5 Advantages of Long-Tail Keywords for Restaurants

The restaurant industry is a highly competitive market. Unless you have a well-established or a Michelin-starred restaurant, it will be very difficult to stand out in an already saturated market.  

The good news is, you can still drive prospects straight to your door using the right digital marketing techniques - starting with the use of long-tail keywords for restaurants.

Nowadays, people love doing “near me” searches to find the best restaurants nearby. In fact, the search query “restaurants near me” has over 6.2 million organic searches in just a span of one month.  

So, if you haven’t optimized your restaurant’s online visibility yet, now is the best time to do it using long-tail keywords. Otherwise, you’ll miss a lot of potential customers!  

Before we examine the different ways your company can benefit from long-tail keywords for restaurants, let’s talk briefly about long-tail keywords first.  

What are Long-Tail Keywords?

Long-tail keywords are very specific keywords or key phrases. While they usually get low search traffic, their conversion rates are really high.

People use long-tail keywords typically for two reasons: When they’re closer to a point-of-purchase or when they’re using voice search.  

Since only a few companies are using long-tail keywords, you might as well take advantage of it, especially if you’re struggling to rank for more generic keywords with high search volume.  

Why are Long-Tail Keywords Important for the Success of Your Restaurant?

Using long-tail keywords is crucial for the success of any business in this digital era. They help improve your searchability and visibility, making sure that potential customers find you online, no matter how big or small your restaurant is.  

What are the Five Advantages of Targeting Long-Tail Keywords?

Allows You to Rank for Primary Keywords

Long-tail keywords usually include general keywords that have high search volume, which you’ll likely want to rank for. Targeting them can help boost your ranking for both primary keywords and specific ones, making it easier for you to reach your goals. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone!  

For example, if you use “ Vegan Mexican restaurant in Miami Beach”, you’ll not only rank for this specific long-tail keyword, but also in the more general search query “restaurant in Miami Beach”.  

Generates Qualified Traffic

When people search for restaurants or food online, they usually type in long-tail keywords, especially if they’re craving for something very specific.  

Oftentimes, people who are particular with their search terms already know what they want to buy at that very moment. That said, using the right long-tail keywords will definitely help you generate qualified traffic.  

Boosts Conversion Rates

Earlier, we’ve already established that people who use long-tail keywords are those that are further in their buying cycle, as opposed to customers who type in broad terms. That means that we can expect long-tail keywords to have higher conversion rates.  

As a matter of fact, long-tail keywords have an average conversion rate of 36%. They generate visitors who turn into paying customers 2.5 times more than primary keywords do.  

Indeed, focusing on long-tail keywords does wonders to your ROI.  

Take this case for instance, when a person searches for a “kid-friendly vegan Mexican restaurant in Miami Beach”, they’re more likely to visit your restaurant immediately compared to someone who uses “restaurant in Miami Beach” as keywords.

Costs You Less Money

If you plan on using PPC advertising, It’s best to bid on long-tail keywords than general ones.  

Why? Because with general keywords, you’ll likely get more clicks but lower conversions. You’ll be wasting money generating the wrong leads that will not convert into customers.  

On the other hand, if you focus on long-tail keywords or key phrases that specifically describe what you’re selling, then you’re more likely to draw in paying customers to your restaurant. At the end of the day, it’s all about spending your marketing dollars wisely through long-tail keywords.  

However, bidding for long-tail keywords for your Google Ads campaign is not that simple. Your chosen keyword or keyphrase should have enough search volume before Google approves of it. If they find the search volume too narrow, then ads will not work for this keyword.  

Less Competition

The best part about using long-tail keywords is that there’s less competition, which means that they’re easier to rank for.

Additionally, long-tail keywords are responsible for 70% of all web searches. Focusing on them will allow you to draw in leads that are likely to become paying customers.  

It’s also worth noting that certain long-tail keywords have high competition levels. It really depends on the industry or niche you’re in. When choosing your keywords, make sure to find an unoccupied niche or an underserved audience in your industry and concentrate on penetrating that area of opportunity.  

Tips in Choosing the Right Long-Tail Keywords for Your Restaurant

Now that you’re aware of the benefits your restaurant gets when you target long-tail keywords, you might be waiting for some pointers - and that’s what we’re giving you below!

• List the attributes or characteristics that best describe your restaurant

• Don’t use sophisticated terms. It’s best to use words that are simple to remember
• Browse the web and check the types of queries people make when looking for a restaurant
• Look into forums or social media to see the common queries people make when looking for a restaurant near them
• Use keyword modifiers like best, top, sale, affordable, or something more specific like under $100
• Incorporate current events or holidays - like Valentines, Christmas, New Year, etc. - into your keywords to drive more qualified traffic. A good example is the key phrase “Mexican Vegan Restaurant in Miami Beach Valentines Promo”

How and Where to Use Long-Tail Keywords to Boost Your Visibility and Searchability

To ensure that your long-tail keywords will work, follow these steps:

• Create long-form blogs articles that are optimized for your long-tail keywords
• Include them in the title of your articles
• Use these terms in your online ordering site  

• Add these terms in your online listing, especially on your Google My Business page
• Incorporate these terms in your product descriptions or responses on TripAdvisor, Foursquare, or other crowd-sourced local business review site
• Use long-tail keywords on your social media accounts
• Use variations
• Incorporate them into your URLs

• Add them into the descriptions of your images

Need Help Creating the Right Long-tail Keywords for Your Restaurant?

Long-tail keywords play an important part in your SEO strategy. It’s best to find the right keywords for your restaurant, so you can target the right audience and get them feasting on your delicious dishes!

At Digital Resource, we can help you come up with the proper long-tail keywords to make your site more visible, among many other on-page SEO tactics. Contact us today for an instant SEO scan!

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