Optimizing your Google My Business for restaurants is crucial for boosting your local search visibility and attracting more customers. In today’s episode of the Restaurant and Bar Marketing Podcast, Erik Shellenberger discusses effective strategies for improving your restaurant's ranking on Google, starting with a well-optimized Google Business Profile.

Google My Business (now called Google Business Profile) plays a pivotal role in helping potential customers discover your restaurant. When users search for terms like “restaurants near me” or “best Italian restaurant in [city],” Google My Business profiles appear prominently in search results. This is known as discovery traffic, where undecided customers find your restaurant through relevant searches, making it a key area to focus on for growth.

To begin optimizing your profile, visit google.com/business and ensure your restaurant is listed under the correct email. If your profile strength isn't complete, it's time to take action. Make sure all your restaurant information is filled out, including business hours, location, and categories. Erik emphasizes using all 10 categories available in Google’s listing settings. For instance, if your restaurant serves multiple cuisines, include all relevant categories to improve your chances of ranking.

Photos are an important part of Google My Business for restaurants. Ensure the images you upload are high quality and resized properly (Erik recommends 1500 pixels on the longest side). Photos of your restaurant’s interior, dishes, and menu should be well-optimized for Google’s standards. Naming your photos using SEO keywords relevant to your restaurant's location and specialty, such as “best pizza in Phoenix,” will further enhance your profile’s searchability.

Erik also highlights the importance of responding to both positive and negative reviews. This not only shows potential customers that you care but also signals to Google that your profile is active, which can improve your ranking. Reviews are becoming more important with the rise of AI-driven search engines, so being proactive will keep your restaurant ahead of the competition.

Erik suggests using tools like ChatGPT to generate SEO-friendly descriptions and keywords for your profile. Regularly updating your profile, responding to reviews, and adding fresh photos will all contribute to better Google visibility.

By following these steps, you can ensure your restaurant ranks higher in local searches and attracts more customers.

In this episode of the Restaurant and Bar Marketing Podcast, host Erik Shellenberger dives into essential strategies for optimizing restaurant websites for better visibility, emphasizing the importance of SEO over aesthetics. According to Erik, many restaurant owners prioritize high-quality photography and sleek design but neglect the crucial element of search engine optimization (SEO), which is key to driving traffic and increasing revenue.

Erik recommends using WordPress as the go-to platform for building or upgrading restaurant websites due to its flexibility and ability to integrate with powerful SEO tools. Unlike other website builders like Wix or Squarespace, WordPress is free and allows full customization, which is critical for long-term SEO success.

To maximize visibility, Erik emphasizes the use of the All-in-One SEO plugin, which helps analyze and improve a website's SEO score by guiding users through best practices like proper header tags (H1, H2), SEO-friendly titles, and effective meta descriptions. He also shares tips on analyzing competitors’ websites using SEO tools to better understand what works and what doesn’t.

Erik further explores the role of AI tools like ChatGPT for generating effective headlines and content that rank well on search engines. He discusses using AI to create SEO-optimized tags, analyze keywords, and generate high-traffic headlines for restaurant websites. Erik encourages restaurant owners to update their websites regularly, keep content fresh, and continually improve SEO metrics to maintain high rankings on Google.

Finally, Erik advises restaurant owners to ensure they have control over their website's SEO configuration, avoiding over-reliance on web developers who may disappear over time. By managing their own SEO setup, restaurant owners can make continuous improvements and track progress effectively.

This approach ensures that restaurant websites are not only visually appealing but also attract the right audience through strong SEO practices, leading to increased traffic, customer engagement, and ultimately higher revenue.

When it comes to finding the best website platforms for restaurants, it's important to choose a solution that enhances visibility and user experience without unnecessary costs. Website platforms like WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, PopMenu, and BentoBox each have their strengths, but they differ significantly in terms of SEO capabilities, ease of use, and long-term value.

1. WordPress: Offers unmatched flexibility and SEO optimization with no monthly fees, making it the best platform for restaurants seeking control and visibility.

2. Wix & Squarespace: Both offer easy-to-use, drag-and-drop interfaces but have limited SEO options. They are better for smaller operations that don’t aim to dominate local search results.

3. PopMenu & BentoBox: These platforms offer concierge services with built-in features like review management, but come with high monthly fees and limited SEO flexibility, which can hurt long-term visibility.

While an attractive website is important, the ultimate goal is visibility. Potential customers must be able to find your restaurant on Google, TripAdvisor, and Yelp, where SEO plays a key role. WordPress, with its endless customization and plugin support, provides better long-term SEO results than other platforms. While platforms like PopMenu offer fancy features, their SEO shortcomings make them less effective for high-competition areas.

Choosing the right platform for your restaurant’s website is crucial to long-term success. For most restaurants, WordPress is the best option due to its flexibility, cost-efficiency, and strong SEO performance. For those needing simplicity, Wix and Squarespace offer a reasonable solution, while more expensive platforms like PopMenu and BentoBox can provide convenience but lack the SEO muscle to compete effectively.