The process of gaining online recognition that translates into excellent press via accolades and eventually leads to profits takes several steps. The idea of winning awards sounds fun. However, it’s not accidental. This is how to increase exposure and gain traction for your company.
SEO ( Search Engine Optimization)
The first step is to improve search engine optimization. The term “SEO” is frequently used, but SEO is simple to achieve if your website is correctly set up. It means that the initial phrases on your website must be able to spell “pizza,” your town’s name, and any other keywords someone could search for your business on Google. To find out what people are looking for on Google, look up your site’s analytics on Google My Business, and you’ll be able to see which terms are being searched for in your local area or related to your restaurant. Your website should be mobile-friendly and adaptable. Ensure that the images are up-to-date and transparent; there aren’t any stock images or images you’ve seen a hundred times before.
Be sure to choose a site that accurately portrays you with photographs of you, pictures of how your food looks, and updated menus. Google examines websites frequently, so when they notice that the site is regularly updated and often, it increases its chance of appearing as the most popular on Google.
Google My Business
Another way to boost SEO is to claim your Google My Business webpage and ensure your name, address, and all other details are accurate, and then you add pictures on the page to feed the monster, which is Google. Ensure to do this for all review sites and the other major social networks. Also, verify your information.
Also, ensure you have excellent photos on all these websites; if not, you can arrange for a professional to visit and take some pictures.
Reviews
To feed the apes of Google, Respond to all reviews on the internet and those that are negative. Studies inform Google that you operate and manage your store. In addition, you should respond professionally to reviews and address negative reviews with respect through Yelp, Trip Advisor, and Facebook.
Then the snowball effect of praises
To win awards and acclaim, Here is my method of snowballing. The first and most important thing is to have delicious food. Deliver consistently great food by presenting a unique selling proposition that nobody else does in your area—fantastic ingredients with a genuine and caring staff. An excellent and consistent experience ensures your review score is very high.
Community
After creating a solid product, ensure you are active in your local community. Be a part of all you can be involved in, whether it’s an organization like the Chamber of Commerce, sports teams, or charitable events. Know the people who are located close to your pizza shop. You should be a person they know and can trust. When they’ve all embraced you, and you’re a hit, you can pursue local awards, such as the city’s Best Of Award. Whatever the size of the restaurant, they all begin with regional awards and gain notoriety such as this.
Get these awards in the bag with a lot of force, and never try to stuff a prize with a vote or compromise your honesty to win a prize. You must market it from it if you’ve earned a legitimate distinction. Pabst Blue Ribbon is still celebrating the success of win of their “America’s Best” award at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Nearly over 130 years later. They’re still wearing that award on their label.
After local, go national.
As awards from local organizations are rolling in, try to win national recognition. One of the easiest ways to get national recognition is to display strongly at Pizza Expo. International Pizza Challenge at Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. With that impressive reputation of participating in a contest like this and returning to your hometown, marketing the event. To advertise that you could send out an official press release detailing the location you won, and then contact local media to write a feature on your accomplishment and then post this on the feeds you have. If you do not place, speaking about your experience with the competition is still possible, and the smaller market will feature in the report.
If you’re not getting media to cover you in your restaurant, get influencers and food reviewers to visit your site. Invite them to publish on their feeds as they could already have an extensive natural following in your local community And, at the same time, show off any accomplishment you’ve made, no matter how small because it’ll increase in size as you continue to provide quality food in a welcoming setting that is backed by those who love what they do.
Connect with other people who are like you.
Following that, I recommend networking in the industry to build professional relationships, learn more about their activities in their communities, and then copy the things you enjoy and stay clear of what you think isn’t working. It’s an endless cycle.
Unsolicited Awards
The most memorable achievements we have achieved I didn’t request. They discovered us after a clickbait or food writer searched the web and determined that we were the top in our field.
National “Best Of” awards usually aren’t created by people who ate in your favorite restaurant. However, having the most reputable online reputation built on actual experiences makes it possible to get these prestigious reviews. This is the cumulative effect of great SEO turning into excellent, consistent appraisals that attract customers and increase visibility to more prominent awards.
