In this episode of the Restaurant and Bar Marketing Podcast, host Erik Shellenberger dives into essential strategies for optimizing restaurant websites for better visibility, emphasizing the importance of SEO over aesthetics. According to Erik, many restaurant owners prioritize high-quality photography and sleek design but neglect the crucial element of search engine optimization (SEO), which is key to driving traffic and increasing revenue.

Erik recommends using WordPress as the go-to platform for building or upgrading restaurant websites due to its flexibility and ability to integrate with powerful SEO tools. Unlike other website builders like Wix or Squarespace, WordPress is free and allows full customization, which is critical for long-term SEO success.

To maximize visibility, Erik emphasizes the use of the All-in-One SEO plugin, which helps analyze and improve a website's SEO score by guiding users through best practices like proper header tags (H1, H2), SEO-friendly titles, and effective meta descriptions. He also shares tips on analyzing competitors’ websites using SEO tools to better understand what works and what doesn’t.

Erik further explores the role of AI tools like ChatGPT for generating effective headlines and content that rank well on search engines. He discusses using AI to create SEO-optimized tags, analyze keywords, and generate high-traffic headlines for restaurant websites. Erik encourages restaurant owners to update their websites regularly, keep content fresh, and continually improve SEO metrics to maintain high rankings on Google.

Finally, Erik advises restaurant owners to ensure they have control over their website's SEO configuration, avoiding over-reliance on web developers who may disappear over time. By managing their own SEO setup, restaurant owners can make continuous improvements and track progress effectively.

This approach ensures that restaurant websites are not only visually appealing but also attract the right audience through strong SEO practices, leading to increased traffic, customer engagement, and ultimately higher revenue.