At the Restaurant Industry Influencers Summit held recently in New York, Lisa Landsman, Google's head of industry engagement and SMB success, revealed groundbreaking insights about how restaurants can leverage digital tools for increased visibility and foot traffic. With over 20 years of experience at Google, Landsman is not just well-versed in the tech industry, she is also deeply invested in the restaurant scene. Her approach centers on helping operators adapt to the rapidly changing digital environment.
"Google processes trillions of searches a year," Landsman said, emphasizing the dynamics of online searches. Notably, she pointed out, "15% of searches are brand new — searches we've never seen before." This statistic calls for restaurant owners to reconsider their traditional methods on how customers find them online, as static keywords may no longer suffice.
A pivotal trend Landsman noted is the surge of Spanish-language restaurant searches, particularly on Google Maps. "We saw lots of strong year-over-year growth," she exclaimed. With phrases like 'restaurants near me' being frequently searched using Spanish, she urged restaurant owners to reflect the communities they serve within their digital presence. The implication is clear: meeting customers where they are can significantly impact their choices.
When it came to factors influencing dining decisions, Landsman stressed the importance of menus. According to her, menus are the most significant factor when customers decide where to eat, yet many restaurants fail to display this information correctly online. "A menu with high-quality photos and clear descriptions can be the difference between a customer choosing your restaurant or a competitor's," she explained. This observation highlights how small details can sway potential customers.
To assist restaurants, Google has launched AI-powered tools to convert PDF menus to structured formats, which are more searchable and user-friendly. Formalizing menu presentation is not just beneficial; it’s necessary. According to Landsman, "the days of uploading low-resolution images or vague descriptions should be over." Instead, every menu item must be described clearly. She offered this advice: "Fun, quirky names for dishes are great, but if somebody is looking at your menu, they don't actually know what [the dish is] — they don't know it's a burger."
Landsman’s insights extended to the importance of digital advertising. She highlighted Google’s tools like Performance Max, which automates ad placements across various platforms — including search, maps, and YouTube. This allows restaurants to reach targeted customers efficiently. "You set your goals — like driving foot traffic — and Google's AI optimizes where your ads appear," she elaborated. This type of automation provides smaller, independent restaurants the tools they need to effectively compete against larger restaurant chains.
One challenge Landsman sees repeatedly is the lack of awareness among restaurant owners about the cutting-edge tools available to them. This realization prompted Google to launch a monthly newsletter aimed at assisting small businesses. The newsletter will cover best practices, new features, and innovative marketing strategies to help restaurant owners fully utilize Google’s offerings. "We build these amazing tools, but if restaurant owners don't know about them, they can't use them," she stated. "The more they lean in, the more they do well."
For Landsman, this initiative transcends Google’s corporate image; it’s about empowering restaurant owners through knowledge and resources. She firmly believes embracing digital tools isn’t merely optional; it’s fundamental for survival and growth in today's competitive culinary market.
With her compelling insights, Landsman challenged the restaurant community to adapt to the modern dining experience effectively. She addressed how to tweak business models for the digital age through optimizing search, enhancing menu visibility, and embracing artificial intelligence. Based on these discussions, it is increasingly evident: adapting to search trends and optimizing digital presence is not just desirable but necessary for restaurant success.