How to Run a Google Business Profile Audit For Your Restaurant in 2023
Running a restaurant can be tough – there are so many things to think about and manage! But one of the most important aspects of a successful restaurant is high foot traffic. And one of the best ways to get more people through your doors is by having a strong Google business profile. In this blog post, we’re going to show you how to run an audit check on your Google business profile and make sure that you’re doing everything you can to attract customers!
Google is a powerful tool for driving foot traffic to your restaurant. A well-optimized business profile and website can help you attract new customers and improve your visibility online. But how do you know if your business profile is optimized? This is where a Google business profile audit comes in.
What is Google Business Profile?
A Google business profile audit is a review of your profile to ensure that all the information is accurate and up-to-date. This includes your hours of operation, contact information, photos, and descriptions. It’s important to audit your profile regularly because outdated information can turn away potential customers.
Inaccurate hours are one of the most common issues we see on restaurant profiles. If your hours are wrong, customers may show up when you’re closed or leave when you’re open. This not only frustrates customers but also reflects poorly on your business. Other common issues we see are missing photos and outdated descriptions.
Here’s a quick overview of how to run a Google business profile audit for your restaurant:
1. Check Your Hours of Operation
The first step is to check your hours of operation. Make sure that the days and hours listed on your profile are correct. If you’re closed on Sundays, for example, be sure to list Sundays as closed. If you have special hours for holidays, be sure to update your profile accordingly. The last thing you want is for customers to show up when you’re closed!
Not only that this will leave a bad taste for your customers, your customers may also leave a bad review on your Google Business Profile — dropping your overall ranking on Google!
This is one of the most common mistakes restaurant owners make, and you don’t want that. Most of the owners in Malaysia remember to update their hours and holidays on Facebook, Instagram but not Google.
You cannot expect your customers to check your Facebook when asking for directions, they ask Google. So be wary of updating your profile as it may make or break your review game.
2. Update Your Contact Information
Next, take a look at your contact information. Be sure that your phone number, website, and address are all accurate and up-to-date. We also recommend including a link to your menu so that customers can see what you offer before they visit.
You have to keep this consistent across all channels as well! Here’s how you can do it:
- Go to Google and type in your business name
- Check for each and every link that you have posted previously (eg. Foodadvisor, Facebook, Instagram, Mudah, etc)
- If you find inconsistent information, change it immediately or request the site admin to change it for you.
- Some websites may post your business details without your consent and you’re unable to update that information. Request the business to take down your listing as these sites may even harm your rankings
3. Add Photos & Videos
Photos and videos are a great way to show off what makes your restaurant unique. Customers want to see what the inside of your restaurant looks like before they visit. Do you have a beautiful patio? Show it off! Is there live music on Fridays? Let potential customers know! Adding photos and videos to your business profile helps give customers a sense of what it’s like to visit your restaurant.
You can also add the food & drinks you serve here — this is super important!
Because Google is able to detect the type of food and drink you serve just by scanning through the photos.
Let’s say you’re a Chinese restaurant serving nasi lemak as an option. Google will be able to tell you’re serving nasi lemak just by uploading the photos.
So whenever people search for “nasi lemak”, you have a high chance to pop up as well, so never miss this part! To make it easier for Google to understand, you can also:
- upload your food menu
- add products to your Google Business Profile
- ask your customers to post more on food by incentivising them!
4. Write an Engaging Description
Your business description is an important part of your profile because it’s an opportunity to tell potential customers what makes your restaurant special. Be sure to include information about your cuisine, atmosphere, and any special features or amenities that you offer. Keep it brief—we recommend going for 700 words—and be sure to proofread it for grammar errors before you publish!
5. Fill up your FAQ section
Google will also optimise your Google Business Profile based on FAQ engagement. Though it’s weighted slightly lesser than others, it still provides significant value for your customer experience.
The most common questions for Malaysian restaurants could be:
- Is the Food halal?
- Is the chef Muslim?
- What is the price range?
- Is it accessible by LRT /MRT?
- How is the parking spot?
Answer these questions upfront gives you an added advantage for your customer’s experience, thus giving you more customers in a long run.
6. Adding Products and Posts
This is super important. Just like what I’ve mentioned above, how people would search for your place varies.
Instead of searching for Cafe in KL, most probably your customers will search for terms like:
- Nasi Lemak near me
- Breakfast near me
- Cheese cake in KL
So how does this benefit your business?
You can see from the screenshot how the overall photos, and description changes based on the search term. I’m sure most restaurant owners didn’t realise this.
This is how Google provides the best search experience for their users, and you definitely should use this TO YOUR ADVANTAGE and start growing your business!
Conclusion
A well-optimized Google business profile can attract new customers and help improve your visibility online. By regularly auditing your profile, you can ensure that all the information is accurate and up-to-date. And keeping accurate information on your profile is vital to attracting new customers!
Rather than spending on Facebook ads that get washed down every 10 seconds, Google search doesn’t get washed down so easily.
It takes months for your competitor to chase up your ranking and if you keep yourself at the forefront, rest assured that you can leave them in the dust.
When potential customers come to find out more about your restaurant, the last thing you want them to see is outdated information—so be sure to perform regular audits of your business profile today!
Google Maps Ranking (or Local SEO) and Online Reputation is an integral part of business strategy for every brick-and-mortar business. Local SEO will help your audience find you when they search online if you have a storefront or business area. We hope you found this article helpful in your quest to gain recognition and credibility for your brand online.
If your business is serving local and you don’t have the skillset and expertise to optimise for this, we’re more than happy to help you out!