As we move into 2025, restaurant SEO is evolving with two major trends:ย AI-powered searchย andย voice search optimization. With changing customer behaviors, a strong SEO strategy is no longer optionalโitโs essential for ranking higher on Google and attracting more customers.
Many restaurant owners overlook SEO, limiting their online visibility. While this might not be an issue in less competitive markets, itโs a major disadvantage for restaurants in bustling areas like downtown Chicago or LA.
So today we are going to look at a checklist that you can use to make sure your restaurant’s SEO allows you to rank as well as possible.
To help you stay ahead, weโve created aย 10-step SEO checklistย to optimize your restaurantโs website. If youโd prefer expert assistance, consider ourย Advanced SEO Serviceย atย The Digital Restaurant.

10-Step Restaurant SEO Checklist
Are you ready to sort out your website’s SEO? Sit down, set aside a couple of hours, and let’s get your SEO sorted in ten simple steps.
Step 1: Choose Primary & Related Keywords
For each website page, you’ll need to identify a primary keyword to target. You can also target a secondary related keywords that is closely related to your primary keyword.
What method do you use to locate these keywords? Google Keyword Planner, KeywordTool.io, Ahrefs, Moz, SEMRush, and Ubersuggest are just a few examples of online tools. Alternatively, you can use NGAZE Platform for keyword research.
Let’s take a look at an example using a pizzeria in Chicago. Here’s how we would pair keywords with the pages of their website.
Primary/ Related Keywords | Web page |
pizza chicago /deep dish pizza chicago | Homepage |
pizza menu / pizza menu specials | Menu page |
pizza specials / pizza deals | Specials page |
order pizza online / pizza delivery | Order page |
restaurant reservations (near me) / dinner reservations | Reservations page |
pizza catering (near me) / pizza catering deals | Catering page |
banquet halls (near me) | Banquet page |
pizza rewards | Rewards |
deep dish pizza (near me) | About |
Additional keyword | Contact page |
Step 2: Optimize Page Titles
You’ll need to optimize your page’s title after you’ve associated each page with a primary and possibly secondary keyword.
The primary keyword should be first in the title of each page, followed by the secondary keyword (if relevant) and separated by pipes (|).
Your company name should only appear on the homepage and your contact page.
The title of each page should be no more than 70 characters long. So be it if that means only having one term in the title.
Finally, make certain that each page title is unique.
- Place theย primary keyword first, followed by a secondary keyword (if applicable).
- Use pipes (|) to separate keywords.
- Keep titles underย 70 characters.
- Include your restaurant nameย only on the homepage & contact page.
- Ensure each title isย unique.
Example:
โ
“Pizza Chicago | Deep Dish Pizza & Italian Cuisine”
Step 3: Optimize Meta Descriptions
After we’ve optimized the page titles, we’ll need to focus on the other piece of metadata that users will see in Google: the meta description of your page. This is the brief description that appears at the bottom of each Google page. These can be a little longerโmaximum of 160 charactersโbut they should still be concise and to the point.
Make sure your keyword or phrase is included in the description, but most importantly, make it appealing. It must entice people to visit your website.
- Keep descriptions underย 160 characters.
- Include yourย target keyword naturally.
- Write compelling copy toย increase click-through rates.
Example:
โ
“Craving authentic deep-dish pizza in Chicago? Order online now for the best Chicago-style pizza delivery!”
Step 4: Optimize URLs
With this step, there comes a word of caution. We do not advise changing your current URLs. This is more likely to have a negative impact on your rankings than a favorable one.
Keep in mind the following points when creating future URLs: keep them brief, include the keywords, and separate each word with a hyphen (-).
- Keep URLsย short and keyword-rich.
- Use hyphens (–) between words.
- Avoid changing existing URLs (can hurt rankings).
Example:
โ
yourrestaurant.com/pizza-menu
Step 5: Optimize Heading Tags (H1, H2, H3)
We’ve almost reached the halfway point. The header tags on your page come next. Only one H1 tag should be used on each page of your website. This is the page title for most WordPress pages. The H1 element should include (as close to the front as possible) your keyword and appropriately describe your page.
- Useย only one H1 tag per pageย (usually the page title).
- Include keywords naturally inย H2 and H3 subheadings.
Step 6: Check Keyword Density
Some people try to cram their keywords into the content of their pages. This must not be done! Use your keyword a handful of times naturally throughout your material, but no more than that.
If you believe you are overusing a keyword, don’t be afraid to reduce it if possible.
- Avoidย keyword stuffingโuse keywords naturally.
- Aim forย 1-2% keyword densityย (a few mentions per page).
Step 7: Add Clear Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
We are nearly home and dry, just a few more steps to go! Here, we are going to make sure that there is a call to action on every page above the fold. What this means is that there is a command for a user to take that they can see without scrolling.
In most cases, this will be “order online”, but it could be “reserve a table”, or “place an order by phone”.
- Place CTAsย above the foldย (visible without scrolling).
- Examples:ย “Order Online,” “Reserve a Table,” “Call Now.”
Step 8: Add Internal Links
For each page on your website, look for opportunities in the content where you can link out to the other pages of your website. So on your menu page, you can link to your online ordering page, on your online ordering page you can link back to your menu page. You should have links to all of your major pages on your homepage.
When you create the internal links, make sure that the part of the sentence that you link to contains the keyword of the destination page.
- Link toย other relevant pagesย (e.g., menu โ online ordering).
- Useย keyword-rich anchor text.
Step 9: Optimize Images
Your images should be optimized for your primary keyword, too. On each page make sure that the main image on the page has an alt tag which contains that page’s keyword.
The title of the image should also contain the keyword (it can be the same as the alt tag) and the image should be as small as possible without sacrificing quality.
- Useย descriptive file namesย (e.g.,ย deep-dish-pizza-chicago.jpg).
- Addย alt textย with keywords.
- Compress images forย faster loading.
Step 10: Check Page Speed
That’s it. You’re done! The only thing left to do now is to check your on-page optimization. First, check each page with Google’s PageSpeed Insights Tool. It will tell you just how well your page is optimized and exactly what you can do to improve it.
- Useย Google PageSpeed Insightsย to test performance.
- Optimize images, enable caching, and minimize code.
Maximize Restaurant SEO with The Digital Restaurant
If you really want to maximize SEO for your restaurant’s website, it’s time to reach out to The Digital Restaurant. You won’t just get access to the NGAZE restaurant marketing tool, you’ll also be able to reach out to us for help and commission us to do the work for you. Can’t wait to get started, get in touch today.
If managing SEO feels overwhelming, let our experts handle it! Withย NGAZE AI marketing toolsย and ourย Advanced SEO Service, weโll help your restaurantย rank higher and attract more customers.
Next Steps:
- Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with one of our marketing experts to develop a customized marketing strategy for your restaurant.
Don’t let your competitors claim a bigger slice of the market. Take action today and watch your restaurant’s success soar!
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