Episode 526 | Google Should Be at the Heart of Your Restaurant's Marketing Strategy

[00:00:00] Speaker A: This is not an exaggeration, but Google is the number one website in the

world. It is where people go to search for things when they are looking for something. And so

you want to be found by the people looking for the thing that you have. So Google needs to be

the heart of your entire marketing strategy, not the heart of your digital marketing strategy. I

believe Google needs to be the heart of your strategy. I'm going to convince you of that and

show you exactly what to do in today's episode of Restaurant Strategy.

There's an old saying that goes something like this. You'll only find three kinds of people in the

world. Those who see, those who will never see, and those who can see when shown. This is

Restaurant Strategy, a podcast with answers for anyone who's looking.

Hey, everyone, thanks for tuning in. My name is Chip Close. This is the Restaurant Strategy

podcast. Two episodes every week, all meant to help you level up, increase the profitability of

your restaurants. I also run a coaching program. It's called the P3 Mastermind. So the free

content here, every single week, two episodes. You can certainly consume all this and put this

into practice. But if you need help, if you want guidance, if you want to be part of a network that's

invested in your success, that wants to help you push, put all of this into place and increase the

profitability really quick. It's like jumping to the head of the line. It's like getting the cheat codes. If

you want to learn more about the program I run, visit restaurantstrategypodcast.com schedule.

Grab some time on the calendar. You'll chat with me or someone from my team. 30 minutes,

absolutely free, zero pressure. We bring 10 to 15 new members into the program every single

month. Let's just have a conversation and see if you're a good fit again.

RestaurantStrategyPodcast.com schedule. You will find that link in the show notes.

Avi, you love to go out to eat. So, as a guest, what's your biggest pet peeve when you're trying

to choose a place to eat?

[00:02:06] Speaker B: Yeah, as the father of two children, I can't leave the house for less than

$30 an hour. My wife has celiac. So when we're going to make a dining decision, I live and die

by that menu. I'm in there researching what's available. What can my wife eat? What can we

share? What do I get to eat off of her plate?

And so that menu is just a crucial part of all decision making for me as a consumer. It's why at

Marquee. We focus so much on our menus, our menu integration, so that as operators, your

menu that lives in your point of sale that you want customers to see is available and up to date

everywhere.

[00:02:40] Speaker A: To learn more about Marquee, go to marquee.com, m a r q I I.com to

learn more about this and all of the incredible features they have.

Okay, so today we're going to talk about Google. Here are the 10 reasons why an independent

restaurant owner like you should care deeply about Google. And not someday, not when I get

around to it, not when things slow down, but right now. Because each of these compound

compounds on itself. So Here we go. 10 in no particular order except the first one. Because this

matters a great deal and this is a mindset shift that I need you to take advantage of. This is

going to be super short. It's going to be super straightforward. So hold on to your butts. We're

going to go fast. Number one, you have to understand that Google is the new front door. For

most guests, Google is the very first interaction they'll have with your restaurant. Meaning before

they see your menu, before they meet any one of your servers, before they see your dining room

or even check out your Instagram page, they are visiting your Google my business profile. That

means Google decides whether you look busy or dead. Google decides whether you're

trustworthy or risky. Google decides whether you're relevant or invisible. And guess what? If that

front door looks dirty, dusty, people aren't going to knock. They will just keep scrolling. Number two, the point I really want you to understand, near me searches are pure buying intent.

Meaning when somebody searches restaurant near me, they're not researching. They are

hungry. They want food now. And Google prioritizes proximity, relevance, and activity. Meaning

owners who optimize their profiles win a disproportionate amount of traffic without having to pay

for ads. So it's not branding, it's demand capture. If you ignore Google, you're leaving tons of

money on the table because people are searching when they are hungry, when they want to go

find dinner. Now, number three, reviews are social proof on steroids. Google reviews don't just

influence guests, they actually influence Google itself.

Quantity, quality, and recency of those reviews all affect how often you show up in search

results. Meaning a restaurant with 1200 reviews and a 4.4 rating will outperform a 4.8 rating with

only 73 reviews almost every single time. Because the volume and usually the recency reviews

are not vanity metrics. They are a ranking tool that Google takes very, very seriously. Number

four Google often decides before your website.

Most guests never even get to click through to your website, meaning they see your photos,

your hours, your menu, your review and your busyness directly on Google and they make a

decision right there on Google. So if your photos are dark, if they're outdated, or if they're non

existent, you've already lost them. Google isn't the gateway to your site, it is the decision engine

itself.

Number five Google is the easiest marketing win that you're ignoring. Posting updates, photos

and offers on your Google profile takes minutes and almost no one does it consistently. That

means that means the bar is low. Active profiles get rewarded with more visibility, therefore more

clicks and more calls. It's one of the highest ROI activities available to an independent operator.

Precisely because it's boring, it feels unsexy, it's busy work, but because nobody else is doing it,

you can win. Those are the first five. The next five in just a minute after a word from another one

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All of those links will be in the show notes okay. Number six Google answers questions about

you whether you like it or not.

Meaning what are your hours? Do you have parking? Is it good for kids? Google will answer

these questions with or without your input. If you don't control the narrative, the Internet will just

happily guess the answer for you.

Claiming and managing your profile is reputation management. It is a key part of marketing.

Number seven Guess what? Photos matter more than you think. Restaurants with frequent

photo uploads dramatically outperform those without. Guests want to see the room, the food, the

vibe, the crowd. And Google prioritizes businesses that look alive, meaning a restaurant that

visually signals momentum wins over one that looks like it hasn't since 2019.

Even if the restaurant is better, if the food is better, if the product is better, if the other restaurant

is making an effort and they feel quote unquote alive, they will outperform every Single time.

Number eight, Google is the referee of local competition. When two restaurants are similar, equally good Google decides who gets the guest activity. Reviews, responses and completeness

all tilt the algorithm. So you don't have to be the best restaurant in town, but you do have to look

like the safest bet. Google rewards clarity, consistency and engagement. All of this is good

news, is it stuff you have to do? Yes. But by doing it, you win.

Number nine, Google influences where people drive. Google Maps literally tells people where to

go and how to get there. If you're not optimized, you're not just losing clicks, you're losing

physical traffic, you're losing those butts in seats, directions, call buttons and hours all drive real

world, real time behavior. And in a hyper competitive market, which we are all in, being invisible

on maps is the same as not even existing at all.

Finally, number 10, and this is really, really key. Google is a long term asset, not just a hack. If

any of this stuff sounds like a hack, it's because it's super simple to do. And if you haven't done

it, then you can do it and just hack the system. But it is a long term play, right? Instagram reach

disappears, ads stop working when you stop paying. But a strong Google presence compounds

over time, meaning reviews, stack, authority grows, visibility increases. The owner who treats

Google like infrastructure, not a campaign, builds a defensible advantage that their competitors

cannot easily copy. Because you've got legacy, there's a strong foundation under your business.

I'm telling you, Google is the beginning, is the heart, the core, the foundation, the most important

part of not just your digital marketing strategy but but your marketing strategies. Because there

is such insane purchase intent when people are on that platform. That's it. I promised you a

short and sweet episode. There you go. All about why Google is so important and how you can

use it, how you can leverage it to crush the competition. Appreciate you guys being here. Thank

you very much. I will see you next time.

Sam sa.