The Importance of Local SEO for Restaurants

If you’re operating a restaurant, you might be under the impression that all you’ve got to do is provide great food, a nice environment, and friendly service, and the business will roll in. While all those things are important, in today’s Internet-saturated world, they’re not enough for most restaurants to stay afloat. You also need to pay attention to local SEO. Read on to learn what that means, why it’s important, and how you can get started improving your local SEO today.

Breaking Down SEO

Local SEO is just one of many types of search engine optimization. This term describes the various techniques and methods that websites employ to attract more traffic, and in the case of a restaurant, more diners. SEO is all about elevating your website into a place of prominence on SERPs, or search engine results pages. They try to increase their site’s ranking on Google for keywords that indicate that the person searching might have an interest in what they are selling.

Thinking Locally

The difference with local SEO is that it’s intended to promote your business’ visibility in searches based on location. Google automatically detects the area that someone is searching in when they search for things like “Chinese food,” so local SEO is all about increasing your ranking in your geographical area. Obviously, your goal isn’t to be the number one result for Chinese food worldwide—but if you’re at the bottom of the results for “Chinese food” when people search that keyword in your city, you’ll see a lot less business. Boosting your presence in local searches will generate more real-world business for you and help you build a reputation.

Why It Matters

People increasingly rely on the Internet to tell them where to get everything from medical care to a quick bite. Gone are the days when people would wander into the first place they saw, lay fresh eyes on the menu, and take a chance on enjoying their meal. People today like to know ahead of time what they’re in for, often browsing the menu and making up their mind before they ever even enter the restaurant. Sites like Yelp are popular places to learn about a restaurant via reviews from previous visitors. And Google itself gives quick star ratings for local businesses, including restaurants, that have been shown to dramatically affect searcher’s likelihood of checking the place out.

How to Evaluate Your Local SEO

Your first step should be to assess your current SEO status. Search for “restaurants” in your area, and see how far down the list you appear. Search more specifically for the type of cuisine you serve, and again, check where you rank on the results. If you’re not near the top, you’re missing out on a ton of business from people searching these terms to find out where to eat. You should also take a look at your star rating on Google Places and your rating on Yelp and other review sites. Even if you’ve got a good ranking, if your star rating is bad or all of your Yelp reviews are negative, people could be dissuaded from dining with you.

How to Improve

If you’re chiefly concerned with boosting your ranking, try to optimize your website for keywords related to your food. Make sure the type of cuisine you serve is mentioned multiple times. You should also make sure you’re listed on all local listing sites. If you need to improve your star rating or Yelp reviews, that’s more complicated. Try posting a sign encouraging satisfied diners to post on Yelp or rate you on Google.

Improving your local SEO is one way you can help your restaurant attract new customers and break out of stagnation. Don’t hesitate to give it a shot!