Restaurant SEO Tips to Make Your Location Stand Out Online

With more diners turning to Google to find their next meal, optimizing your restaurant’s SEO can make all the difference. And the first thing to keep in mind: your Google Business Profile is one of your most valuable assets.

In this blog, we share key SEO strategies for enhancing your restaurant’s search engine visibility, drawing insights from our Local Marketing Beat podcast #10.

Menu Highlights: A Hidden Ranking Factor

Your menu is a crucial part of your restaurant's identity, and getting it highlighted on your Google Business Profile can help boost online visibility. In fact, Google leverages multiple signals to decide which menu items to feature, and it’s essential to understand how these signals work.

Menu Highlights and Recommended Dishes

Menu highlights don’t just appear out of thin air. They are directly tied to customer reviews and how users interact with your GBP.

Google prompts users to leave reviews and recommend dishes that are already part of your menu highlights. This creates a loop: if a dish is a highlight, it is more likely to be mentioned in reviews, and if it’s mentioned in reviews, it’s more likely to become a highlight. This underlines the importance of making sure your key dishes are well-represented with high-quality photos and a good volume of customer feedback.

While Google will pull in third-party data and reviews to suggest menu items, you can still influence this by being proactive. Keeping your menu and dishes up-to-date, with frequent visual and written feedback, ensures that your restaurant remains visible and relevant.

Menu Item Namer Matter

The language you use for menu items on your Google Business Profile can significantly impact your search rankings. While descriptive and straightforward names can improve visibility for respective keywords, generic or vague names could result in missed search traffic opportunities.

Google’s Menu Rotates

Menu highlights aren't static—they can rotate depending on your offerings and customer feedback. This means that consistently updating your menu and encouraging reviews can keep your key dishes in rotation, attracting more attention week after week.

And did you know that Google checks the menu on a Google Business Profile to confirm that a restaurant offers the item you’re trying to rank for?

Third-Party Integrations and Their Impact on Rankings

Many restaurants rely on third-party services like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Slice for delivery. While these platforms offer convenience and can attract more customers, they can also affect how your restaurant ranks on Google:

Third-Party Data Pull

Google doesn’t just rely on your direct input; it pulls data from third-party sources such as food delivery services. So if your menu is active on platforms like DoorDash, Google will incorporate that data into your GBP.

However, this can be both a blessing and a curse. If the information on these third-party platforms is outdated or incorrect, it can reflect poorly on your business.

Choosing Direct Over Third-Party Integrations

Many restaurants prefer customers to order directly through their own system to avoid the fees associated with third-party platforms. If this is the case for your restaurant, you can request Google to remove third-party integrations.

To avoid a ranking dip, ensure your direct ordering system is integrated with Google Business Profile via API. Google prioritizes profiles with seamless integrations, so having a system that’s just as robust as third-party solutions is critical.

The Impact of Imagery

If you don’t have images of your menu items, such as signature dishes like a Wagyu hamburger, Google may not feature those items in search results. With the visual nature of today’s consumers, here’s why your photos matter even more:

Prominent Visuals in Search Results

Google is increasingly showing more images in its search results, especially for restaurants. Bigger, more frequent visuals can make or break a customer’s decision to visit your restaurant. Ensuring your photos are clear, professional, and relevant (like menu items and the dining atmosphere) can significantly enhance your profile’s attractiveness.

Besides, Google is now highlighting how recently a photo was posted, adding a “posted X days ago” tag on images. Though this feature seems designed for user transparency, it also implies that more recent photos could potentially impact how you rank.

Relevant Keywords for Search Queries

To attract local diners, it’s important to focus on location-specific keywords and phrases that people use when searching for nearby restaurants. For example, including terms like "best Italian restaurant in [city]" or "sushi near [neighborhood]" helps ensure your business appears in relevant local searches. By incorporating these local keywords into your Google Business Profile, website, and menu descriptions, you increase the likelihood of matching what potential diners are actively looking for, driving more traffic to your restaurant.

Review Campaigns: The Secret Weapon

Reviews continue to be one of the most impactful elements of a restaurant’s Google Business Profile, providing social proof as well as data for the search engine’s ranking. However, the manual effort of collecting reviews can be overwhelming, particularly when dealing with multiple ordering systems.

Interestingly, Google has been incorporating more detailed questions into reviews, such as how much a diner spent. This information can impact your ranking based on the search queries used by potential customers. For example, if someone is looking for high-end dining options, restaurants with higher spending information in their reviews may rank better for those queries.

Automated Review Campaigns

Automating the review process is one of the smartest ways to ensure consistency. Whether your customers are placing online orders, dining in, or making reservations, make sure they receive a prompt asking for a review after their visit. Integrating this process with your POS or reservation system ensures that no interaction is missed, and your reviews keep coming in without manual oversight.

Consistency Over Time

A consistent inflow of reviews signals to Google that your restaurant is active and relevant. This increases your chances of ranking higher in both search and map results. Ensure that your review request is friendly and organic so that customers feel comfortable leaving feedback. And don't forget to reply to all reviews in a timely manner.

Google’s Trust in Categories, Predefined Services and APIs

Google gives a significant advantage to restaurants that use predefined services in their Google Business Profile. Here’s why this matters:

Predefined Services vs. Custom Inputs

If you manually input services or menu items into your profile, Google may not rank your restaurant as favorably as those that use its predefined terms. This is likely because Google’s algorithm is optimized to recognize and rank predefined services more accurately. Make sure to use Google’s predefined terms whenever possible to maximize your ranking potential.

Categories & Attributes

Choosing the right primary category for your restaurant can significantly impact your ranking. Specifically, Google uses this categorization to understand what type of cuisine you offer and to match it with relevant search queries. For instance, a sushi restaurant that lists itself as “Sushi Restaurant” can expect a higher ranking for relevant search queries compared to a broader category like “Restaurant”.

The same applies to attributes, which can further enhance your restaurant’s visibility in search results. "Outdoor Seating," "Family-Friendly," or "Vegetarian Options" help Google and potential diners understand what your restaurant offers exactly (and beyond just cuisine).

The Role of APIs

APIs ensure that your business information is seamlessly integrated with Google’s platform. Whether you’re adding a booking link, connecting your ordering system, or updating your menu, leveraging APIs—also from marketing platforms like Uberall—allows your restaurant to communicate directly with Google’s system. This reduces the chance of errors and ensures your profile remains updated in real-time.

Optimize for Popular Times

Understanding the influence of popular times on your ranking can be a game-changer. For instance, if your restaurant is not open during lunch hours, you shouldn’t expect top rankings during that time—because Google considers the popularity of your business at different times of the day, which can impact your visibility.

Use Google’s API to track popular times and adjust your optimization strategies accordingly. This can help you schedule promotional activities and manage expectations for peak hours.

Final Takeaways: Actionable Steps for Restaurant Operators

Whether you're a mom-and-pop shop or part of a franchise: here are some actionable steps to optimize your Google Business Profile:

• Keep your (menu) data accurate and updated on all platforms, from Google Business Profile to third-party services, to avoid discrepancies that could hurt your ranking.

• Regularly update photos of menu items and dining spaces. Ensure your photos are high-quality and reflect your current offerings.

• Add local keywords and phrases commonly used by potential diners in your area to improve your chances of being discovered.

• Remove unwanted third-party integrations if you have a better direct system. But make sure to then integrate it with Google’s API.

• Use Google’s predefined terms for menu items and services whenever possible. This helps ensure that your restaurant ranks higher in searches.

• Integrate review requests into all customer touchpoints. Automate this process to ensure consistent feedback.

• Stay updated with Google’s algorithm to not miss any updates or new features that could impact your search engine optimization marketing strategy.

• Monitor your local SEO performance with tools like Google Analytics to understand what’s working and where you have to make improvements.

By following these steps, you’ll ensure that your restaurant remains competitive in a crowded marketplace.

Effective restaurant SEO goes far beyond simply setting up a profile and leaving it to chance; it requires a strategic approach to managing your online presence including listings, reviews, and social media. By paying attention to these factors and continuously refining your profiles based on insights and industry trends, you can improve your local search rankings and attract more diners to your restaurant.

Remember, staying updated with SEO trends and testing different strategies can help you stay ahead of the competition and ensure your restaurant remains visible to potential customers. Reach out if you want to learn more about this!