In today’s ultra-competitive restaurant industry, staying relevant and profitable is more challenging than ever. With changing customer behaviours, an evolving digital landscape, and the rise of online bookings, restaurants must adapt quickly to stay in the game. The importance of a strong digital strategy cannot be overstated, yet many restaurants are still underperforming simply because they haven’t optimized their online presence.
In this blog post, I’m going to walk you through the digital transformation journey of a client who went from underperforming to thriving in just a few short months. We’ll break down the exact strategies that we used to revitalize their business—strategies that could work for your restaurant, too.
The Client’s Struggles: A Common Story of Restaurant Underperformance
Our client, a restaurant in Dublin, found themselves in a tough spot by early 2024. Despite having a solid menu, great location, and positive reviews from local customers, their business was not meeting its potential. Their covers (the number of customers served) were steadily declining, and by April 2024, they saw their worst performance yet—a 19% drop in covers compared to the same month in the previous year.
What went wrong? It wasn’t the food, and it wasn’t the service. The problem lay in the digital side of their business. Their website had minimal traffic, their Google Business Profile was neglected, and they weren’t taking advantage of digital marketing channels to reach a broader audience. Like many restaurant owners, they were putting most of their effort into the day-to-day operations and overlooking the digital marketing aspect of their business.
That’s when we stepped in.
The First Steps: Identifying the Issues
The first thing we did was take a holistic look at their online presence and how customers were interacting with them digitally. Here’s what we found:
- Low Website Traffic: Their website, which should have been a primary tool for attracting customers, was underperforming. A quick analysis of their Google Search Console data revealed that from January 2024 to June 2024, the site had very little organic traffic. Despite being in a high-demand area like Dublin, they were not showing up in relevant search results.
- Unoptimized Google Business Profile: Their Google Business Profile (GBP) had some basic information but was far from optimized. It lacked engaging photos, up-to-date posts, and proper keyword optimization. More importantly, the profile didn’t rank well in local search results, meaning potential customers were overlooking them in favor of competitors.
- Inconsistent Engagement: While they had some social media presence, there was no consistent strategy. Posts were infrequent, engagement was low, and most importantly, there was no cohesive message or call to action to drive customers to book a table.
These issues were costing the restaurant hundreds of potential customers every month. We knew that if we could fix these digital gaps, we could turn things around in a big way.
Crafting a Tailored Digital Strategy
Once we identified the key issues, we crafted a detailed digital marketing strategy that focused on four core areas:
- Google Business Profile Optimization
- Website Traffic Boost through SEO and Google Ads
- Leveraging Data from Google Search Console
- Creating a Consistent Engagement Plan
Let’s break down each one of these strategies in more detail.
1. Google Business Profile Optimization: Your Restaurant’s Digital Front Door
Google Business Profile is one of the most important tools for restaurants today. Why? Because when potential customers search for “restaurants near me” or even a specific type of cuisine, Google shows nearby establishments with a GBP. If your profile isn’t optimized, you’re missing out on prime digital real estate.
For our client, the first thing we did was completely revamp their GBP. Here’s what we focused on:
- Adding High-Quality Images: People eat with their eyes first. We updated the profile with high-quality photos of their dishes, the interior of the restaurant, and happy customers. This immediately boosted engagement.
- Consistent Posts: We began posting regular updates about their specials, events, and customer reviews. This kept the profile fresh and active, which helped improve its ranking in local search results.
- Keyword Optimization: By incorporating keywords like “best restaurant in Dublin 2,” “Dublin restaurant outdoor seating,” and other relevant terms, we increased the likelihood of appearing in local searches.
- Gathering More Reviews: Reviews are critical for trust and credibility. We initiated a review-gathering campaign, where we encouraged customers to leave feedback after dining.
Within a couple of months, their GBP interaction skyrocketed. Direction requests, phone calls, and website clicks all saw significant increases, with covers up by 22% by August 2024.
2. Boosting Website Traffic with SEO and Google Ads
Their website was an untapped goldmine. While they had a basic website in place, it wasn’t optimized for SEO, meaning it wasn’t showing up in relevant searches. Here’s what we did:
- SEO Optimization: We restructured their website content to include more relevant keywords like “best dining in Dublin,” “top restaurants near Grafton Street,” and specific keywords around their cuisine and location. We also improved their site speed, mobile optimization, and added more internal linking.
- Ads Campaign: We launched a highly targeted Ads campaign. By optimizing their campaigns, we saw a high Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), with €10.67 generated for every €1 spent.
3. Analyzing Data from Google Search Console: A Game-Changer
Google Search Console is a powerful tool that reveals how your website is performing in search engines. After June 2024, once we implemented our marketing services, the data from Google Search Console told a completely different story compared to the period before we started.
- Pre-Marketing Period (January 2024 to June 2024): Before we stepped in, their website was barely visible in search results. They had minimal clicks, and even when they did appear, the average position was far from the top.
- Post-Marketing Period (June 2024 to October 2024): After implementing SEO, website traffic increased dramatically. Their site clicks more than doubled, and they consistently ranked higher for relevant keywords. By optimizing their content and focusing on long-tail keywords, we were able to secure more prominent positions in local searches.
The result? Increased traffic, higher visibility, and a significant boost in bookings.
4. Creating a Consistent Engagement Plan
Consistency is key in digital marketing, especially for restaurants. We developed a plan that included regular social media posts, email marketing campaigns, and ongoing updates to their GBP and website.
- Social Media: We aligned their social media posts with their promotions and events, creating visually engaging content that highlighted their food and ambiance. We also incorporated customer reviews and testimonials to build trust.
- Email Marketing: We helped them launch an email newsletter that kept their customers in the loop about special events, new menu items, and exclusive promotions.
- Promotions and Events: Special promotions were advertised both online and on their GBP. This drew customers during slower periods and helped create a sense of urgency to book.
Results: A Thriving Restaurant with Explosive Growth
By implementing this multi-pronged digital strategy, we took our client from underperforming to thriving in just a few months. Here’s a snapshot of the impact:
- Increase in Covers: From April’s 19% decline in covers, they experienced a 22% increase by August 2024. By September, covers were up 43% compared to the same period last year.
- Boost in Website Traffic: Their website traffic more than doubled after implementing SEO. Google Search Console data revealed that they now rank for more relevant keywords and appear more frequently in searches.
- Higher Engagement: Google Business Profile interactions increased, with more customers calling, requesting directions, and clicking through to their website.
- Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): With a ROAS of 10.67x, their digital ad spend generated over €39,888 in revenue by October 2024.
How You Can Achieve the Same Results
Every restaurant has the potential to thrive with the right digital strategy in place. Whether you’re struggling with low bookings, underperforming website traffic, or simply want to outshine your competition, optimizing your online presence is the key to unlocking your restaurant’s growth potential.
If this sounds like something your restaurant needs, we’re here to help. Our team specializes in restaurant marketing, helping businesses just like yours go from underperforming to thriving. Contact us today to learn how we can help boost your covers, bookings, and revenue with a tailored digital strategy designed for your success.
