When diners search online for where to eat next, strong local restaurant SEO can help ensure your business is front and center. Ranking higher in local searches can drive more traffic to your website, increase direct online orders, and bring more guests through your doors.
Keep reading to learn how restaurants can build a winning local SEO strategy that not only improves visibility but also strengthens customer relationships and boosts orders.
Why local restaurant SEO matters
77% of diners visit a restaurant's website before choosing where to eat. Showing up in local Google searches isn’t just about visibility—it’s about capturing customers at the exact moment their stomachs start to growl.
Local SEO helps restaurants:
Appear in “near me” searches and Google Maps listings
Attract first-time guests
Boost direct orders and foot traffic
Without a strong local SEO presence, restaurants risk being invisible to potential guests who are ready to order or book a table. In an industry where competition is fierce, being easily discoverable online is no longer optional; it's table stakes.
Key components of local restaurant SEO
Optimizing your Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is often the first impression diners get when searching for your restaurant. Because of this, it's imperative to optimize your Google Business Profile to ensure customers can easily access accurate information about your business.
When creating your Google Business Profile, make sure you:
Fill out every section: hours, photos, menu, reservations, and delivery options
Keep your Name, Address, and Phone (NAP) details consistent everywhere
Enable Order with Google integrations to capture direct sales
If you need help, white-glove Google Business setup support is included with a branded website from the DoorDash Commerce Platform. Our restaurant website experts handle all of the behind-the-scenes work to optimize your online visibility.
Explore branded websitesBuilding an SEO-driven restaurant website
A professional, optimized website is key to any local SEO strategy. But building an SEO-driven website can be time-consuming and confusing.
Here are a few tips to get started:
Make sure your website is optimized for mobile: Google uses a process called mobile-first indexing to crawl and rank your site, meaning that having a mobile-friendly site is crucial. Plus, 63% of Google searches in the US occur on mobile devices, which means current and future customers are likely to find you from their phones. A mobile-friendly site makes it easy for guests to navigate your site, and can help with your search rankings—win-win!
Use built-in SEO features: Behind every high-ranking website is a collection of carefully written meta descriptions, alt text, and more. If SEO is a top priority for your business, you will need to fill out these fields.
Use headers appropriately: Headers help structure the content on your website, making it easy for site visitors and search engines to quickly understand what your site covers. Be especially thoughtful when selecting your H1s and H2s as they are critical to Google understanding your site.
It's no secret that SEO can be a full-time job; if you don't want it to be yours, it's time to get started with a branded website from the DoorDash Commerce Platform. Getting your SEO-optimized, branded website is simple. Our team does the heavy lifting for you by building and hosting your site using your existing DoorDash assets.
Leveraging local SEO best practices
When a customer in Chicago is searching for "pho near me," they don't want to see options in Houston or Philadelphia. That's why search engines like Google reward local relevance when it comes to search engine rankings.
Here are a few tips to get started with local SEO for restaurants:
Use location-based keywords: Including phrases like “best pizza in St. Louis” or “family-friendly brunch in Seattle” on your site can help your site rank for these types of searches.
Earn local backlinks: When other reputable, local websites (think local news sites, travel best-of lists, or your city's chamber of commerce directory) link to your site, this can help establish legitimacy.
Publish content about upcoming events: Hosting a game night? Maybe you're doing a pop-up at an upcoming street fair. Use these community events as web content to illustrate your presence in your area.
If you'd prefer to leave your local SEO strategy to the experts, the DoorDash Commerce Platform team can help.
Explore branded websitesUsing online ordering to boost orders
SEO makes it easy for customers to find you, and once they do, an online ordering system makes it easy for them to place an order. Make sure your site is outfitted with a sleek, easy-to-use online ordering system so that once guests find your site, you can convert them into paying customers ASAP.
Online Ordering, built into branded websites, is powered by the same technology behind Marketplace and is designed to make ordering and checking out simple for your site visitors. Best of all, orders placed through Online Ordering are commission-free*—it pays to implement an easy-to-use online ordering system!
"[Online Ordering] is just another way to make the consumer have a seamless transaction with us. They can go on our website and order, which makes our customers' experience easier."
Collecting and responding to reviews for stronger local SEO for restaurants
Customer reviews signal both trust and activity to search engines. Plus, 94% of diners choose where they want to eat based on online reviews. That means you should focus on collecting and responding to reviews to strengthen your SEO strategy and win new customers.
Here are a few ways to get started:
Encourage satisfied diners to leave Google reviews with an email campaign
Use restaurant text marketing to remind recent guests to write a review
Respond to every Google review, positive or negative, to show that you're engaged and open to feedback
4 content marketing ideas to improve Local restaurant SEO
Ready to get your business on the virtual map? Here are some ways to help your restaurant stand out online and show up more prominently in search results.
1. Prioritize restaurant social media marketing
In his session "Predictable and Profitable Marketing" at the National Restaurant Association Show, Alejandro Aguilar, a restaurateur, author, and marketer, discussed how an online presence contributes to a marketing "flywheel" that keeps customers engaged. "People are not on social media to buy, they are there to be entertained," Aguilar explained — and that's an important reminder.
Think of the customer journey from social media scrolling to making a purchase as:
Entertain
Inform
Offer
First, capture attention with a funny or interesting video about your business. Then you can add more detail in the caption and use promotions or limited time specials to convert them to customers.
2. Forge local partnerships and promotional opportunities
"You want to reward the customer for coming back, in a way that is not always just paying the customer to come back," Aguilar said. He warns against getting too caught up in the transactional and logistical aspects of the business versus building relationships with customers: "Food creates a bond… Use your product, not money, as the incentive."
You can look to other local restaurants if you need inspiration for what draws the people in your community. Is there a line out the door at $1 oyster night? Or maybe it's live music at the cocktail bar down the street that keeps the regulars coming back. Understanding if your demographic is attracted to specials, events, or entertainment can help you tailor your incentives to fit your neighborhood as well as your own brand.
It's worth brainstorming some cross-promotional opportunities as well. Maybe a nearby bakery could help round out your menu with some killer desserts, or your sandwiches would be a great fit for a pop-up stand at the local brewery. Don't forget about signing up for your area's business alliance, donating to local fundraising events, or participating in regional food festivals.
3. Conduct outreach to local media and restaurant blogs
As mentioned earlier, your position in a search engine results page (SERP) depends on other information about your restaurant that can be found online. Increase your prominence by getting placement in online articles in local magazines.
Contact writers or editors at the local culture magazine or blog that features restaurants, events, and other goings-on in the area. Don't forget to check websites for nearby TV affiliates as well! You might end up with a feature on the local morning show.
Pitching a story to a reporter about your business requires a good angle, or reason why the story is relevant right now. A great time to reach out is to get coverage of your upcoming pop-up at the brewery, a special prix fixe Valentine's dinner, or an event you're hosting to celebrate National Bacon Lover's Day. Send a professional-looking designed marketing email or a simple text email with the "what, when, and where" for easy scanning. If you have high-quality promo photos or an event poster, add those in as well.
Remember that media outlets will likely link to your restaurant website, so make sure it's ready! Before doing any outreach, your website should have your restaurant's up-to-date address, hours, menu, online ordering platform, and ideally a way for diners to sign up for your email list.
4. Experiment with food influencer marketing
Influencer marketing can be a powerful tool in establishing an online presence. According to a recent study, 28% of millennials in the US use social media influencers to find new restaurants to try.
Use geotags on Instagram and TikTok (the two most popular restaurant discovery social media platforms) to see who is posting about businesses like yours in your region and invite them in or offer to collaborate.
When it comes to choosing the right influencers for your brand, don't be fooled by vanity metrics. Aguilar used an example in his session where an influencer in the US had almost 190K likes on a single post, but more than 80% of the "likers" were from outside of the US, and therefore not in-market for his restaurant. Try to find local food and drink influencers with a strong following in your market. For more influencer marketing tips, check out our Food Influencer Marketing Guide for Restaurants.
Elevating your business with local restaurant SEO
Strong local SEO helps restaurants appear where hungry diners are searching. With the right strategy and tools, restaurants can increase visibility, grow direct orders, and build a loyal customer base.
Ready to boost your local SEO and drive more direct orders?
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