You’ve spent a lot of time creating the perfect website for your restaurant. Your site’s design features enticing photos and easy navigation to your menu and ordering/reservation system. But, if your site is not ranking highly for keywords related to your business on search engine results, not enough people will even visit. By building incoming links to your site, you increase the ways diners can find your site and help build the strength of your website. Google and other search engines consider sites with more high-quality incoming links to be more relevant to include in search results. These sites achieve higher ranking positions for keyword searches. Luckily, it is easy to improve your site’s position in search results with some simple link-building strategy.
First, check out who is already linking to your website. You can use Google Search Console – https://search.google.com/search-console. First, log in to your account or set one up. Tip, use the same email address that is attached to your Google Analytics account. Then click on Links to see the Top Linking Sites that link to your site. You can use this report to see if you have a link from a site or not.
You can also use the Site Explorer on ahrefs.com here https://app.ahrefs.com/site-explorer to check your site or your competitor’s sites for backlinks and search traffic. Enter the site URL and then click backlinks to see which sites are linking to your site. You can see who links to your competitor’s sites and determine if they should also link to your site.
How to Ask for Links
Link building can be as simple as contacting a website that you would like to link to your website and asking if they would give you a link. You should suggest which content would be appropriate for them to link and offer a link in return. Be polite and don’t pester your contacts. Do remember to follow up a link request with a thank you if they grant you a link.
Get More Links from Google
Google business listings show up when someone does a Google maps search. Start by setting up a Google Business listing and then post updates to it about your restaurant’s latest menu or events. Each post gives you a free opportunity to get traffic to your website.
Directory Links with Consistent Data Help Build Site Strength
Make sure your restaurant’s site is added to multiple directories with consistent information on each listing. Use a listing service like Moz local. Your restaurant’s NAP (name, address, phone number) should be the same in every listing. You can check to see if your site is listed on local business listing directory sites for free. Their paid service is $14/mo and helps keep track of your listings on multiple directories and makes updates easier.
Win Links from Local Clubs, Sports Teams, Churches and Schools
Grow links to your site with community involvement. Fundraising nights at your restaurant are a great way to get local organizations to link to your website.
Promote Events
Your calendar of events is another popular linking draw. Publish information about events on free community sites such as Nextdoor.com or Patch.com
Build Internal Links on your Website
Build links in your website too. Link to important pages in your website from other content as well. This helps Google and other search engines know which pages are the most important ones in your website.
If search engine optimization seems too time-consuming for you to do, we can help. Contact us to help get your restaurant website optimized and returning good results.
