Local SEO For Restaurants: 9 Tips to boost your visibility

Local SEO strategy helps restaurants to get top positions in search engine results and other digital marketing platforms. This strategy allows restaurants to reach potential customers more efficiently.

Local SEO for restaurants aims to get a position in top local search results like Google and Facebook. Of course, this trend can increase your brand visibility and determine the success of your restaurant business.

How to restaurants do SEO? Facts you can't ignore:

• Almost 50% of the customers search for restaurants on Google and Facebook.
• Most of the customers use mobile phones to access your service

The Importance Of Local SEO For Restaurants

The main aim of local SEO strategies is to position your restaurant to potential clients on search engine results and other digital marketing platforms.

Ensure to implement local SEO in the best ways, it helps customers who search for relevant services to discover your brand easier. For instance, if a potential client searches for the best local business, you have a high chance to appear in top results.

How can I improve restaurant SEO?

Local SEO optimization has the power to improve your restaurant's brand equity. SEO is not a complex factor to implement for a local restaurant.

As search engines are constantly revamping their ranking strategies to display the most relevant results for web viewers. It's essential to up-to-date with restaurant localization tips. Let's discuss the Local SEO tips for restaurants that will help you rank in the top position within a short period of time.

1. Optimize the website and its content

The first step in improving your restaurant's local SEO is to optimize the website and its content. High-quality and informative content is able to convert more potential clients. When crafting content, ensure to focus on your audience requirements and then strategize for search engines.

To rank your website on top of searches, it's essential to have strong titles with URLs and H2 tags. Meta descriptions are also equally important to help you rank higher, as they provide a glimpse of information to visitors.

Additionally, you can include addresses with contact information for ease of local search optimization. Testimonials and reviews play vital roles in the customer decision-making process.

2. List in Google Places and Local business directories

Google place allows local restaurants to list their business in Google search and Google Maps. You can list your restaurant's physical location to help clients find addresses, hours of operation, and contact information for hassle-free bookings.

Here are a some ideas on how to use google my business effectively:

• Fully optimize your Google listing with contact address
• Increase the no of reviews & check ins
• Add relevant interior, exterior & food photos
• Add promotional Google Posts with call to action like Buy now, order online, get free coupons

Some of the business directories could be:

• General business directories
• Industry specific directories
• Review sites such as Trustpilot
• Local news websites
• Local blogger 
• And Social media

3. Focus on Conversion more

Now, the next step is to convert the obtained website traffic. For this, you need to optimize clear CTA's that can navigate customers across all your pages seamlessly. Allow your customers to discover menu items, contact details, and book tables in just a few simple clicks.

Imagine your website receives many visitors who just browse and leave without taking action, which can reduce potential sales drastically. So, it's essential to improve your conversions to maximize sales.

4. Use Schema code specially made for restaurants

In 2017, Google released an exclusive schema markup for restaurants along with other sections and properties. The main focus of this schema is to direct Google's attention towards all the information on your restaurant menu.

Example:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Restaurant",
"address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Sunnyvale",
"addressRegion": "CA","postalCode": "94086","streetAddress": "1901 Lemur Ave" },
"aggregateRating": {"@type": "AggregateRating","ratingValue": "4","reviewCount": "250"},
"name": "GreatFood",
"openingHours": ["Mo-Sa 11:00-14:30","Mo-Th 17:00-21:30","Fr-Sa 17:00-22:00"],
"priceRange": "$$","servesCuisine": ["Middle Eastern","Mediterranean"],
"telephone": "(408) 714-1489","url": "http://www.greatfood.com"
}</script>

Using this HTML, add all your restaurant details like category, menu offerings, opening hours, address, accepted payments, and other details that help search engines to understand better.

The restaurant schema is a simple search engine coding format that puts your brand forward in the industry. All search engines accept schema, ensure to add this advanced tidbit in your restaurants to gain local visibility in mobile and voice searches.

5. Upload high-quality images

Restaurants can improve local visibility for their brand by adding high-quality images. You can add attractive visuals of menu items, popular cuisines, and the ambiance of your restaurants. This helps to boost your search engine results and the effectiveness of sales.

Also, ensure to include geotags and alt-text descriptions in every image you display. By embedding keyword-rich descriptions, you can maximize local reach and increase sales significantly.

6. Use online citations

Citations are also a great source to gain website traffic and exposure for your restaurants. You can list your restaurant on top local business listings and even add some other firms associated with your brand.

Once after claiming your business listing, you can interact with reviewers, share information and add attractive images of your restaurant. Most customers look for online reviews before making a purchase with restaurants.

7. Use social media for restaurants

Social media platforms can leverage your restaurant business to a great extent. Some popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are the best to promote your business online.

List your physical address, contact information, and internal links to business websites in social media networks. Adding your food menus on Facebook page that help locals to find you easier and order online through social media.

8. Stay Consistent

Consistency is the key to success in any business. You can improve your business performance by managing listings consistently.

So, ensure to use the same brand name, address, contact details, social media accounts with business listings and citations.

9. Keep Track of results

How to find which marketing strategy works best for you? For this, you need to keep track of overall performance and optimize for better results. There are many SEO tools available online to teach and monitor your results.

Start with Google Analytics to monitor the visitors and performance of your website. Focus on improving organic search results to find which SEO strategy works best for you.

Final Thoughts 

Local SEO can do wonders for a restaurant business to target customers close to your physical location. Follow all the SEO tips mentioned above to streamline your business operations and improve lead conversions.

We hope these Local SEO tips will improve your restaurant rankings and boost sales. Ensure to implement all these local SEO tips, and see your brand in the top search results of social media platforms.

Kiruthika

Kiruthika is a Content writer and blogger at Qono Technologies. Other than her interest in writing, she can be seen listening to songs, reading or traveling.