8 Local SEO Strategies Every Restaurant Needs
How to dominate Google Maps and local search to fill more tables.
For restaurants, local SEO isn't optional—it's the difference between being discovered or invisible.
When someone searches "Italian restaurant near me" or "best brunch in [your city]," you want to be at the top of those results. Not on page two. Not buried below chain restaurants.
Here are 8 proven local SEO strategies to help your restaurant attract more customers, fill more tables, and beat your competition on Google.
Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is arguably more important than your restaurant website. Customers use your listing to view your menu, call, check hours, request directions, read reviews, see photos, and book reservations.
Example: Pomo Pizzeria's optimized GBP with 2,000+ photos, 1,500+ reviews, and complete business info
Essentials:
- Correct business name, category, and description
- High-quality photos of food, cocktails, dining room, bar, staff, and patio
- Menu integration directly through GBP or via POS integrations
- Accurate hours including brunch or special service hours
- Weekly Google Posts about specials, new dishes, events, or holiday menus
Pro Tip:
Restaurants that consistently update their GBP photos and posts tend to outrank competitors—even with fewer reviews.
Interactive: GBP Completeness Checker
Check off each item your restaurant's Google Business Profile has:
Your GBP Score
0/100
D
Critical gaps. Prioritize GBP optimization.
Get More Google Reviews (the Right Way)
Reviews are one of the top three ranking factors for local SEO. But it's not just about quantity—quality, recency, and keywords inside reviews all matter.
Essentials:
- Ask customers after great experiences (in-person, via receipt, or follow-up text)
- Respond to every review, positive or negative
- Use keywords naturally in your responses
- Never buy fake reviews or incentivize with discounts
Pro Tip:
One review per week is far more valuable than 50 reviews from two years ago.
Interactive: Review Response Best Practices
"Amazing pasta! Best Italian food in Scottsdale. Our server Maria was fantastic."
Build Local Citations
Citations are mentions of your restaurant's name, address, and phone number (NAP) across the web. Search engines use these to verify your business is legitimate and where you're located.
Essentials:
- Yelp, TripAdvisor, OpenTable, Resy, Zomato
- Chamber of Commerce, local business directories
- Food blogs, restaurant guides, local magazines
Pro Tip:
Make sure your NAP is exactly the same everywhere—even small differences can confuse search engines.
Interactive: Spot the NAP Inconsistencies
Click on listings that have inconsistent Name, Address, or Phone compared to Google (the source of truth):
Optimize Your Website for Local Keywords
Your website should target the exact phrases customers use when searching for restaurants like yours.
Essentials:
- Best [cuisine] restaurant in [city]
- [City] [neighborhood] restaurants
- [Type of dining] near me
- Page titles, H1 tags, and meta descriptions should include location + cuisine
Pro Tip:
Create separate pages for catering, private events, happy hour, brunch, etc. Each page is a new opportunity to rank.
Interactive: Local Keyword Generator
best italian restaurant phoenixHighMediumitalian food near meVery HighHighitalian restaurant phoenix azMediumLowbest italian food in phoenixMediumMediumphoenix italian restaurantsHighMediumauthentic italian phoenixLowLowitalian delivery phoenixHighMediumitalian catering phoenixLowLowTip: Target "Low" difficulty keywords first for quick wins, then work up to high-volume terms.
Create Location-Specific Content
Blog posts and pages about your neighborhood, local events, or community involvement help you rank for hyper-local searches.
Essentials:
- Best date night spots in [neighborhood]
- Where to eat before/after [local venue or event]
- Local food scene guides
- Partnership announcements with local breweries, farms, etc.
Pro Tip:
This content attracts local links and signals to Google that you're embedded in the community.
Get Featured in Local Media and Food Blogs
Links from local news sites, food bloggers, and event calendars pass authority to your site and improve your rankings.
Essentials:
- Pitch local journalists about new menus, chef stories, or seasonal offerings
- Partner with food influencers for reviews or features
- Sponsor local events or charity fundraisers
- Get listed on 'best of' roundups
Pro Tip:
One link from a respected local blog can be worth dozens of directory listings.
Interactive: Link Value Calculator
Select link sources to see their relative SEO value for a local restaurant:
Total Link Equity Score
0
Links Selected
0
Make Sure Your Site is Mobile-Friendly
Most restaurant searches happen on mobile. If your site is slow or hard to navigate, people will bounce—and Google will notice.
Essentials:
- Fast loading speed (under 3 seconds)
- Easy-to-read menu on mobile
- Click-to-call phone number prominently displayed
- Integrated reservation system or direct booking link
Pro Tip:
Use Google's PageSpeed Insights to test your mobile performance.
Interactive: Mobile Speed Impact Simulator
Expected Bounce Rate
32%
of visitors will leave before page loads
Conversion Impact
Baseline
compared to 3-second baseline
Good Performance
Your site meets Google's Core Web Vitals threshold.
Run Google Ads for Immediate Visibility
Local SEO takes time. Google Ads (especially Local Services Ads and Performance Max) can get you to the top of search results immediately while your organic rankings build.
Essentials:
- Target 'near me' and location-specific keywords
- Use ad extensions: location, call, menu links
- Retarget website visitors who didn't convert
- Run ads during peak times (lunch, dinner, weekends)
Pro Tip:
A small daily budget ($20-50/day) can generate significant reservations and walk-ins for restaurants.
Final Thoughts
Local SEO for restaurants isn't complicated—but it does require consistency and attention to detail.
If you optimize your Google Business Profile, earn reviews, build local citations, and keep your website mobile-friendly, you'll outrank 90% of your competition.