In-Depth Look at the 2020 Localized Marketing Benchmark Report for Restaurants
In-Depth Look at the 2020 Localized Marketing Benchmark Report for Restaurants
Localized marketing is an essential component for running successful multi-location businesses. For the restaurant industry, specifically, localized marketing is more important than ever before. Localization came full force as COVID-19 swept across the world, forcing many consumers to shift their buying behaviors to digital. We'll dive into our special report that looks at the top restaurants in localized marketing throughout this blog. Not only will you find out which multi-location restaurants are leading the pack in localized marketing, but you'll also get insight into the tactics they've used to find success and learn how to implement them into your localized marketing efforts.Why Localized Marketing Matters
If your restaurant chain is still not convinced that localized marketing is key to building a successful marketing strategy, consider the following. Data from our recent report found that nine out of 10 consumers use local search when they are hungry or are looking for a restaurant. Nearly 100 percent of these searches are now dominated by Google 3-pack results, which Google uses to display the top three results for Google search engine result pages. For instance, if a potential customer searches for "restaurants near me," the Google 3-pack would display three restaurants near the user's current location. There are also times when the local intent isn't included in the search, but the results are still localized, emphasizing localization's importance.In addition to local search, a robust localized marketing strategy can also help you communicate with your consumers at the local level. Restaurant chains can no longer speak to their audiences the same way across different locations. Sharing local offerings and service differences is essential, and localized marketing can help you do so. While localized marketing can help you communicate to consumers at the local level, it can also help you build a community through those local conversations. Throughout the pandemic, consumers have craved a local connection. Whether you’re sharing stories about how your local restaurants are giving back to front-line workers or you're hosting a virtual happy hour, it's crucial to build a community with your consumers. If your consumers feel connected to your restaurant locations, they will be more likely to return and encourage others to dine there as well. Now that you better understand the importance of localized marketing, let's look at which restaurants win in their industry and learn how to incorporate these tactics into your efforts.
Top Restaurants in Localized Marketing
When ranking the restaurants in localized marketing, we used our 2020 Localized Marketing Benchmark Report to score the audited 50 top restaurant chains as a part of the study based on the following criteria:- Company sources: Nation's Restaurant News' Top 200 Report on the Top 50 Chains
- Locations: On average, 85 percent of the restaurants' locations were audited
- Scoring: Examination of a local business's presence, ratings & reviews, and community engagement across the top three localized marketing platforms - Google My Business (GMB), Facebook, and Yelp
Getting Started with Your Localized Marketing Efforts
Now that you see what it takes to become a leading restaurant chain in localized marketing, what can your restaurant do to make the list? After looking through all of the data, we came up with a few recommendations for your restaurant chain to follow.- Claim and optimize all of your local pages. If you don't have updated local listings, you will be less likely to appear in Google's local search results.
- Encourage consumers to leave local reviews, and respond to the reviews in a personalized and timely manner.
- Capitalize on the desire for consumers to go local. Engage in local conversations online, and build a connection with your local community.
- Consistency is king. Optimize ranking factors across the three big platforms to create a "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" advantage.