You run a restaurant.
One of your responsibilities, of which there are many, is Marketing. In recent years you have invested in marketing online, like everyone else you have tried your best to:
- Maintain an up to date website
- Actively collect, and send to, a growing email list
- Keep fresh content on your facebook and twitter pages
Why the hell do you need to take time, that you don’t have enough of, and write a blog about what you are doing there? People tell you that it will help build content for your website, increase your ranking in search engines, and send more people to your website.
Blah. that doesn’t do it for you and you are right. Very few people will search for a restaurant in general, they search for the name of a restaurant most likely with the name of the city it is in next. Here is a screen shot of the analytics from my restaurant which got 1600 visitors from search engines last month. Check out the top terms:
So lets just say that consumers looking for restaurants in search engines are most likely searching for a restaurant they know about, drove by, etc. So is the time invested in writing a blog going to make a big enough difference in your search volume that it affects sales enough to justify it? Probably not in the short term, probably a little more in the medium term, and maybe enough in the long term.
But I still blog, and believe it is worth the time I put in. I blog here for my marketing company Guestfeed, and I blog for my restaurant Evenfall HERE. It is a chance to connect with my audience, and to share what we are doing. I can share each post on Evenfall’s Twitter Account and Facebook Page and include links in my emails. In effect making my social connections subscribers to my email list.
This ability to tell your story, with your amount of detail without people seeing you as an interruption, is rare today. If you are doing something good, something different, or something crazy you run the chance that the mainstream media will come across one of your posts via the social web or search engines as well. Evenfall has been featured many times because of this, I even got a gig writing for the Haverhill Gazette about local food because of it too. That all helps business right?
So SEO is nice but a blog is a much bigger marketing tool than that.
If you want help getting one going, you know where to find me. @spirocks on twitter, or spiro@guestfeed.com.
Comments
12 responses to “How Can a Blog Help Market Your Restaurant Beyond SEO?”
All very good points. But as the keywords point out, the traffic is predominately from those who already know about the restaurant. For those who don’t, you may be missing the serendipitous value and opportunity of discovery via keywords such as rehearsals, private functions, cuisine, etc. It’s here where SEO adds value.
Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely.
Thank you for reading, and commenting, i love a good discussion of these
topics. To explain better: I am thinking of this post as a pep talk to
restaurant owners and managers who do not write a blog now. i wanted to give
them more of an answer than SEO benefits, though those are realized at the
same time. That was why I said beyond SEO in the Title.
I like the whole pep talk thing. This is the kind of information I want to give to the owners and managers I talk to. I will definitely share this post with them. Thanks.
Glad you like it, thats what I try to do.
Spiro Pappadopoulos
GuestFeed – Spoke Social
[image: Twitter] Latest tweet: Restaurant
Blogs, why SEO isn’t the reason to do it, and what is: http://bit.ly/fJDQAO
Follow @Spirocks
Reply
Retweet
15:09 Apr-07
Get this email app!
Signature powered by
WiseStamp
You received this message because Spiro Pappadopoulos shared it with
“Thanks to +Mark Grzyb I am inviting all of my facebook friends in this
post.
Woot.”
Accept the invitation to view the full post:
https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/ngemlink?&emid=CJid1cHB8KkCFUES7AodlZFpAg&path=%2F105028483738386491490%2Fposts%2FeC13sDZkrJV%3Fgpinv%3DAGXbFGxvUsVs-_9zI_JJClGUF1rdfC1TpxpRvK_mrFo36DJpGvcbTGVAkW4e_nwJHMm2GU91vQN0vldiyVPO_j16D4A8CsOFt0xgKCpgM8OEc0TG3o-m5_w%26hl%3Den_US
The Google+ project is currently working out all the kinks with a small
group of testers. If you’re not able to access Google+, please check back
again soon. Learn more:
https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/ngemlink?&emid=CJid1cHB8KkCFUES7AodlZFpAg&path=%2Fwelcome%3Fgpinv%3DAGXbFGxvUsVs-_9zI_JJClGUF1rdfC1TpxpRvK_mrFo36DJpGvcbTGVAkW4e_nwJHMm2GU91vQN0vldiyVPO_j16D4A8CsOFt0xgKCpgM8OEc0TG3o-m5_w%26hl%3Den_US
————————
You received this message because Spiro Pappadopoulos shared it with
Click here to unsubscribe from these
emails:
https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/ngemlink?&emid=CJid1cHB8KkCFUES7AodlZFpAg&path=%2Fnonplus%2Femailsettings%3Fgpinv%3DAGXbFGxvUsVs-_9zI_JJClGUF1rdfC1TpxpRvK_mrFo36DJpGvcbTGVAkW4e_nwJHMm2GU91vQN0vldiyVPO_j16D4A8CsOFt0xgKCpgM8OEc0TG3o-m5_w%26est%3DADH5u8VRXg0JsSHvMYVe4NNKiMg7H2lX4vMyGpje35ZTnFPbaVNC1dOQgFgMfSrbfswnmshfBW4GKjmMw5Ss1aSWpGt3UpDutDUNpB9Q621EaY2f8m4WUsDd4LyWqU3GWQjodw_G5Q8S5NM3C4CW6Rs1UIaJsmbcuA%26hl%3Den_US
Spiro Pappadopoulos shared a post with you on Google+. Google+ makes sharing on the web more like sharing in real life. Learn more: http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/
You received this message because Spiro Pappadopoulos shared it with
“Three Shifts You Have to Make”
Accept the invitation to view the full post: https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/emlink?emrecipient=101775655541813796404&emid=CLjRhpWPm60CFeYgNAodVSgAAA&path=%2F105028483738386491490%2Fposts%2FdYqyGqeZNCR%3Fgpinv%3DAMIXal-Rf2GxeQPATw8xVa3A-TblkG4O7Ddv4GZtf5ihB8GjzKh2ALZ1ETkB5PT0hgyPv-zXSsTdblQw582_gVro3U5IaxP3NlsOqZx_yP0sjrfk8041mGE%26hl%3Den_US&dt=1324743783460
————————
You received this message because Spiro Pappadopoulos shared it with Click here to unsubscribe from these
emails: https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/emlink?emrecipient=101775655541813796404&emid=CLjRhpWPm60CFeYgNAodVSgAAA&path=%2F_%2Fnonplus%2Femailsettings%3Fgpinv%3DAMIXal-Rf2GxeQPATw8xVa3A-TblkG4O7Ddv4GZtf5ihB8GjzKh2ALZ1ETkB5PT0hgyPv-zXSsTdblQw582_gVro3U5IaxP3NlsOqZx_yP0sjrfk8041mGE%26est%3DADH5u8WnaSsxRqGWv0PMtBfkV_rNeV1sfr49kKJSol-P6IQ8aSpG9yfysJ9uHWLLW09BULypk7viR-rj31ok1zqPTRU7MSpdM4HQ8t81uiiGHzN3miCosCyMNwqFc7n0loFNro9yrKfkQCu__I0rrZAvHIA7o1HreQ%26hl%3Den_US&dt=1324743783460
Spiro Pappadopoulos shared a post with you on Google+. Google+ makes sharing on the web more like sharing in real life. Learn more: http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/
You received this message because Spiro Pappadopoulos shared it with
“Have you seen this video of the crying green bay packer fan yet?”
Accept the invitation to view the full post: https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/emlink?emrecipient=101775655541813796404&emid=COjtz6_j160CFYnF3AodskYAAA&path=%2F105028483738386491490%2Fposts%2FHpkDv4BKDs6%3Fgpinv%3DAMIXal8pa8kOIVKKQ2f7iKZNYypWXul5fEgW23LupizOV8hMya6mA8vPSabjBkZbigfXQZ18c2lIFi1APsNIbtl5htOuqxeCRtOtG-qa3RzbdLgjPwZ-auI%26hl%3Den_US&dt=1326827972068
————————
You received this message because Spiro Pappadopoulos shared it with Click here to unsubscribe from these
emails: https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/emlink?emrecipient=101775655541813796404&emid=COjtz6_j160CFYnF3AodskYAAA&path=%2F_%2Fnonplus%2Femailsettings%3Fgpinv%3DAMIXal8pa8kOIVKKQ2f7iKZNYypWXul5fEgW23LupizOV8hMya6mA8vPSabjBkZbigfXQZ18c2lIFi1APsNIbtl5htOuqxeCRtOtG-qa3RzbdLgjPwZ-auI%26est%3DADH5u8XaW4A0KNSLHSU-uPTjpaeqGr-Md44F2qi85I4lvGZoBn8QATmBn6E600vlF4F9LOiqP1iFCAsrAIpyoBrsjFuMo0x5-92q7kC9qYHAUkWKIXOmJ6WE60JDCGezHR9iAn8xmDpgX3a8c2MP_mTaXNeHl0A64g%26hl%3Den_US&dt=1326827972068
You received this message because Spiro Pappadopoulos shared it with
“Thanks to +Mark Grzyb I am inviting all of my facebook friends in this
post.
Woot.”
Accept the invitation to view the full post:
https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/ngemlink?&emid=CPCYtsTB8KkCFYmQ7Aodk6y7KA&path=%2F105028483738386491490%2Fposts%2FeC13sDZkrJV%3Fgpinv%3DAGXbFGycEJqXlFc41218cY2b-K9jIPHLRtpfKm9H4BY4s0Kt1GnqCzjCvSId7lPZX29OWKFNB4KNsTiFpodW6fQrQYVzCEh9LdBh4tFgJsIWSXwJetBmVwU%26hl%3Den_US
The Google+ project is currently working out all the kinks with a small
group of testers. If you’re not able to access Google+, please check back
again soon. Learn more:
https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/ngemlink?&emid=CPCYtsTB8KkCFYmQ7Aodk6y7KA&path=%2Fwelcome%3Fgpinv%3DAGXbFGycEJqXlFc41218cY2b-K9jIPHLRtpfKm9H4BY4s0Kt1GnqCzjCvSId7lPZX29OWKFNB4KNsTiFpodW6fQrQYVzCEh9LdBh4tFgJsIWSXwJetBmVwU%26hl%3Den_US
————————
You received this message because Spiro Pappadopoulos shared it with
Click here to unsubscribe from these
emails:
https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/ngemlink?&emid=CPCYtsTB8KkCFYmQ7Aodk6y7KA&path=%2Fnonplus%2Femailsettings%3Fgpinv%3DAGXbFGycEJqXlFc41218cY2b-K9jIPHLRtpfKm9H4BY4s0Kt1GnqCzjCvSId7lPZX29OWKFNB4KNsTiFpodW6fQrQYVzCEh9LdBh4tFgJsIWSXwJetBmVwU%26est%3DADH5u8UZUdbR-LpL4uy6l0Nqqyt1nTEz9hDnvKTsmr2q-zetM5IqTGCwUCkStdM2pdsA1zTmZIr6LYXwlXCIT5sFsibDhYCEczwOOdnXHABAR8q69scc4FzDh7K-64KtxA7gMcYCmE7ZMnQnZ0_YnGD6ozcZa4JwWQ%26hl%3Den_US
Spiro Pappadopoulos shared a post with you on Google+. Google+ makes sharing on the web more like sharing in real life. Learn more: http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/
You received this message because Spiro Pappadopoulos shared it with
“Three Shifts You Have to Make”
Accept the invitation to view the full post: https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/emlink?emrecipient=117933445703980531414&emid=COCWt5OPm60CFSqyNAodQl4AAA&path=%2F105028483738386491490%2Fposts%2FdYqyGqeZNCR%3Fgpinv%3DAMIXal_0hbdp9KZymPj2ZjIjl5-lXJ0yCj2b-ZWvc9FTQwGNpJ41pw-EGfm3Deh2g_cg343hZfejzL4YTdNxiq-LBAtLRyA_ICGTMGEI3KwAgPNIOZvMQQQ%26hl%3Den_US&dt=1324743780061
————————
You received this message because Spiro Pappadopoulos shared it with Click here to unsubscribe from these
emails: https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/emlink?emrecipient=117933445703980531414&emid=COCWt5OPm60CFSqyNAodQl4AAA&path=%2F_%2Fnonplus%2Femailsettings%3Fgpinv%3DAMIXal_0hbdp9KZymPj2ZjIjl5-lXJ0yCj2b-ZWvc9FTQwGNpJ41pw-EGfm3Deh2g_cg343hZfejzL4YTdNxiq-LBAtLRyA_ICGTMGEI3KwAgPNIOZvMQQQ%26est%3DADH5u8UKPNaYVkJEIPGkUxL9dbieVCqZS9MO8O1dAfyfoZmJ56CkH8Z22YW7J8rzET2dJpsrAYCIHVHKf0LKgdDh4q2hYR8WHze57sYOdZ0VxuujP6jOYBrO4h7RxBu5KmlLvxkzsTxOfHB8J1-CmRkbbIzhD9ggVA%26hl%3Den_US&dt=1324743780061
Spiro Pappadopoulos shared a post with you on Google+. Google+ makes sharing on the web more like sharing in real life. Learn more: http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/
You received this message because Spiro Pappadopoulos shared it with
“Have you seen this video of the crying green bay packer fan yet?”
Accept the invitation to view the full post: https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/emlink?emrecipient=117933445703980531414&emid=CNDyyrHj160CFVM6QAodxCQAAA&path=%2F105028483738386491490%2Fposts%2FHpkDv4BKDs6%3Fgpinv%3DAMIXal8gBmrI5HWZhDlmX1ygqPYe-cGOnE1ZZ5NL4TArvHnC3Dz7vMsoQnUkhOW8utS740NnA6797Rqg2lByeuU3q9MVLFcHO7dA9wdQc1I8GRS5CZ5aMaI%26hl%3Den_US&dt=1326827976179
————————
You received this message because Spiro Pappadopoulos shared it with Click here to unsubscribe from these
emails: https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/emlink?emrecipient=117933445703980531414&emid=CNDyyrHj160CFVM6QAodxCQAAA&path=%2F_%2Fnonplus%2Femailsettings%3Fgpinv%3DAMIXal8gBmrI5HWZhDlmX1ygqPYe-cGOnE1ZZ5NL4TArvHnC3Dz7vMsoQnUkhOW8utS740NnA6797Rqg2lByeuU3q9MVLFcHO7dA9wdQc1I8GRS5CZ5aMaI%26est%3DADH5u8WUlcn2Qr1UaDiYD4XNOHgIbosaS2UAw38EiJPBNi3jm7B47m_TT72U410CqVQikbn8De_kjcUa7RatiSmdD5_qLKxokOWPXOwkmDC57FcPZ9-DmeoOBHSimcTdI42KDZbS3KobAKCH3oSTkEt-0rsRVWAEIA%26hl%3Den_US&dt=1326827976179
[…] know you are writing a blog about your restaurant right? Well since you are hopefully you are using the incredibly easy to manage, powerful, and […]