Positive reviews are one of your biggest assets in winning customers in local search. Google puts review scores centre stage in the local packs and Google Maps to help people choose high-quality food businesses.
A lot of hospitality brands fear online reviews but you don’t need to worry about achieving perfect scores. Studies have shown people don’t expect perfect review scores (or trust them) and this is reflected in the search data we see every day.
In fact, users want to see a certain amount of negative reviews so they can trust the authenticity of feedback. So, instead of stressing about five-star reviews, focus on delivering great services and getting as many reviews as you can.
A strong average review score (roughly 4-4.5) with over a hundred reviews will be far more reassuring than a perfect five-star average from only 10 reviews.
When you do get the occasional negative review, know how to deal with them – because this is just as important as the issue itself. Interact with customers, address their concerns and show people looking at your review profile that you take active steps to keep customers happy.
Always be polite, even if the customer in question is being rude, and never place the blame on them. Other users are more than capable of judging when the customer is being unreasonable – so just focus on resolution.
If you’re struggling to build a strong profile of reviews, take a look at the following articles:
- How to get more Google Reviews
- What to do about negative reviews on Google Business Profile
Add some spice to your Google Business Profile
If you’ve covered all of the Google list to data Business Profile essentials in the guide we linked to earlier, that gets you off to a good start. The only problem is, most of your competitors are doing exactly the same thing so you want to add some spice to your Business Profile to stand out – especially if you’re battling against rivals in the same food niche (fish and chips, Italian restaurant, etc.).
Food businesses are in a great position to make their Business Profiles irresistible to potential customers.
Don’t simply post a picture of the exterior of your establishment. Tempt people with pictures of your most attractive dishes, showcase the interior of your restaurant and the best aspects of your business. Invest in a professional food photographer who can show your dishes in their best light – you can use all of these images for social media and other channels, too.
Also, take the opportunity to showcase anything unique and appealing about your food and services. If you’re the Thai restaurant in your area, show off the unique dishes, ingredients and tableware. You can also add videos to your Google Business Profile, so consider producing some cinematic clips of food being prepared, served and enjoyed.
When it comes to adding images of dishes to your Business Profile, include the name of dishes in your image labels to help customers place their order.
SEO should be a main focus, not an after-thought
Too many hospitality brands have your reportable winnings will be overlooked search optimisation as a core business strategy. However, the search for eateries overwhelmingly starts online and this is where you’re going to win new customers – especially through local search.
During lockdowns, it was the food businesses with a strong online presence that thrived because they were discoverable and better equipped for online purchasing. By shifting to online orders, takeaways and delivery services, food businesses with an online presence and strong local search visibility did very well.
Likewise, the businesses that were quick to shift from offline to online marketing and services saved themselves.
Hospitality brands need to learn lessons from the peak of the pandemic. Firstly, search data provides real-time insights into how consumers are spending their money, which is particularly important during difficult times.
The same analysis that revealed consumers were spending more on takeaways but also health foods, exercise and home improvements during lockdowns reveals consumer priorities as the economic challenges of 2023 play out. It will show how British consumers are spending their money on food – eg: eating out vs eating in, how many takeaways they’re ordering per week and which food trends emerge throughout the year.
These insights can inform key business decisions that make the difference in 2023.
Is your SEO strategy ready for the challenges of 2023?
If your SEO strategy isn’t quite ready to europe email overcome these challenges, it’s not too late to put contingency plans into place. Call us on 02392 830 281 to speak to our search marketing team or send us your details and we’ll get in touch.