Restaurant Promotion Tips

Nine out of ten restaurants are small establishments with fewer than fifty employees, but that doesn't mean small businesses have to settle for a little popularity. By taking advantage of affordable online marketing and getting your restaurant noticed on Google, you can increase your foot traffic and profits. The following five tips will help you get more attention for your restaurant on Google.

Create an online presence, not just a website

Today's customers don't turn to the phone book to find a restaurant, they search online. Make yourself available to them by having a website where they can find your address, phone number and restaurant hours, information about specials, and even coupons or discounts. Enrich your online presence with photos, menus and comments. Websites inform customers, and social media attracts customers and attracts them with special offers, events, discounts, etc.

But don't stop at just your website. Google accepts signals from various third-party local directories. Having another place to post your menu, photos, and itineraries is great, but the real juice here is customer reviews. These third-party websites greatly increase the credibility of what your customers are saying.

After setting up various online platforms, promote your restaurant on Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus. Link social media posts to your website to improve rankings.

Sign in to Google

Yes, it may seem obvious to post that you've been spotted on Google. But that is not all. Create a Google account for your business and you'll have access to the entire Google network, including Google Maps, Google Analytics, and Google+ (or Google My Business in this case). These valuable tools are vital marketing platforms for any small business. Instructions for listing your restaurant on Google are free and easy, and setup instructions can be found on the Google Business or Google Analytics page. If you have an account, update it regularly and review customer reviews to ensure you're getting the best results.

Take advantage of search engine optimization

Potential customers search for restaurants using keywords such as “Italian restaurant” or “breakfast.” Google looks at these keywords and uses algorithms to return a list of web pages to the user. Google's keyword tool helps you find and place keywords in your website content that will drive traffic to your site. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques include using keywords naturally in your content without overusing or stuffing them, creating real, authoritative links to your website, setting up engaging social media platforms, and incorporating appropriate inbound marketing strategies.

Use Google AdWords

If you need to increase your advertising, consider using Google Adwords. Linked to your original Google account, you can use the Adwords tool to search for keywords related to your business with a high volume of searches each month and low competition. The Adwords tool will guide you through the process of developing an advertising campaign that includes targeted keywords. Although Adwords does come with a cost, you can monitor your traffic to make sure your investment is paying off. Additionally, hosting companies and Google often offer free Adwords credit codes that can save you advertising dollars.