Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out! I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on using Google Ads for your restaurant. I understand you're a bit overwhelmed, and it's easy to feel that way with all the options available. Let's break it down and see if we can make things a bit clearer.
We'll need to look at Location Targeting...
First off, as a local business, your biggest advantage (and challenge) is your location. You want to reach people who are actually nearby and likely to order takeaway from you right now. If you start showing ads to people who live 20 miles away, you're just wasting money.
So, how do you nail this? Google Ads allows you to target by radius around your restaurant. I'd start with a really tight radius, maybe 1-2 miles to begin with. You can always expand it later if you need to, but it's better to start small and focused. It's also worth considering the demographics of your local area. Are there specific neighborhoods or areas with a higher concentration of your target customers (e.g., students, young professionals, families)? You can use demographic targeting within Google Ads to further refine your audience.
And don't forget about mobile! Most people searching for "takeaway near me" are doing it on their phones, so make sure your website is mobile-friendly and that your ads are optimized for mobile devices. This means using shorter headlines, clear calls to action, and a simple, easy-to-navigate website.
Once you've set up your location targeting, it's crucial to monitor your performance closely. Are you getting clicks from the right areas? Are people who click on your ads actually visiting your restaurant or ordering takeaway? If not, you may need to adjust your targeting or your ad copy.
I'd say you Focus on Ad Copy...
Your ad copy is your chance to grab people's attention and convince them to choose your restaurant over all the others. It needs to be clear, concise, and compelling. Think about what makes your restaurant special. What do you offer that your competitors don't? Is it your delicious food, your fast delivery, your friendly service, or your unique atmosphere?
Whatever it is, make sure you highlight it in your ad copy. Use keywords that people are likely to search for, such as "takeaway near me," "best [cuisine] in London," or "cheap eats." But don't just stuff your ads with keywords. Write in a natural, conversational style that speaks to your target audience. For example, instead of saying "We offer the best takeaway in London," try something like "Craving the best [cuisine] in London? Order takeaway from [Restaurant Name] now!"
It's also important to include a clear call to action in your ad copy. Tell people exactly what you want them to do, whether it's "Order online," "Call now," or "Visit our website." Make it easy for them to take the next step. You can also include a special offer or promotion in your ad copy to entice people to click. For example, "Get 20% off your first order" or "Free delivery on orders over £20." Just make sure the offer is genuine and that you can afford to honor it.
You probably should Think About Conversion Tracking...
Conversion tracking is essential for measuring the success of your Google Ads campaigns. Without it, you're basically flying blind. You need to know which keywords, ads, and campaigns are driving the most valuable actions, such as phone calls, website visits, or online orders.
Google Ads offers a variety of conversion tracking options. You can track phone calls, website visits, form submissions, and online transactions. You can also track offline conversions, such as in-store purchases, by importing data from your point-of-sale system. To set up conversion tracking, you'll need to add a small snippet of code to your website. This code will track the actions that people take after clicking on your ads. It's a bit technical, but Google provides detailed instructions. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, you can hire a web developer or a Google Ads expert to help you.
You'll need to Consider Budget and Timing...
The amount you spend on Google Ads will depend on your budget and your goals. It's important to set a daily budget that you can afford and that allows you to test different keywords, ads, and campaigns.
It's worth testing, but if you aren't seeing a return after a few weeks, properly look at why. You can also run ads at peak times, so like from 4pm to 9pm or whatever, so you aren't wasting money on showing the ads when no one is looking to get takeaway. I would look at starting with specific day parts in the evening, e.g. 4pm - 9pm. Weekend evenings will likely perform best so I'd make sure to include those, then maybe test a few weekdays as well.
You should also take into account that you need to make time to analyse the ad data and optimise the ads, you can't just 'set and forget'.
I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:
| Recommendation | Action |
|---|---|
| Location Targeting | Set a tight radius around your restaurant and consider demographic targeting. |
| Ad Copy | Highlight what makes your restaurant special and include a clear call to action. |
| Conversion Tracking | Set up conversion tracking to measure the success of your campaigns. |
| Budget and Timing | Set a daily budget and schedule your ads to run at peak times. |
Starting out, it can be a bit overwhelming. I've worked with loads of small businesses who've been in similar situations. Getting a handle on Google Ads definitely takes time, and it requires a bit of effort to get everything running smoothly and efficiently.
If you'd like to take things further, I'd be happy to have a chat with you about your marketing and advertising. It's always useful to get some expert eyes on your campaigns as it's easy to miss something that could be costing you money.
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
