Menu Optimization

In trying to solve for a balance of variety, pricing, item velocity, and customer satisfaction, menu decisions for today’s restaurant marketers are more complex than ever. After all the work toward the science of menu is complete and implementation is underway, I recommend one more step that is often overlooked: updating your SEO specific to menu items, especially when the menu refresh includes new product information. 

Marketers and agency partners cover the keywords and ranking factors for the brand. But as customers and competitors have become more reliant on search, you can differentiate your brand by creating further engagement with menu items.  

Here are some actionable strategies to consider:

Conduct a brand and menu item competitive search analysis and keyword research.

• If this is performed prior to the next menu rollout, work with the SEO team to incorporate keywords into the menu descriptions. 
• If the menu changes just occurred, develop content that naturally works in keywords for future customer communications.
• This may not carry over into menu category names, depending on the menu organization. 

In addition to keywords, look for ownable words and descriptions that add to the total of branded terms. 

• Check user content to see which keywords are repeated back.
• Look for a positive change in keyword rankings in SEO monthly reports to audit, improve, or drop adopted keyword terms. 

Beyond keywords, images, and especially for multi-unit brands, taking a location view should figure into the optimization for long-term benefits. 

If we can help in this journey, contact Steve McGehee, President, AcrobatAnt.