Restaurant Marketing: The 11 Smartest Ways to Attract More Customers in 2025

From the search results, click on your restaurant’s listing and then on “Claim this business.”

You’ll then need to verify ownership by completing phone or video verification. Once Google verifies that you own the restaurant, you can edit your Google Business Profile.

Make sure you add the following information:

• Business address
• Phone number
• Website
• Business hours
• Category
• Menu

Use Relevant Keywords

Using relevant keywords on your restaurant’s website can help you rank for valuable local search terms and drive more foot traffic.

When researching which keywords to use, think about the search terms potential customers might use when looking for a restaurant like yours (e.g., “italian restaurant near me”). Then, use marketing tools like Ahrefs and Semrush to generate more relevant keyword ideas.

Once you’ve found the keywords you want to use to improve visibility, add them to appropriate places on your site, including page titles, URLs, and throughout page content.

Build Local Backlinks

Google views links from other sites that point to your website as a vote of confidence for you and your brand. 

Relevant backlinks to your restaurant’s website can help you rank better in local search results. Look for local websites that might be open to linking to your site. For example, do you already partner with local businesses or sponsor any local events? Ask them to place a link to your website on their site.

2. Build an Engaging Social Media Presence

A social media presence is a must for restaurants nowadays. It allows you to build brand awareness, engage customers, and drive foot traffic.

Here’s how to get the most out of your restaurant’s social media presence:

• Choose the right social media platforms: You don’t have to be on every social media platform. Think about where your target customers spend most of their time online (e.g., you’re less likely to find Gen Z’ers on Facebook compared to TikTok) and be present on those platforms.
• Analyze your competition: Seeing what your local competitors are doing on social media can help you understand what’s working and what isn’t. Analyze your competition’s social media engagement levels, content themes, and promotional tactics to help you refine your own social media marketing strategy.
• Adapt your posting strategy to each platform: What works on Instagram won’t necessarily work on TikTok. Adapt your content to each platform’s requirements and trends — don’t just reshare the same content on every network.

3. Use Influencer Marketing to Highlight Your Restaurant

Influencer marketing can be a powerful tool for restaurants looking to improve visibility and drive more foot traffic.

Partnering with the right social media personalities, including local influencers, food bloggers, and TikTok creators, can not only help you get in front of new customers but also drive repeat visits.

And if a collaboration goes viral, your restaurant could be discovered by thousands (or even millions) of new people.

Here’s how to get started:

Identify the Right Influencers

Start by looking for local influencers that post about restaurants in your area. Check hashtags like #[city]foodie or #[city]restaurants on Instagram and TikTok.

When evaluating influencers, focus on engagement levels (likes and comments) rather than follower count. A micro-influencer (between 5,000 and 50,000 followers) with a highly-engaged audience can help you get more customers than a large influencer with a disengaged audience.

Make sure to also check if the influencer’s content and audience fit your brand. For example, do they regularly post about food and restaurants? Is their audience mostly local and likely to visit your restaurant?

The best influencers for your restaurant will be those who align with your brand, engage with your target audience, and have a strong local presence.

Give Them Creative Freedom

Influencers know what works best for their audience. Don’t interfere with the creative process too much — let them work their magic instead.

Of course, you can let them know if something is too off-brand for you. Provide a high-level brief that outlines your brand’s key messaging and any topics or styles of content that should be avoided.

Focus on Long-Term Partnerships

Influencer collaborations can be hit or miss. Strive to turn successful ones into long-term partnerships.

Invite your top influencers to special events or offer them first access to new menu items. Set up ongoing collaborations, such as a monthly feature or a brand ambassador program.

Focusing on long-term influencer partnerships will help you drive results consistently. It can even allow you to land more cost-effective influencer deals — a lot of influencers are open to providing discounted rates for brands interested in doing multiple or ongoing collaborations.

4. Optimize Your Menu for Online Searchability

More often than not, today’s diners decide where they want to eat before they leave the house. It’s become the norm to research reviews and menus before choosing where to go. 

This makes it key that you get your restaurant’s menu online and optimize it for search engines. Here are a few tips that can help:

• Publish your menu on multiple platforms: It’s not enough to just publish your menu to your website. Make sure to also add it to platforms like Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and OpenTable.
• Use descriptive dish names: Avoid vague or overly unique dish names (e.g., “Grandma’s Favorite”). Instead, try to incorporate terms people use when searching for similar dishes online (e.g., “Italian Meatballs with Fresh Marinara”).
• Optimize for mobile devices: Avoid PDF menus and opt for a responsive, HTML menu that adjusts to different screen sizes. Use a large font size (16px or more), so visitors don’t have to zoom in to read your menu.

5. Run Geo-Targeted Digital Ad Campaigns

Geo-targeted ad campaigns deliver ads to users based on their physical locations. These ads can attract nearby diners and nudge them into visiting your restaurant.

Here’s how to get started:

Decide on an Ad Platform

A lot of platforms offer location-based targeting. Google Ads, Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram), and TikTok Ads are among the most popular options.

With Google Ads, you can target users in specific locations or bid on location-specific terms (e.g., “Manhattan restaurant”). Meta Ads and TikTok Ads let you target locations down to the zip code.

Set Up Location and Radius Targeting

Next, make sure to set up location targeting for your ad campaign. Targeting your city is a good start.

Certain ad platforms, such as Google Ads and Meta Ads, also let you target a specific radius. For example, you could set up a campaign targeting people who are within a 10-mile radius of your restaurant.

Use Personalized Messaging

Avoid using generic messaging in your ad copy. Instead, focus on personalizing the copy with location-specific messaging to grab users’ attention more easily.

Here’s an example:

“Having a picnic in Central Park? Grab a fresh pizza to go — just 2 minutes away!”

Geo-targeted ad campaigns are still underutilized by restaurants, so taking advantage of them can help your restaurant stand out, especially in busy areas.

6. Invest in High-Quality Food Photography and Video Content

To attract attention online, you need to invest in high-quality content.

Mouthwatering visuals of your dishes will not only help you get noticed but can also impact the conversion rates on your website and other online platforms (e.g., DoorDash) where your restaurant has a presence.

Ready to start creating better photo and video content for your restaurant? Follow these tips:

• Hire a professional: Don’t try to save on costs by DIY-ing food photography. A professional food photographer will know how to take the best photos of your dishes using optimal lighting, angles, and styling.
• Focus on video: Food photos are great (and needed), but videos will help you capture people’s attention, especially on social media. Focus on creating short clips optimized for Instagram and TikTok.
• Encourage user-generated content: Creating your own content is great, but having customers create it for you is even better. Encourage user-generated content by serving a unique and interesting photo-worthy dish or drink that customers will naturally want to take photos of and share on social media.

7. Create a Loyalty Program to Reward Repeat Customers

Repeat customers are the backbone of a restaurant’s success, accounting for 60% of total sales. The more loyal customers you have, the more revenue you can generate.

One of the best ways to encourage repeat visits is by launching a loyalty program. A well-designed program not only boosts return visits but also increases revenue per customer, strengthens customer relationships, and encourages word-of-mouth referrals.

Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your loyalty program:

• Go digital: Avoid using punch cards or receipt-based loyalty programs — customers expect you to have a mobile app. Use platforms like Punchh and Lunchbox to create a digital loyalty program that will be convenient for your customers to use.
• Offer meaningful rewards: Make sure your loyalty program offers rewards your customer base would actually want. These might include free drinks, priority reservations, or access to secret menu items.
• Promote your loyalty program: What’s the point of having a loyalty program if no one knows about it? Promote your loyalty program through your website, social media pages, email list, and in-restaurant signage.

8. Host Events, Collaborations, and Special Menus to Build Community Buzz

Don’t think of your restaurant as just a place to eat — it can also be a social hub and an experience-driven destination.

Host different types of events and collaborations and prepare seasonal menus and special offers to help generate buzz, attract new diners, and keep regular customers excited about coming back to your restaurant.

For example, you could invite a local or celebrity chef to create a special one-night or one-week menu for your restaurant. This can attract media attention and expose your restaurant to new people through the chef’s own following.

Or create a limited-time menu with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Having specific dishes available for a limited time only can trigger fear of missing out (FOMO) and create a sense of urgency that will drive diners to visit your restaurant.

9. Get Listed on All of the Major Restaurant Business Directories

Online directories play a big part in how people discover restaurants today. Make sure your restaurant is listed on all the major directories and that your listings are optimized for maximum effectiveness.

While there are many directories you could add your restaurant to, you’ll get the most value out of Yelp, Tripadvisor, and OpenTable. Here’s how to add your restaurant to all three platforms.

Yelp

Visit this page to create a Yelp listing for your restaurant. Enter your restaurant’s name and then click on “Add business with this name.”