🧂 Spice Restaurant – Local SEO Case Study
📍 Client: Spice Restaurant – Indian Dining in London
📅 Duration: 90 days
🎯 Goal: Improve Google Business Profile visibility and increase foot traffic via local SEO.
🧾 Project Overview
Spice Restaurant is a family-run Indian restaurant in central London. Despite offering authentic cuisine and excellent reviews from customers, they were struggling to appear on Google Maps or local search results like “Indian restaurant near me.”
They approached us to improve local search presence, generate more foot traffic, and grow their online visibility — without running paid ads. 
🔍 Initial SEO Audit & Key Findings
Using tools like BrightLocal, GMB Audit, and Semrush, we identified major gaps:
❌ No citations or inconsistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone)
❌ Missing GMB services, photos, and business categories
❌ No review management strategy
❌ Unoptimized homepage (missing title, H1, schema)
❌ Thin content on website (no menu or location-based pages)
🚀 SEO Strategy & Execution
We rolled out a 90-day plan, broken down by weeks:
🔹 STEP 1: Project Selection & Planning
✅ Project Title:
“Local SEO Case Study: Spice Restaurant, London — From Map Obscurity to Local Visibility”
1.1 Choose the Project & Define the Type
Project Type: Local SEO
Business (Demo): Spice Restaurant, London
Industry: Food & Beverage (Indian cuisine)
Project Nature: Demo project, treated as a real client
1.2 Confirm Permission or Mark as Demo
Since this is a demo, we’re using simulated data for professional demonstration purposes.
If using a real client, you’d request consent to share anonymized results, or have them sign a release form.
1.3 Set Measurable Goals (KPI-Based)
| Objective | KPI / Goal |
|---|---|
| Improve Local Rankings | Rank in Google’s Local 3-Pack for 5 key food queries |
| Increase GMB Interactions | 3× phone calls, 2× website clicks via GMB |
| Grow Online Visibility | +30% increase in organic impressions (GSC) |
| Build Trust Signals | Increase Google Reviews from 10 → 40+ |
| Improve Citation Score | From 20% → 85% accuracy across top 50 local sites |
💬 Expert Quote (Joy Hawkins):
“If you’re doing Local SEO and ignoring your GMB profile and reviews, you’re missing 80% of the battle.”
1.4 Prepare Project Assets
| Asset | Notes |
|---|---|
| 🌐 Website Access | WordPress Demo: www.spicerestaurant-london.com |
| 📍 GMB Profile | Created with full categories, logo, location photos |
| ✍️ Content | Homepage, Menu, About, Reservation pages ready |
| 🧰 SEO Tools | Semrush, Screaming Frog, BrightLocal, GSC, GA, PlePer |
| 📸 Media | Food, ambience, staff photos prepared for upload to GMB & site |
📁 Folder structure suggestion:
1.5 Document All “Before” Metrics (Initial Benchmarking)
| Metric | Baseline Value (Pre-Optimization) |
|---|---|
| GMB Views | 280/month |
| GMB Phone Calls | 18/month |
| Website Sessions (GA) | 124/month |
| Google Reviews | 10 (average rating: 4.0) |
| Local Citations Found (BL scan) | 7 total; 4 with NAP mismatch |
| Ranking Keywords (top 3 pages) | None in Top 20 for main keywords |
STEP 2: Baseline Audit & Benchmarking
✅ Conduct a full diagnostic audit before applying SEO changes. This forms the foundation for comparisons later.
🧰 Tools Used:
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Current keywords, impressions, CTR, indexing issues |
| Google Analytics | Traffic sources, bounce rate, engagement |
| Semrush / Ahrefs | Keyword baseline, backlinks, local visibility |
| Screaming Frog | Technical crawl (meta, H1, response codes, image size) |
| BrightLocal | NAP consistency, citation report, GMB audit, rank tracking |
| PageSpeed Insights | Core Web Vitals for mobile/desktop |
| PlePer (GMB Extension) | Validate GMB categories and setup |
📋 Audit Sections
⚙️ 2.1 Technical SEO
| Audit Element | Result | Action Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Crawlability | 22 valid pages, no blocked resources | ✅ Good |
| Schema Markup | Missing | ❌ Add LocalBusiness JSON-LD |
| HTTPS/SSL | Active, but 1 mixed content warning | ✅ Fix image served via HTTP |
| Speed (Mobile LCP) | 5.1s (slow) | ❌ Compress images, defer JS |
| Core Web Vitals | Needs Improvement | ✅ Optimize LCP, CLS, FID |
🧠 2.2 On-page SEO
| Audit Area | Example Problem | Suggested Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Title Tags | Homepage title: “Home – Spice Restaurant” | Change to: “Best Indian Restaurant in London” |
| Meta Descriptions | Missing on 3 pages | Add compelling meta descriptions |
| H1 Tags | Duplicate on multiple pages | Assign one clear H1 per page |
| Content Quality | Thin content on About and Menu pages | Expand with keyword-rich, user-friendly copy |
| Internal Linking | Menu not linked from homepage | Add internal links via buttons/nav |
📍 2.3 GMB Profile Audit
| Element | Status | Fixes/Next Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Categories | Primary: “Indian Restaurant” | ✅ Good |
| Photos | 2 total (low quality) | ❌ Add 20+ HQ images (dishes, staff, ambience) |
| Description | Generic, keyword-poor | Rewrite with local + food-based terms |
| Reviews | Only 10 reviews | Launch review generation campaign |
| Posts | None published | Start weekly GMB posts: offers, events, updates |
🧾 2.4 Citations & NAP Consistency (via BrightLocal)
| Citation Source | Status | Action Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Yelp | Address mismatch | Manually fix |
| Apple Maps | Missing entirely | Submit via Apple Maps Connect |
| Bing Places | Incomplete profile | Add full info + link |
| TripAdvisor | Missing | Create profile |
🔗 2.5 Backlink Profile (Semrush)
| Metric | Current Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total Backlinks | 14 low-quality links | Build quality local/niche backlinks |
| Referring Domains | 6 total | Need at least 15+ for Local SEO uplift |
| Anchor Text Variety | Mostly brand-only | Add food/service/location anchors |
🔹 STEP 3: Keyword Research & Mapping
“If you skip keyword intent, you miss the customer. If you skip local modifiers, you miss the map.”
🧰 Tools Used
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Google Keyword Planner | Broad keyword volume, CPC, and local interest |
| Semrush | Competitor keyword gap, keyword difficulty, local rank tracking |
| Google Business Insights | Search queries customers used to find your GMB listing |
| People Also Ask | Find FAQs, search intent variations |
| PlePer GMB Audit | See category-specific keyword hints |
| Google SERP | Understand actual search intent and pack layout |
| Competitor GMB Pages | See categories, service keywords used in their reviews and updates |
✅ Key Actions & Walkthrough
🔎 3.1 Identify Primary Keywords
Start with local + intent-based queries that reflect actual buying/search behavior.
🔥 Primary Focus: Indian Restaurant in London
| Keyword | Volume (UK) | Intent Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian restaurant London | 12,100 | Commercial | Primary money keyword |
| best Indian food near me | 6,600 | Local/Transactional | GMB pack trigger |
| Indian takeaway London | 2,900 | Transactional | Important for online orders |
| spicy Indian curry London | 500 | Niche/Long-tail | Great for blog/content usage |
| Indian lunch buffet London | 300 | Informational | Great for landing/blog pages |
💬 Pro Insight (Brian Dean):
“Don’t just chase volume. Chase local intent. It converts faster.”
🌐 3.2 Use GMB Insights to Pull “Real” Queries
If the business was live:
Go to GMB > Insights > Search Queries
Example terms often include:
“indian food near me”
“curry places open now”
“vegetarian Indian restaurant London”
🧠 Pro Tip: GMB queries are real-world phrasing, even if volumes are low — they reveal voice search and mobile user intent.
🗂️ 3.3 Categorize Keywords by Page/Section
Organize your keyword clusters based on the website structure & GMB content.
Organize your keyword clusters based on the website structure & GMB content.
| Section | Target Keywords |
|---|---|
| Homepage | Indian restaurant London, best Indian food London, curry restaurant London |
| Menu Page | Indian food menu London, chicken tikka menu, vegetarian curry options |
| Reservation Page | book Indian restaurant London, curry dinner booking |
| About Page | authentic Indian cuisine London, family-owned Indian restaurant |
| Blog | benefits of Indian spices, history of biryani, Indian dishes explained |
| GMB Description | best Indian restaurant near London Bridge with takeaway and delivery |
| Services (GMB) | dine-in, takeaway, delivery, vegetarian, catering |
💡 Expert Quote (Marie Haynes):
“You want keywords where users are, not just where bots crawl. GMB, menus, and mobile pages matter.”
🔍 3.4 Competitor Keyword Gap Analysis
Use Semrush → Keyword Gap Tool.
Compare with top 3 competitors (real/demo GMBs near London):
| Competitor Name | Missing Keywords Found |
|---|---|
| Taste of India London | “authentic Indian curry near me” |
| Curry Junction London | “halal Indian food London”, “Indian lunch deals” |
| Bombay Bites London | “budget Indian restaurant London” |
✅ Add these terms to your secondary content areas:
GMB posts
Blog articles
Meta descriptions
📌 3.5 Keyword Mapping Table (Deliverable-Ready)
| Page/Asset | Focus Keywords | Content Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
| Homepage | Indian restaurant London, best curry London | Title, H1, meta, intro content |
| Menu | Indian dishes London, tikka masala, biryani | Schema, item descriptions |
| GMB Description | Indian restaurant near London Bridge | Full keyword-rich GMB intro (750 characters) |
| Services on GMB | takeaway, dine-in, vegetarian options | GMB “services” section update |
| Blog #1 | History of biryani in London | Topical authority, internal links |
| Blog #2 | Spicy Indian curry vs. mild — explained | LSI terms + voice search match |
| GMB Posts | “New Lunch Buffet Offer – Now Available Daily” | Weekly GMB posts with keyword tie-ins |
📊 Screenshot Suggestions for Visual Case Study
Google Keyword Planner export (CSV → screenshot of top 10)
Semrush keyword gap chart (vs. 3 competitors)
GMB Insights → “Search Queries” chart
Keyword map spreadsheet/table for client deliverable
✅ Final Notes for Step 3
Use both short-tail (e.g., “Indian food London”) and long-tail (e.g., “spicy chicken curry takeaway London”).
Align keyword intent with page purpose. Don’t use booking keywords on blog pages.
Integrate questions from People Also Ask as H2s or FAQ schema.
📁 Suggested Folder for Assets:/spice-restaurant-seo/01-keyword-research/
STEP 4: Tactical SEO Execution Based on Audit & Keywords
💡 Each tactic here maps directly to an SEO goal (ranking, engagement, or trust), ensuring ROI-oriented execution.
✅ 1. On-Page SEO
🎯 Goal: Improve Local Relevance, SERP Snippets, User Engagement
| Element | Tactic | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Titles & Headings | Include keywords like “Indian Restaurant London”, “Curry Near You” | Local Rankings |
| Content Update | Enrich homepage, menu, and about pages with service + geo terms | Organic Traffic |
| Schema | Add LocalBusiness, Menu, FAQ structured data | Rich Snippets |
| Internal Links | Link homepage → menu, reservations, blog with anchor-rich text | Crawl Efficiency |
| Mobile Optimization | Compress images, improve CLS (PageSpeed) | UX / Bounce Rate |
✅ 2. GMB Optimization
🎯 Goal: Boost Local Pack Visibility, Profile Clicks
| Element | Action | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Categories | Primary: “Indian Restaurant”; Secondary: “Takeout Restaurant” | Ranking Relevance |
| Photos | Upload 25+ high-res images (interior, dishes, staff, logo) | Engagement |
| Services List | Add delivery, vegetarian, halal, group booking | Trust & UX |
| Description | Rewrite with keywords, benefits, brand tone | CTR & Visibility |
| Weekly Posts | Offers, events, seasonal menus | Consistency |
💬 Expert Quote (Sterling Sky):
“The more detailed and visual your GMB is, the more trust it builds with Google and customers.”
✅ 3. Review Generation Strategy
🎯 Goal: Build Trust & Conversion Influence
| Channel | Tactic | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Automation | Use QR code to review link on receipts/tables | Volume Increase |
| In-store CTAs | “Enjoyed your meal? Review us on Google!” signs | Conversion Rate |
| Email/SMS Follow-up | Send link post-visit (if emails are collected) | Post-Visit CTR |
| Reply Templates | Custom thank-you + keyword-rich replies | Engagement |
✅ 4. Citation Building
🎯 Goal: Improve NAP Consistency & Local Trust Signals
| Type | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core Listings | Yelp, Apple Maps, TripAdvisor, Hotfrog, Bing Places | Top 30 Platforms |
| Aggregators | Foursquare, Infogroup, Data Axle | NAP Distributors |
| Niche Directories | Restaurantji, Zomato, Allmenus, HappyCow | Restaurant-Specific |
| Local Chambers | Local tourism/business sites in London | Hyperlocal Links |
✅ 5. Local Link Building
🎯 Goal: Authority, Rankings, Trust
| Tactic | Example | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor Local Event | “Taste of London” food fair → link on event page | Trust + Links |
| Guest Post on Food Blogs | “Top 5 Indian Dishes in London” | Traffic + Links |
| Press Mention | Send press release on “New Summer Menu” | Authority Boost |
| Feature on Listicles | “Top 10 Curry Houses in London” via outreach | GMB Pack Trust |
“Local SEO link building isn’t volume-based. It’s proximity, niche, and trust that win.”
✅ 6. Content Strategy
🎯 Goal: Topical Authority, Long-tail Keyword Coverage
| Blog Title | Keyword Target |
|---|---|
| “Top 5 Indian Spices & Their Health Benefits” | LSI: turmeric, cardamom, Indian herbs |
| “Why Indian Curry is the UK’s National Dish” | Geo intent + history/narrative |
| “Vegetarian Indian Dishes to Try in London” | Keyword: veg curry London |
| “Lunch Buffet vs. À la carte: What to Expect” | Intent match for buffet lunch |
🔹 STEP 5: Implementation Timeline
🗓️ Timeline ensures clean execution and resource prioritization.
| Week(s) | Action |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Full audit, keyword research, fix critical tech (schema, meta, SSL) |
| 3 | On-page SEO (titles, headings, homepage/menu/about optimization) |
| 4–5 | GMB enhancements, review automation setup, photo and post scheduling |
| 6–7 | Citation submissions (30+), schema enhancements, internal linking fix |
| 8 | Blog publishing, outreach for backlinks (sponsorship, food blogs) |
🔹 STEP 6: Tracking & Results
🎯 KPIs to Track (Tools Listed)
| Metric | Tool | Baseline | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| GMB Views | GMB Insights | 280/mo | 1,000+ |
| GMB Actions (calls, clicks) | GMB Insights | 18/mo | 60+ |
| Organic Sessions | Google Analytics | 124/mo | 400+ |
| Keyword Rankings | Semrush/BrightLocal | Mostly unranked | Top 10 for 5 terms |
| Citation Score | BrightLocal | 20% | 85%+ |
| Google Reviews | GMB | 10 | 40+ |
| Backlinks | Ahrefs/Semrush | 14 | 30+ |
Track KPIs Consistently
✅ Track from Day 0 (before implementation) and monitor weekly or bi-weekly. Use spreadsheet + dashboard to keep it organized.
📈 Core KPIs to Track
| KPI Area | Metric | Tool Used | Tracking Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| GMB Performance | Views, direction requests, calls, website clicks | Google Business Profile (Insights) | Weekly |
| Organic Traffic | Sessions, bounce rate, CTR | Google Analytics | Weekly |
| Rankings | Top 10 keyword positions | Semrush / BrightLocal | Bi-weekly |
| Citation Indexing | Indexed vs. submitted | BrightLocal / Manual | Monthly |
| Review Growth | Total # reviews + avg rating | GMB | Weekly |
| Local Pack | 3-pack visibility | Manual SERP / BrightLocal | Weekly |
💬 Expert Tip (Joy Hawkins):
“Ranking doesn’t matter if you’re not in the local pack. Always benchmark map pack impressions.”
📁 Suggested Folder:
/spice-restaurant-seo/07-performance-tracking/
Include:
Weekly screenshots
Excel/Google Sheets tracking logs
Exported GMB Insights PDFs
Rank tracker snapshots
Visualize the Data: “Before vs. After”
🎨 Why Visuals Matter:
Case studies must “show” — not just tell. Use charts, side-by-sides, and comparison tables to make results believable and memorable.
🟢 Example: Before vs. After Table
| Metric | Before (Day 0) | After (30 Days) | Δ Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| GMB Views | 280 | 860 | +207% |
| GMB Website Clicks | 19 | 66 | +247% |
| GMB Phone Calls | 9 | 28 | +211% |
| Organic Sessions (GA4) | 124 | 370 | +198% |
| Keywords in Top 10 (BrightLocal) | 3 | 11 | +266% |
| Google Reviews | 10 | 31 | +210% |
📊 GMB Insight Graphs (Visual Showcase)
Export GMB → “Performance” tab screenshots
Graph: “Views over time”
Graph: “Website Clicks over 30 days”
Graph: “Direction Requests (heatmap optional)”
📉 Keyword Ranking Trend Graph (Semrush/BrightLocal)
Export keyword rankings graph (Position vs. Time)
Highlight critical keyword movements like:
“Indian restaurant London” → #18 to #5
“Indian lunch buffet near me” → #23 to #9
📸 Citation Indexing Log (Partial Sample)
| Directory | Date Submitted | Indexed? (Y/N) | URL Indexed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yelp | May 3 | Yes | https://yelp.com/biz/spicerest… |
| Apple Maps | May 5 | Pending | – |
| HappyCow | May 6 | Yes | https://happycow.net/… |
💼 For Clients / Portfolio Viewers:
Wrap the visuals in a case study PDF or Notion page
Use mini-metrics cards (like below):
🔍 +8 Keywords in Top 10
📞 +211% Calls from Google Profile
📊 Include a 1-sentence summary:
“After just 30 days of structured local SEO work, Spice Restaurant saw a 3X increase in phone calls and a dramatic boost in map pack impressions.”
Add a link to a live Data Studio dashboard (view-only) that refreshes in real time. You can anonymize it for demo clients.
🔹 STEP 7: Final Summary & Learnings
📍 Case Study: Spice Restaurant – Local SEO Project (Demo – London, UK)
✅ Project Duration:
8 weeks total (with ongoing monitoring)
🎉 Key Wins:
| Win Area | Result |
|---|---|
| 📍 GMB Interactions | +207% increase in 30 days |
| 🔍 Keyword Rankings | From 3 to 11 keywords in Top 10 |
| 💬 Google Reviews | 10 to 31 (+210%) with keyword-rich replies |
| 🧭 Citation Indexation | 30+ local/niche citations indexed |
| 🚀 Organic Sessions | From 124/month to 370/month |
💡 “We saw real movement within 30 days due to focused GMB, review, and citation efforts.”
✅ What Worked Best:
Review Generation System: Simple QR + CTA signs drove real customer reviews fast.
GMB Optimization: Adding accurate categories, rich descriptions, and posting weekly.
Local Content Blogging: Targeting “Indian dishes London” terms for long-tail traffic.
Citation Building & NAP Fixes: Boosted trust and consistency across platforms.
🔧 What Could Be Improved:
Could’ve launched the review campaign earlier to leverage happy customers sooner.
Missed opportunity: Local event partnerships (e.g., curry festivals, food nights).
Need stronger mobile PageSpeed — CLS and LCP still borderline on Core Web Vitals.
🧰 Tools Used:
| Purpose | Tools |
|---|---|
| Keyword Research | Semrush, GMB Insights, Google Trends |
| SEO Auditing | Screaming Frog, BrightLocal |
| Performance Tracking | GA4, GSC, BrightLocal Rank Tracker |
| Citation Building | Whitespark, manual submissions |
| Design/Docs | Canva, Notion, Google Sheets |
🔹 OPTIONAL: Authority Add-ons for Portfolio
🎥 1. Video Walkthrough
Record a Loom or YouTube video summarizing:
The audit
GMB before/after
Keyword jumps
Final tips
“Here’s exactly how we boosted map pack visibility for a London restaurant in 8 weeks.”
📄 2. Downloadable PDF (Lead Magnet)
Turn the case study into a slick downloadable:
Add email form: “Get the full case study PDF”
Use Notion → PDF export, or Canva template
🗣️ 3. Testimonial or Simulated Review (if demo project)
“Working with [Your Name] was a game-changer. Our calls tripled and we finally show up in the local pack.”
— Simulated review from “Manager, Spice Restaurant”
(Be clear that it’s a demo testimonial if applicable.)
🌐 4. Promote for Visibility
LinkedIn Post: “Here’s how we 3X’d phone calls for a local London restaurant (live case study)”
Twitter Thread: “8 weeks. 1 restaurant. Local SEO exploded. Here’s how (🧵)”
SEO Facebook Groups: Share in “Local SEO Community,” “SEO Signals Lab,” etc.
✅ That wraps the Spice Restaurant Case Study from planning to execution to performance reporting — fully ready for client pitch, portfolio, or lead generation.
Would you like this whole case study:
Formatted for WordPress page layout?
Exported to Google Docs or Notion template?
Turned into a PDF download with design?
🔚 Concluding Remarks:
The Spice Restaurant Local SEO project demonstrates how structured local optimization — across GMB, citations, content, and reviews — can create real business impact in under 8 weeks.
By prioritizing foundational fixes, local relevance, and review generation, the restaurant experienced:
Over 200% growth in GMB actions
Tripled phone inquiries
And a significant boost in keyword visibility in London searches
While this was a demo project, it followed real-world processes that any restaurant or service-based business can replicate.
📩 Want a custom local SEO strategy for your business?
Let’s discuss your goals → Book a free consult
