Local SEO for Restaurants: No-Nonsense Guide to Getting Found

Let's be real: No one is going to travel from the other side of the country because your website has good SEO. But the neighbor searching for "where to have dinner tonight" IS your customer.
For restaurants, traditional SEO matters little. What matters is Local SEO.

1. Google Business Profile (Your New Storefront)

Formerly known as Google My Business. It is more important than your own website.
When someone searches for food on Google Maps, this is what decides if they go or not:

• Realistic Hours: Nothing makes people angrier than an "Open now" on Google and a closed shutter in reality. Update it on holidays.
• Main Category: Be specific. You aren't just a "Restaurant". You are a "Neapolitan Pizzeria" or "Burger Restaurant".
• Food Photos: Customers upload photos (sometimes ugly ones). Upload official photos yourself to compensate.

2. Local Keywords

Don't try to rank for "Best restaurant in Spain". It's impossible and useless.
Attack the hyper-local:

• "Menu of the day in [Your Neighborhood Name]"
• "Tapas near [Local Monument]"
• "Restaurant with terrace on [Street or Plaza]"

Include these phrases naturally in your website and in your Google profile description.

3. Reviews: The #1 Ranking Factor

Google rewards businesses with frequent and positive reviews.

• Respond to EVERYTHING: To the good ("Thanks!") and the bad ("We are sorry for your experience..."). Google sees the owner is active and rewards it.
• Don't buy reviews: Google knows. You will be penalized. And it shows.
• Ask for reviews: Put a QR on the bill that says "Did you like it? Tell us on Google". Happy people tend to forget to write; angry people never forget. Remind the happy ones.

4. The Digital Menu and SEO

Having your menu in HTML (web) and not PDF is vital.

• Google DOES NOT read well the text inside a photo of your menu or a poorly scanned PDF.
• Google DOES read your digital menu if it is web text.
• If someone searches for "Restaurant with cachopo in downtown", and you have "Cachopo" written in your digital web menu, Google will show your menu. If it's in a PDF, probably not.

Conclusion

Local SEO is a long-distance race. Keep your Google profile spotless, get real reviews week by week, and ensure your menu is readable for search robots (no PDF). The rest will come naturally.