How to Stand Out in Local Search, Drive Bookings & Fill Tables in 2025

Whether you run a fine-dining restaurant in Soho or a boutique hotel in Brighton, one thing is clear:

Your guests are searching online before they decide.

And in 2025, if your hospitality business doesn’t show up on Google — especially in the Local Pack or Maps — you’re losing traffic, bookings, and revenue.

At Rank Up SEO Agency, we help restaurants, hotels, and hospitality brands increase visibility, attract local and tourist traffic, and drive direct bookings without relying on third-party platforms.

Here’s your go-to guide for Hospitality SEO that works in 2025.

🧠 Why SEO Matters for Restaurants & Hotels

✅ 86% of diners check Google before choosing a restaurant
✅ 75% of hotel guests research online before booking
✅ The top 3 Google results get over 60% of all clicks
✅ Direct bookings mean more revenue (no OTA fees or delivery platform cuts)

SEO isn’t just visibility — it’s about control, credibility, and conversions.

🍽️ Local SEO Tips for Restaurants

1. Optimise Your Google Business Profile

Claim your GBP and optimise every section:

• Name, address, and phone (must match your website)

• Business category: “Restaurant” + subtype (e.g., “Italian restaurant”)

• Add attributes: “Outdoor seating,” “Takes reservations,” “Vegan options”

• Post menus, weekly specials, and events

• Upload high-quality photos of your dishes, venue, and staff

• Respond to all reviews (especially negative ones — politely and promptly)

✅ Add a booking link if you use OpenTable, Resy, or in-house systems.

2. Create Location + Cuisine Landing Pages

If you operate in multiple locations or serve unique cuisines: ✅ Create pages like:

• /italian-restaurant-covent-garden

• /thai-food-in-shoreditch

• /rooftop-dining-london

Each page should:

• Include local landmarks (e.g., “near Covent Garden Station”)

• Feature relevant menu items

• Have Google Maps embed + schema

• Include strong CTAs: “Book a Table,” “Reserve Now”

3. Use Menu Schema Markup

Let Google display your menu directly in the search results.

✅ Add Menu schema to:

• Highlight popular dishes

• Show categories like starters, mains, drinks

• Improve mobile search UX

🎯 Bonus: Add Review schema to feature Google star ratings alongside your name in SERPs.

4. Get Featured in Local Directories & Review Sites

List your restaurant in:

• TripAdvisor

• Yelp

• OpenTable

• Zomato

• SquareMeal

• Time Out

✅ These create backlinks and local SEO signals — and help with tourist traffic.

5. Encourage Reviews with Keywords

Instead of “Great food,” ask guests to say:

“Best tapas in Notting Hill”
“Great vegetarian restaurant near Oxford Street”

✅ This boosts relevance and rankings for local and cuisine-specific searches.

🏨 SEO Tips for Hotels & Guesthouses

1. Target Local “Accommodation” Keywords

You don’t need to rank for “hotels UK.”
You want:

• “boutique hotel in Notting Hill”

• “dog-friendly hotels in Brighton”

• “bed and breakfast near Hyde Park London”

✅ Create pages targeting:

• Neighbourhoods

• Room types

• Amenities (e.g., spa hotel, pet-friendly, parking)

2. Add Booking Schema + Reviews

✅ Add Hotel, LocalBusiness, and Review structured data
✅ Include clear calls to action: “Book Now,” “Check Availability,” “Call to Reserve”

This boosts your eligibility for:

• Google Hotel Pack

• Featured Snippets

• Local Pack listings

3. Create Blog Content Around Travel & Local Attractions

Blog topics:

• “Top 5 Things to Do Near [Your Hotel]”

• “Why Stay in Shoreditch Instead of Central London?”

• “What’s On in Brighton This Summer 2025”

✅ Link back to your booking pages
✅ Add internal links and photos
✅ Use long-tail keywords for organic discovery

4. Speed & Mobile Optimisation is a Must

Guests search on the move.

✅ Your site should:

• Load under 3 seconds

• Offer easy booking with 1–2 taps

• Have sticky headers with booking CTAs

• Be mobile responsive and touch-friendly

📲 Test your site with PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix

5. Collect & Showcase Real Reviews

Display reviews from:

• Google

• Booking.com

• TripAdvisor

• Facebook

✅ Use a rotating testimonial widget
✅ Add trust badges like “Traveler’s Choice” or “Excellent Service Award”

💼 Real Example: Boutique Hotel in Soho

Problem:

• Ranking low for all non-brand keywords

• No structured data

• Relying on third-party OTAs for 90% of bookings

What We Did:

• Built local landing pages for “boutique hotel Soho” and “romantic hotel London”

• Added Hotel and Review schema

• Optimised GBP with 50+ photos, attributes, and Q&A

• Created blog content targeting tourist attractions within walking distance

📈 Results (in 90 days):

• 3x more direct bookings

• Top 3 rankings for “boutique hotel Soho London”

• Reduced OTA dependency by 40%

🏁 Final Thoughts: SEO is the Smartest Investment for Hospitality Growth

In the hospitality world, first impressions start on Google.
Whether it’s a hungry local or a traveller from abroad — if they can’t find you online, they won’t walk through your door.

With the right SEO strategy, your restaurant or hotel will: ✅ Rank in Google Maps
✅ Earn trust with reviews & schema
✅ Attract more bookings (without third-party fees)

That’s what we do at Rank Up SEO Agency — help hospitality businesses stand out, get chosen, and stay booked.

🚀 Ready to Grow Your Restaurant or Hotel with SEO?

👉 Book a Free SEO Audit
👉 Explore Hospitality SEO Packages
👉 See Results from UK Restaurants & Hotels

Let’s Rank Up — and fill your tables, rooms, and calendar.