connecting with leads on LinkedIn allows you to stay in touch, learn more about their work history and maybe even a little bit about how they think. If you’re linked, they are more likely to see your posts, which can help you share more relevant info about your brand in a non-threatening way. (By contrast, sending a friend request to a lead on other platforms may seem downright creepy.)

Pro Tip: Even with a free, basic LinkedIn account, users can send up to 100 invitations to connect per week. Users with a high “social selling index” and good engagement history – like top sales professionals – and users with premium accounts can send up to 200 invitations per week.  LinkedIn’s business atmosphere, first-party data and advertising options make it uniquely positioned to support full-funnel franchise development efforts, from awareness to conversion.