The Wall Street Journal on Franchise Blogs

Blogs and blogging is transforming the way franchise opportunities are researched, marketed and selected by franchise buyers.  Blogs are also giving franchise owners a chance to interact as they never have before.  And the mainstream business media is starting to take notice.

Today, the Wall Street Journal published Richard Gibson’s story Blogs Provide Insight to Would-Be Franchisee. While FranchisePick.com escaped mention (undoubtedly because the Wall Street Journal is nervous we’re eclipsing them ;)), Gibson featured one of my other blogs, Unhappy Franchisee.  Here’s my 84 words of WSJ fame:

Unhappy Franchisee (www.unhappyfranchisee.com). Franchisees with gripes about their business can post them at this Web site, run by multisite blogger Sean Kelly. The site sorts anonymous concerns and complaints by brand. Mr. Kelly says he was put off by the promotional hype he had read in the franchise trade press about numerous concepts. “Almost nobody was writing anything bad,” he says, “and I wanted to give those with negative experiences a voice.” The site encourages visitors to post closures of franchises in their communities.

Like FranchisePick.com, the purpose of UnhappyFranchisee.com is not to be “gripe site,” but to have frank and honest discussions about the real nature of the sometimes turbulent franchise relationship.

Other sites featured in the article include Blue MauMau (www.bluemaumau.com), Franchise-Chat (www.franchise-chat.com), The Franchise Pundit (franchisepundit.com), & Rush On Business (www.rushonbusiness.com).

Notable sites that escaped mention include FranchisePick.Com, FranBest.com, TopNewFranchises.com, Michael Webster’s The BizOpp News, and Joel Libava’s The Franchise King blog. While not a blog, Richard Solomon’s Franchise Remedies also includes a wealth of information and insights.

Thanks to Richard Gibson for including our humble site, and thanks to all you who have contributed through your comments, information and insights.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? HOW IS BLOGGING IMPACTING FRANCHISING?  SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.

graphic:  unhappy franchisee