A recent study has found that menu items and increased business activity could have an impact on Google Local rankings. According to the report by Claudia Tomina, Google Search may now be taking into account the items listed in a restaurant’s menu on their Google Business Profile, as well as how busy the establishment is during popular times. These factors are believed to be influencing the rankings of businesses in both Google Maps and the Google Search local pack.
Tomina conducted tests to support her findings, and the results were quite significant. Adding specific menu items to a restaurant’s Google Business Profile can actually help that establishment rank higher in Google searches for those items. For example, if a restaurant adds “caesar salad” to their menu items, they may see an increase in the ranking for searches related to caesar salad. Tomina provided a chart that showed the ranking improvement for a local restaurant after adding caesar salad to their menu items. The restaurant went from position 71 to position 1 for the search term “best caesar salad near me.”
In addition to menu items, Tomina also discovered that the busyness of an establishment during popular times can also impact its local ranking. According to her research, businesses that are busier during specific times of the day tend to outrank their competitors. To support this finding, Tomina provided charts showing local Google ranking reports for the keyword “caesar salad near me.” The rankings consistently improved during popular times throughout the day.
So why should we care about this? Well, if you’re involved in local SEO or manage your own local business, it may be worth trying out these strategies to see if they improve your rankings. By adding your menu to your Google Business Profile, you can test if it has an impact on foot traffic and online orders. Additionally, increasing your business activity during popular times may not only help you rank better but also attract more customers.
It’s important to note that these findings are based on tests conducted by Claudia Tomina, and it’s always a good idea to conduct your own experiments to see how these factors affect your specific business. However, if these strategies prove to be effective, they could be valuable tools for local businesses looking to improve their online visibility and attract more customers.
In conclusion, menu items and increased business activity during popular times may have an influence on Google Local rankings. Adding specific menu items to your Google Business Profile could help you rank higher in searches related to those items. Furthermore, being busier during popular times of the day may give you an advantage over your competitors. If you’re working on local SEO or managing a local business, it might be worth exploring these strategies to see if they can boost your rankings and overall success.
