With Google being the world’s preferred search engine, it’s essential for your restaurant to have a presence on the platform. In fact, the average business is found in 1,009 Google searches per month – which is significant exposure in itself!
For tips on how to optimise your Google My Business listing, read on:
Create Your Account or Claim Your Business
Having a Google My Business listing establishes an air of legitimacy about your business, especially if it’s a new one. Therefore, the first step to get started is to simply create an account.
However, if your business is well-established, it may already have been listed on Google by a third party. If the profile is unclaimed, you can request to claim ownership. From there, you may be asked to rectify any incorrect details about your business and verify your status as the owner.
Optimise Your Profile
Once you’ve created or claimed your free Google My Business listing, it’s time to fill in all your information! While you can hop in and edit your listing at any time, these are the sections you should fill out immediately:
- Business Name
- Category
- Address
- Hours
- Phone number
- Website
With 64% of consumers using Google My Business to find contact information for a business, these vital details ensure customers get directed to the right place when Googling your restaurant.
In fact, more than half of the actions customers take on Google My Business listings end up being website visits. So if your goal is to drive traffic to your website, you’ll want to make sure the information displayed on it is congruent, too.
Where applicable, additional fields to fill out include:
- Business Description
- Appointment Links
- Products
- Services
- From The Business (accessibility, amenities, etc)
Incorporate Keywords
We all know a little goes a long way when it comes to search engine optimisation (SEO).
As such, including the right keywords in your Business Description is part of the greater efforts that help your restaurant to rank higher on Google. Popular search terms like ‘vegan restaurants’, ‘restaurants nearby’ or ‘restaurants near me’ are amongst the many to consider.
If you’re unsure about which keywords to use to target customers in your locality, it may be worth checking out Google Trends.
Upload Photos
As Google notes, customers are 35% more likely to click through to a website if a Google My Business profile has photos. The average listing has 11 photos, so this is a great ball-park figure to aim for. Here are the photo guidelines to follow.
Try to upload at least 3:
- Photos of your food
- Photos of your team
- Photos of your restaurant’s interior
- Photos of your restaurant’s exterior
These photos should be high-quality, in focus, well-lit and most of all, realistic. By that logic, we recommend that you avoid uploading:
- Stock photos
- Photos with special effects
- Photos with branding
Manage Customer Reviews
Contrary to popular belief, Google My Business is by no means a stagnant digital platform. While your listing might remain fairly consistent throughout the years, online reviews of your business are bound to accumulate over the years.
90% of people read online reviews before making a purchase, and your restaurant is no exception. To really get the most out of your Google My Business, it’s important for you to manage and respond to your reviews – yes, even the negative ones!
For the best practices on how to manage your Google My Business reviews, read our comprehensive guide here.
