How To Get Your Restaurant To The Top Of Google

We get this question ALL the time…“How do I get my restaurant to the top of Google search when new customers are searching for me or a restaurant just like mine?”

The good news is, I am putting together a comprehensive training that answers this exact question (which I will let you know in the next few weeks once it’s scheduled). I will cover what we have discovered what works after doing this for over 16 years helping small businesses compete with the Big Corporate Giants online.

But in the meantime, our head Web Developer, Michelle, wrote an excellent article on how to get your restaurant to the top of Google.

And if you are asking yourself- Why should I care about Google and where my restaurant shows up…

It’s because that’s where your NEW CUSTOMERS go first before deciding where their going to go eat and spend money.

And because-

You don’t want to be on page 52 when your potential new customers are scrolling. Because they don’t.

One of the top questions I get from clients is, “How the heck do I get to the top of Google’s list?”

The answer isn’t completely black and white. Maybe you’ve heard of search engine optimization (SEO), but you’re still not really sure what that means. Or maybe you’re just starting to focus on your online presence.

Either way, I’m here to help you navigate this ever-changing world of Google and the Web.

Here are just a couple questions to ask yourself if you find that you’re being consistently pushed to the bottom, even when Googling your actual business name.

1. Have I told Google that my restaurant exists?

This might sound like a no-brainer, but let’s remember that Google relies on information that they can find online. If you haven’t claimed your Google Business Listing and given them information about your business – like hours, your website URL, physical address, and pictures. Without this very basic information, Google doesn’t know whether “Joe’s Barbecue” is the one in North Carolina, California, Toronto, or Timbuktu.

2. Is my website optimized for Google search?

The most beautiful website in the world won’t stand a chance if you don’t have the right content, descriptions, and keywords. While there is definitely more to SEO than a few keywords here and there, this is a big thing that many DIY business owners miss. Slapping up a few pictures, a menu, and a headline might seem easy, but there is a lot needed behind the scenes for each of those to be crawled by Google correctly. Drag and drop website builders may seem great for small business owners on a budget, but many of the important parts get missed.

3. Am I active on social media?

Another oft-missed opportunity comes from something very simple. Your social media accounts. You might think just posting here and there when you’re having a special is good enough, or maybe you just don’t have the time. This one is definitely worth investing in, and it’s important that they be connected with your website. Whether that’s by actually integrating the feed, or just making sure that each links back to the other. By doing this, it’s basically adding “authority” to your business, because now you have multiple online profiles that are all interconnected, and more for Google to crawl about your business.

4. Am I taking advantage of paid advertising?

Ok, so hear me out here. Sometimes, especially if you are in a competitive market, you can do all of the above and more, and still that pesky Italian restaurant down the street from you outranks you.

This is because, no matter what Google’s PR team says, money talks. Google places priority on those with paid advertising, and you can see that by the way they show those top 3 ads before anything else on the page. You don’t need a massive budget for it, but it’s well worth the investment just to keep your business competitive.

Not to mention, this just adds one more “authority” to your business for Google. There are actually many more factors that are important to your Google ranking, but I consolidated to these 4 because they are the most common missed opportunities I see.

Know what else they are? They’re all things that we here at DFY can do FOR YOU! If you would like a personalized in-depth look at your website and all things online, just schedule one of our strategy sessions and we’ll review your online presence.

FREE Restaurant Website Health Check

If you want to get a FREE Health Check of your website by Michelle, our all-knowing website ninja specialist, simply click the button below and schedule a 30-minute review.

Michelle will look at your website and tell you what you can do to improve your rankings on Google to show up above your competition and get more new customers. She’s AMAZING!

And it’s FREE a $297 for the first one.