Are you looking to increase foot traffic to your bar or restaurant? Did you recently open a new location in a different area, and want to get the word out? If you own a local restaurant, you’ll need to get serious about your Google Business Profile.
A Google Business Profile will help you attract more customers in your area and help you build your online reputation. If you don’t currently have a Google Business Profile, you can lose potential customers to local competitors or have trouble growing your business. It will also be more challenging to build trust with customers or increase repeat customers over time.
Are you ready to get serious about your Google Business for restaurants? Here are 10 Google Business Profile tips for restaurants.
1. Claim Your Listing
If you don’t currently take advantage of Google Business Profile for restaurants, the first step is to claim your business listing. The verification process through Google is relatively easy, and once you’re approved, you can start customizing your profile.
2. Add and Update Key Details
Every Google Business Profile will include key information and the NAP information. NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number. It’s the three essential must-haves you should always include and ensure they’re always up to date.
Other key details you’ll want to include are hours and your website, so potential customers can get a feel for your restaurant and know when you’re open. Restaurants can also add a menu with prices and an ordering link. Ensuring all this information is added and always up to date is the most effective way to attract new customers. The more details you add, the better.
3. Engage With Customers
Whether your customers leave a review or ask a question, you should always engage with their interactions. Whether it was negative or positive, engaging with your customers is the most effective way to build on these relationships. It also helps humanize your brand and builds on credibility. You should review all customer reviews weekly or monthly to ensure nothing goes unnoticed and everyone’s questions or concerns are addressed.
4. Add High-Quality Photos and Videos
High-quality photos and videos are a must-have for your Google Business for a restaurant. Photos of your restaurant and some of your most popular dishes are a great way to engage with your audience. It’s the best visual demonstration of what you have to offer customers, and can drive an increase in click-through rates for directions or reservations.
Google accepts JPG or PNG formats, and images should be 720 x 720 pixels in size. The photos and video content should be of high quality and accurately represent what your establishment has to offer.
5. Update Your Holiday Hours
Are you closed for Christmas? Do you have modified hours for Labor Day weekend? Let your customers know what your hours are on holidays and holiday weekends. Updating these hours regularly will improve the customer experience and ensure no one visits your restaurant when it’s closed. This will enhance the customer experience and ensure everyone’s needs are met.
6. Reach Out For Reviews
The more reviews your restaurant has, the more trust you can build with your audience. Reviews help you build credibility and lead to a sales boost. If a customer is between two restaurants, positive reviews may help sway their decision on where to eat that night.
If you’re struggling to get reviews for your restaurants, consider adding QR codes to the tables or your receipts so loyal customers can easily review. You can also create an email marketing campaign asking past customers to review after they dine.
7. Connect Your Reservation Platform
If you have a platform you use for reservations, consider integrating it with your Google Business Profile. This will eliminate any friction in the buyer’s journey and push more customers to make a reservation. When a customer is ready to make a reservation, they can do so with a click of a button. They don’t need to search for your business on different websites or apps.
8. Review Data & Analytics
Google provides a suite of analytics tools you can use to better understand your success. You can see how many web visitors viewed your profile, called your restaurant, or clicked for directions. You can use this data to make meaningful adjustments to your profile.
9. Accessibility Information
Are you looking to attract work-from-home customers? Do you have accessible seating for individuals with wheelchairs? Many customers use Google Business Profile to determine the accessibility of a restaurant. They want to know if it’s easy to navigate, if there’s WI-FI, or if the spot is pet-friendly. Incorporating these details will improve the customer experience and ensure everyone’s needs are met before they visit your restaurant.
10. Highlight Specials and Events
Google Business Profile is also an effective marketing tool you can use to highlight specials, offers, and events with the Google Posts feature. This is a great way to encourage people to visit.
Optimize Your Google Business For Restaurants Today
A Google Business Profile is a must-have in today’s digital age. It’s the most effective way to attract new customers and build relationships with repeat visitors. Think of your profile as an extension of your website. For many, it’s the first impression they have of your establishment, so you want to ensure it’s optimized and maintained. The best part? It’s absolutely free to create.
If you need help optimizing your Google Business Profile or improving your ranking for local search queries, Townsquare Interactive is here to help. Our team is here to help you grow your SEO strategy, so you can nurture web visitors into repeat customers over time.