How to get found on Google: SEO for Restaurants
Introduction
Google processes a lot of searches per second. As a restaurant owner, you want to make sure that your restaurant is found by the people who are searching for it. People who are looking for restaurants and want to dine in or order takeout know what they want to eat and where they want to go safely. They’re searching for their favorite type of food and they know what kind of ambiance they like, whether it’s fine dining or casual takeout.
It’s important that you have a strong Search Engine Optimization strategy in place so that you can be visible when people search “Thai food near me” or “Italian food delivery near me” on Google or any other search engine. We will look at the best ways to optimize your website so that it shows up higher in the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).
Use Google My Business
To get started, head to Google My Business and create a free listing for your restaurant. This will help you appear in the search results when people are looking for restaurants near them.
Add hours, address, and contact information so that customers can find you quickly
Upload photos of your place so they get a feel for what it's like inside and out
Add your menu so customers can browse through it without having to call or come into the store—they'll be able to see exactly what they're ordering before they order it (and hopefully won't have any surprises). You can even add photos of specific dishes if there's something unusual on your menu that would especially appeal to certain kinds of diners (like gluten-free options). Make sure these images are high quality! (We'll talk more about this later.)
Answer questions that potential customers might have regarding reservations, payment options, or other topics related to reservations/payment options/etc., either directly from the GMB page or from another page you've created specifically for answering such questions.
Wix SEO for restaurants: Write for people
To get found on Google, you need to write content that's relevant to your customers.
Writing for people is easier said than done. It's tempting to write using fancy words and phrases that sound impressive.
The problem with this approach is that it can make your content hard to read by people who aren't familiar with SEO writing techniques. The goal is not to impress search engine bots; it's to attract actual customers!
So start by asking yourself: "What would a normal person want me to say?" Then, write in plain English (or whatever language you're comfortable with). Your goal should be short sentences with lots of headings—ideally no more than five words per sentence—and paragraphs no longer than three sentences long (including headings). This makes it easy for readers and search engines alike!
Wix SEO for restaurants: Include Keywords
Start by using the keywords that people are likely to search. Use Google Trends to find out what they're searching for. Keywords can be single words or phrases, but don't stuff your website with keyword-rich content just to rank higher on Google—it'll end up looking spammy and will actually discourage visits.
Incorporate the most important keywords into your page title, description, headings, menu sections, and menu items (if you have one). Make sure they stand out!
Wix SEO for restaurants: Add business info
In order to get found on Google, you have to have business info included on your website. The more information you include and the more places you put it, the better.
You need a description of what you do and who your service is for (i.e., “our restaurant offers delicious Italian food”) as well as your contact details like address and phone number. This should be placed in the header somewhere above the fold (the part of the screen that appears when someone opens their browser).
Wix SEO for restaurants: 1-page menu
A 1-page menu is great for SEO and your customers. It’s also a lot easier to scan, remember, order, share and print than pages upon pages of food items.
You may be thinking: “But I have more than five dishes on my menu!” Well yes you do but your customers will easily recognize a list of dishes if they are grouped together by their type (e.g., appetizers or desserts). They won’t have any trouble ordering from this type of menu because it has all the information they need in one place – just tell them what kind of meal they want (appetizer or dessert) and then tell them what dish goes with it! You could even use icons alongside each item to show that it's vegetarian-friendly or vegan-friendly - something Google loves to see on websites as well as among people who are trying to eat healthier foods
When it comes down to it, less is more when it comes down right? The fewer clicks needed by visitors before finding what they want - whether that be an appetizer named after your dog Oscar which contains nothing but peanut butter cups stuffed inside hot dogs wrapped around bacon slices served over potato chips - means better engagement rates overall across platforms like Facebook Ads where conversions happen through clickthroughs rather than spending money upfront without knowing whether anyone will buy anything at all!
Using Wix SEO Wizard
The Wix SEO Wizard is a tool that identifies and fixes technical issues with your Wix website to help you get found on Google.
It’s important to use the Wix SEO Wizard because it helps you optimize your site for search engines, which increases the likelihood of someone finding your business on Google and other search engines.
Getting found locally - Local SEO
Local SEO is the practice of getting found online for local keywords. If you want to get found by people searching for restaurants in your area, you need to make sure that your restaurant comes up when they search on Google.
This can be a challenge because the user might not know exactly what they’re looking for, or what your business name is. If you are in a niche market and don’t have much competition, this can be even harder!
It’s important to remember that Google isn't just an advertising platform anymore - it's also one of the most frequently used search engines out there (at least in North America). As such, it deserves all of our attention as marketers who care about performance marketing strategies!
Make sure you're listed everywhere, use keywords that your customers will be using, and keep your menu simple.
Google uses a number of factors to determine your ranking. They are looking for the most relevant results and will penalize you if they think you are trying to game the system.
To help increase your visibility, make sure that you are listed in as many locations as possible; both online and offline. This can be done through directories such as Yelp or Foursquare, but also by simply making sure that all of your menus are available on Facebook and Instagram (remember those two places?). It’s also important to use keywords that people would use when searching for restaurants such as “Italian restaurant” or “Pizza”, but don’t overdo it because Google will know when something is too specific and may not rank it well.
A simple menu is best for people who want a quick option with no frills attached!
Get your FREE SEO audit and consultation from an expert
If you're still confused about how to get found on Google, or just want to make sure your business is set up for success in the future, we can help.
Use the audit tool below to get the complete visibility you need to form a kickass SEO strategy.
If you need help parsing through the audit report, schedule a call with us and we will help you make sense of your audit report.
