Search engine optimization is one of the leading marketing strategies for restaurants. People always use search engines like Google and Yahoo to find a new place to eat in their area. If you are a restaurant owner you will want to get to the top of the search results and get noticed first. To do that you will need a local SEO strategy.

What is local SEO for restaurants

Local SEO is a strategy that involves optimizing your website for location specific search. That means when someone searches “restaurants in Toronto” you rank up on the results. Local SEO is the best for restaurants to get more attention because most clients form from a nearby area. In addition, optimizing on a local scale will lead to less competition than a national scale.

Website optimization

To attract organic traffic you will need a fast, functional, responsive website. IF you already have a live website you will need to address all of the minor imperfections. This might include, fixing broken links, using target keywords through the site, optimize load speed and have a user friendly structure. If you are building a new website, find a building platform that offers SEO suggestions. Learn More Click Here. IF your website has a fast load speed simple navigation you will rank higher than your competitors resulting in more traffic.

Mobile experience

It's predicted that about 60% of all google searches and site visits come for a mobile device like a phone or tablet. As a website owner it's important that your website is mobile friendly, so clients can easily navigate on a small screen. To do this make sure that your website loads fast with images, clear text and no contact cropped out on a small screen. Having a site that performs well on both desktop and mobile devices will not only help you rank higher up but also because it will keep your visitor on your website for longer.

Content creation

The content on your website tells your visitor what you do and what value you can provide. It also works to attract organic customers because of the keyword you added to the titles meta description and body. To find what keyword to use research tools like SEMrush to find terms that are relevant to your service. For example if you own an Italian restaurant in Toronto you will know what to target with keywords like “Italian restaurant in Toronto” After finding the right words you can start a food blog on your website. The blog can be anything from food critiquing to how to cook basics.

Link Building

The last step of local SEO is link back linking, this is the longest and the most rewarding component in the strategy. Back linking is when another website links your content on their page, basically giving you their vote of confidence. The key here is attracting links for reputable sites within your industry. One way to get started is by submitting your business information into directory and databases. Other ways include adding guest posts, Landing interviews with people in your industry and typing meaningful content. With backlinks it's always quality over quantity meaning only use links for reputable websites and avoid sketchy sites.

If you aren't outranking other restaurants you're probably missing out on inbound traffic. We have one last tip for you, use Google My Business to allow you to submit your restaurant information to rank in google maps. Getting started will Google My business is free and only requires you to fill out a form. Implement the strategies listed above into your SEO plan or hire a professional to put you on the map.