Let me guess - new guest acquisition is a constant marketing priority for your restaurant?
Considering the industry standard is that 70% of guests only ever visit a restaurant once, it's crucial to have a constant flow of new feet walking through your door (or placing online orders.)
What’s the best and actually easiest way to get new guests to your restaurant? I guarantee if you look at your website analytics, the top source, by a landslide, is Google Search.
People use Google to discover new restaurants, get directions and place orders. Even your current guests are using Search before they come back to check your hours, look at the menu and see what’s new and exciting.
Optimizing your restaurant for local Search isn’t just important, its mission critical. And that’s why I personally follow all the best practices they share with restaurants. If they tell us to do it, we should do it!
This week. I’ve invited them to share directly with you via my newsletter to help you optimize for local Search
Hit me back with any questions!
Google recently hosted a hands-on workshop to help businesses optimize their Google Business Profile (GBP), focusing on three key actions that can immediately boost online visibility and customer connections including adding social links, adding chat links and creating Google posts (in the newly refreshed posts tool).
The session was designed to provide practical, guided steps so attendees could improve their profiles with confidence.
With Google handling trillions of searches annually and facilitating billions of direct customer connections each month, having an optimized GBP is no longer optional—it's a requirement for a strong online presence.
Here's a recap of the key areas covered:
1. Harness the Power of Google Posts
Google Posts are a powerful, free tool for engaging with local customers directly on Google. They allow you to promote sales, share news, and announce events. Research shows that 48% of consumers are motivated by special offers, and for restaurants, 62% of of diners say they’re motivated to visit a restaurant with a limited time offering (LTO) → 81% for Gen Z
Why Posts Matter:
Direct Communication: Posts appear on Google Search and Maps, giving you a direct line to customers.
Increased Visibility: Posts about offers and events can appear prominently in local search results.
Engagement: Use high-quality photos and videos to grab attention and keep your profile fresh.
How-To
Navigate to your Google Business Profile (search for your business or "My business").
Click "Posts" then "Add Post."
Choose your post type: "Update," "Offer," or "Event."
Add your description, details, and an image, then click "Post."
Linking your social media accounts to your GBP creates a more complete and engaging online presence. This not only allows you to showcase your events and deals but also helps drive more followers or subscribers by linking directly to your social platforms from Google. A case study with Soci and "Painting with a Twist" showed that adding social links led to a 9% increase in GBP impressions and a 10% increase in web clicks and phone calls.
How-To: From your GBP management interface, navigate to "Edit profile" and then "Contact." You will find a section to add your social media profiles.
3. Add Chat Links for Direct Communication
Customers increasingly prefer chat for quick communication. Studies show that globally, 67% of people prefer messaging a business over calls or email. By adding chat links, you simplify inquiries and support, which enhances the customer experience and can boost conversions.
How-To: From your business information, under the "Contact" tab, you can add and configure your chat options, including selecting between "Text message" and "WhatsApp."
By taking these three simple steps, you can significantly enhance your Google Business Profile, ensuring your business stands out and effectively connects with customers in today's dynamic digital landscape.
Want to watch the recording? You can find the recording and slides here
Thank you so much Lisa Landsman and Michael Gnagy for sharing this!.
Do you need help with any of this? Send me an email [email protected]
- Rev Ciancio
WHAT DOES REV DO?
I help restaurants to build guest marketing programs.
I help hospitality tech companies with lead generation and content marketing.
