The Beginner's Guide to SEO for Local Restaurants

Table of Contents

• Optimise Your Google Business Profile Listing
• Use Local Keywords
• Optimise Your Website for Mobile
• Create Quality Content
• Build Local Backlink

Optimise your Google Business Profile listing

Claim and verify your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing to make sure your restaurant appears in local search results and on Google Maps. Keep your information up-to-date, including your address, website, phone number, and opening hours. At Flipdish, we take care of optimising your GBP for you. We make sure your customers can order from you directly via Google Maps or Google Search with a simple click, instead of ordering through aggregators. For more specific tips on how to maximise your restaurant’s visibility with GBP.

Use local keywords

Incorporate keywords that include your location and the type of cuisine you offer into your website's content, titles, and meta descriptions. For example: "Best Italian Restaurant in Manchester" or "Authentic Thai Cuisine in Birmingham." All Flipdish websites are optimised for discovery, making it easier than ever for customers to find your restaurant.

Optimise your website for mobile

Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as many customers will use their smartphones to search for restaurants. A responsive design will improve user experience and help your site rank higher in mobile search results.

Thankfully, if you’re already a Flipdish customer you won’t have to worry about this, as all our restaurant websites are built with a responsive and intuitive design that works on any device, even for large and complex menus. We also offer mobile apps, making it even easier for your customers to order from you.

Create quality content

Publish engaging content on your website, such as blog posts about your signature dishes chef interviews, or upcoming events. This can help attract more visitors to your site and improve your search engine rankings.

Creating content that’s helpful, relevant, and engaging can significantly boost your restaurant’s visibility in local search results. For restaurants, this doesn’t mean writing lengthy articles, it means crafting content that your audience actually wants to read and share.

Start with blog posts about your most popular dishes, behind-the-scenes looks at your kitchen or team, or spotlighting local food trends. Seasonal menu announcements, chef interviews, event recaps, and food preparation tips can all help attract visitors to your site while reinforcing your brand identity.

Adding content regularly signals to search engines that your site is active and relevant. It also gives you more opportunities to rank for valuable long-tail keywords, like “best vegan lunch in Manchester” or “family-friendly restaurants in Dublin.”

Build local backlinks

Get links to your website from other reputable local businesses, such as food bloggers, local directories, or event pages. These backlinks can improve your site's authority and help you rank higher in local search results.

Start by reaching out to local food bloggers, lifestyle websites, and event organisers to feature your restaurant in articles, listicles, or roundups. Partner with nearby businesses for cross-promotions that include backlinks. You can also submit your site to local directories, chamber of commerce pages, or hospitality industry listings.

Engaging with community events, food festivals, or charity initiatives also helps you gain earned media and backlinks from local press or community platforms.

Tip: When you’re featured online, always request a link back to your website using your brand name or a keyword-rich phrase like “authentic Thai food in Galway.” These anchor texts help Google understand your relevance to local searchers.

But if that all seems like too much work, we’re here to help. With Flipdish, having a website that is responsive and intuitive, optimised for discovery and easily updatable is at your fingertips. We make the process of setting up your digital storefront seamless, allowing you to focus on what matters most – delivering an exceptional dining experience to your customers.