Putting a Local Restaurant on the Map: A GMB & Citation Strategy
Client: A single-location, family-owned restaurant in a competitive downtown area.
Challenges We Faced
The client had a great reputation with regulars but was invisible to new customers and tourists online
No “Map Pack” Ranking
They had a GMB, but were completely absent from critical medical directories like Healthgrades, Vitals, and Zocdoc.
No “Map Pack” Ranking
The restaurant was invisible on the google maps pack for high-value keywords like “restaurant near me” or “[food type] in [city].”
Inconsistent Citations
Their NAP (Name, Address, Phone) was inconsistent. They had an old, disconnected phone number on Yelp and TripAdvisor.
Unclaimed & Inaccurate GMB
Their Google Business Profile (GMB) was unclaimed, had incorrect hours, and featured 3 blurry, user-submitted photos.
Poor Review Profile
They had only 15 reviews with an average 3.5-star rating, which did not reflect their quality.
Get More Local Foot Traffic
“Want your business to be the top result on Google Maps? Our local map SEO services will put you in the 3-Pack and drive customers to your door.”
Our Approach – How We Solved These Challenges
Comprehensive GMB Audit
We immediately claimed, verified, and fully optimized their GMB profile as the core of our local map SEO service.
GMB Profile Optimization
We uploaded 25+ high-quality, professional photos of their food and interior.
We built out their GMB Menu, added GMB Posts for weekly specials, and optimized their categories.
Local Citation Building & Cleanup
We used Local Citation Tools (like BrightLocal) to find and fix over 50 incorrect NAP listings, correcting the phone number on Yelp, TripAdvisor, and other key directories.
Reputation & Review Management
We implemented a Review Management Platform (like Podium) using a simple QR code on tables, which automatically texted diners to ask for a review.
Results
| Metric | Before | After | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Get Directions” Clicks (Foot Traffic) | 120/mo | 750/mo | +525% |
| GMB “Map Pack” Ranking (“restaurant near me”) | 25th+ (Page 3) | 3rd | +22 spots |
| Avg. Google Star Rating | 3.5 Stars (15 reviews) | 4.6 Stars (150+ reviews) | +31% |
Free Multi-Location SEO Analysis
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Advice for Marketers & Brand Owners
- Your GMB Profile is your new homepage. For a local business, it is the most critical piece of your local map SEO strategy.
- Photos are your menu. High-quality photos on your GMB will drive more clicks and foot traffic than any other feature.
- NAP consistency is the foundation. One wrong phone number on a major directory (like Yelp) can cost you dozens of customers a month.
- Actively ask for reviews. A steady stream of 4- and 5-star reviews is the fastest way to build trust and outrank competitors in the google local map pack.
Extra Factors That Made It Work
- The new review generation strategy was a massive win, quickly building social proof.
- Fixing the incorrect phone number on Yelp immediately stopped lead “leakage.”
- Using GMB Posts to highlight daily specials kept the profile active and engaging.
