By Joseph Jones, Contributor

2020 changed the way we do many things within society. We’re wearing face masks, keeping social distance, and dining more within our own homes than at restaurants.

Yes, COVID-19 has made some very impactful changes to the way we operate on a daily basis, but this pandemic has also opened up some new opportunities for restaurants. Many restaurant owners are updating their processes, going digital, and looking for new ways to reach out to their customers.

Those who didn’t think about marketing before are now realizing just how serious it is to reach customers through various channels rather than solely relying on things like visual dependency or word of mouth.

That’s when local SEO jumps into the picture. SEO (search engine optimization) has been around for years now, but has manifested itself into more than just an additional long-term plan; it’s become the go-to plan for successful restaurants.

In short: SEO is the process of optimizing digital assets for better visibility on search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. It’s making sure that when a potential guest searches for a restaurant to order from, your business pops up first.

Let’s take your visibility to a whole new level by creating an SEO plan that works for ALL restaurants. The only thing you need to do is set enough time off to the side to get your SEO moving forward. You don’t need to have a professional SEO team to implement any of these strategies that follow.

Here’s how you can keep ahead of COVID-19 as we prepare for the next wave of stay-at-home orders to hit!

Create & Optimize Your GMB Listing

Create & optimize your restaurant’s ‘Google My Business’ page.

Let’s be honest, most people are using Google as a go-to source to find their answers. If you’re not listed on Google, it’s going to be very difficult to compete. Luckily, there is an answer for restaurant owners.

Google My Business (GMB) is a free business listing source to get your business noticed online. It’s not only connected to Google search, but also Google Maps. This means that you are able to show your business and menu on two different platforms for FREE.

If you don’t have a GMB, go get one verified as soon as possible. Next, optimize your profile. Add images, your restaurant’s logo, your updated menu items, where you deliver, and what delivery companies you’re affiliated with.

GMB is also where most of your customers will leave reviews going forward, so keep an eye out for their responses, and don’t forget to respond back!

Think About Unique Local Offers

What unique special offers can restaurant’s offer local guests during COVID-19?

Local SEO is all about thinking of the community. What are their wants and needs? How can you ingrain yourself into their hearts and minds? Start thinking about ways you can offer promotions or possibly discounts that are based on locale.

If you are wanting to gain visibility in one city over another, then create a promo specific to delivery options in that area. Get creative!

Drive More Reviews to Your Restaurant

Restaurants should drive more online reviews to boost their local SEO ranking.

Reputation means everything, everywhere. If you have a good reputation through word of mouth, you want to represent this online.

A positive ranking signal to search engines is a high rating, such as 5 stars. Another important factor is how many reviews you have online. Your GMB listing can accumulate and host reviews, just like Yelp. Use this tool to your advantage by showcasing just how great your restaurant is.

Keep in mind, reviews can talk about COVID-19 events since it’s the new “norm.” The customer can state whether or not they thought you were handling COVID-19 appropriately with the necessary precautions for health and safety. If your employees weren’t wearing masks when the customer was last there, they’ll make it quite clear. And it will hurt your restaurant’s reputation.

Increase Delivery Options

Restaurants need to expand their meal delivery options to increase chances of being seen.

Nowadays, online ordering and delivery options are competitive businesses to be in. GrubHub isn’t the only app that consumers use. There is also Postmates, Uber Eats, and DoorDash to name a few. And you need to be on all of them.

Why?

There are over 40 million customers using delivery apps. People aren’t using just one delivery service app. There is no “one app for all” as people enjoy different experiences. So, being on every delivery service app is a necessity.

Ordering online for no-contact delivery is part of the new norm. This means, if you don’t offer this service, you’re likely to receive fewer orders.

If you have your own delivery service, then make that very well-known on your digital assets. Even if you have your own delivery service, more people will be likely use an already known delivery service app to ensure their food is delivered on time and for a reasonable price.

The more touchpoints where customers can find you, the better your online visibility will be.

Update Your Restaurant’s Website

Restaurants should make sure their website is updated and mobile-friendly to improve local SEO rankings.

Websites must be designed for the best user experience possible. If you’re looking to re-open your business, get it prepared for a wave of customers. Make sure it’s mobile-optimized, ensure navigation is extremely easy for the average user, and make your menu accessible and kept up to date.

Lots of restaurants are optimizing their websites with delivery options being front and center, and menus accessible via a QR code. This allows customers to stay safe and for restaurants to remove disposable menus as an option, keeping costs down. Most likely, any customer that comes to your restaurant will have a smartphone device on them, so no need to worry about not offering a physical menu… unless the WiFi is terrible.

Also, by updating your website for mobile devices, search engines will scan your website and rank you higher in the search results. Faster pages, website designs with easy/quick navigation tend to do better when ranking online. This, in turn, aids your SEO efforts as you’ll start to outrank your competitors just by giving your website a makeover.

Conclusions

Unfortunately, COVID-19 isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Numbers have been skyrocketing and people are retracting back to the safety of their homes. By implementing an SEO plan that focuses on the local community’s needs, you give yourself the upper hand in the battle of visibility.

Start getting creative and offer things that your competitors don’t. This will lead to keeping your restaurant alive during COVID-19. Never get stuck in the ways of yesterday. Always be thinking of strategies for the future.

Good luck out there!