E24: AI, Influencers, & 2025 Marketing Trends With Reshift Media

Hosts: Michael Hyam and Liane Caruso  
Guests: Steve Buors, CEO & Co-founder of Reshift Media

In episode 24 of the LFG podcast, hosts Liane Caruso and Michael Hyam welcomed Steve Boers, CEO and co-founder of Reshift Media, to discuss 2025 marketing trends and cutting-edge digital marketing strategies for franchise systems. 

As the leader of an award-winning digital marketing firm that supports over 200 franchise clients in 22 countries, Boers shared valuable insights on how franchisors and franchisees can navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Podcast Summary: Impacts of AI, The Power of Influencers, And More 2025 Marketing Trends From Reshift Media

The Impact of Generative AI on Franchise Marketing

Boers described generative AI as a “foundational game changer” for franchise companies, affecting marketing in two critical ways:

• Platform Integration: Major platforms like Meta, Google, and TikTok are actively incorporating AI into their systems, fundamentally changing how search, social media, and advertising work.
• Marketing Tools: AI-based tools offer franchise marketers new opportunities for content optimization, personalization, localization, and predictive analytics.

For franchise systems looking to leverage AI in their advertising, Boers advised against trying to build technical solutions in-house. Instead, he recommended working with agencies or platforms that specialize in franchise marketing and can help implement AI solutions at scale across multiple locations.

2025 Marketing Trends – The Evolution of Search with AI

One of the most significant changes in digital marketing is how AI is transforming search. Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) now provides “AI overviews” for nearly 50% of searches in the US, answering user queries directly without requiring clicks to websites.

For franchise systems, this presents both challenges and opportunities:

• Local Search Advantage: Local searches still trigger action-based results that AI overviews can’t easily answer, giving franchise locations an edge.
• Optimization Strategies: Boers recommended optimizing for location-specific queries (e.g., “best dog boarding in Chicago” rather than general terms like “why dogs need boarding”).
• Google Business Profile: Having complete, accurate Google Business Profiles for each location is crucial, including linking to location-specific pages rather than the company homepage.
• Structured Data: Implementing local business markup helps search engines understand and properly index franchise locations.
• Brand Mentions: Even mentions without backlinks (what Google calls “citations”) now provide SEO value.

Is Content Still King?

According to Boers, content remains vital, but marketers need to be more purposeful in their approach. He noted that franchise systems can benefit from location-specific content that incorporates local information. When franchise locations create good local content that indexes well in their areas, it builds overall SEO authority that benefits new locations as they open.

2025 Marketing Trends – The Rise of Nano-Influencers

Rather than focusing on mega-influencers with millions of followers, Boers shared that the most effective approach for franchise systems is working with “nano-influencers” who have 1,000-10,000 followers. These smaller influencers typically generate three times the engagement of mega-influencers because they:

• Develop deeper connections with their audience
• Create more specialized content
• Generate higher engagement through personal connections

The most innovative strategy Reshift Media has implemented is finding nano-influencers among existing customers of franchise locations. 

By analyzing social media followers of franchisees, they identify customers with solid followings and approach them about partnership opportunities. These influencers are authentic brand advocates who often participate for free services rather than payment, creating a win-win situation for franchisees and customers alike.

Voice Search: The Underrated Marketing Trend

Boers identified voice search as the most underrated trend in digital marketing. With studies showing that 65% of people over 25 speak to voice-enabled devices daily and 74% use voice search on smartphones to find local businesses, this shift has major implications for franchise marketing:

• Return of the Long Tail: Voice searches tend to be longer and more conversational than typed queries.
• Conversational Language: Content should be written in natural, conversational language rather than keyword-focused text.
• Local Optimization: Since many voice searches are looking for nearby businesses, local SEO remains critical.
• AI Overview Integration: Being featured in AI overviews becomes more important for voice search responses.

Key Takeaways for Franchise Marketers

Throughout the conversation, several consistent themes emerged for franchise systems looking to stay ahead in digital marketing:

• Focus on Local: Local optimization provides a crucial advantage for franchise systems across all digital channels.
• Embrace AI Tools: Rather than building technical solutions in-house, leverage existing AI-powered platforms and agency expertise.
• Think Scale: Implement marketing solutions that can be managed across multiple locations efficiently.
• Adapt to New Search Behaviors: Optimize for both AI-driven search results and voice search with conversational, location-specific content.
• Leverage Existing Customers: Your best brand advocates may already be following your franchisees on social media.

For franchise marketers looking to dive deeper into these topics, Reshift Media has published a “2025 Digital Marketing Trends for Franchise Systems” report covering AI implications, voice search, social search, social commerce, and influencer marketing strategies.

As digital marketing continues to evolve rapidly, franchise systems that stay informed and adapt quickly will be best positioned to connect with customers and drive growth across their networks.

Listen to the full episode now to hear more from Steve and the LFG Podcast team!