The Hospitality Formula

Last week Google finished their latest algorithm change known as “Google Penguin.”  Google confirmed this as they completed a change that many of the top level search engine optimization gurus have been dreading.  Overnight, the strategies used by many companies to promote websites to the top of Google search pages resulted in those sites facing severe penalties from Google.  The Penguin update, also known as the “web spam” update, now penalizes sites for receiving too many “unnatural links.”  This is a response to the ethically questionable practice posting spam comments with links in the comment sections of blogs and building links in sites that served no purpose other than linking to other sites.

Two important steps you should take right now to see if Google Penguin changed your search results:

1) If you have ever used a company to “promote” your website on Google, check your search engine rankings to make sure that you have not been penalized for their actions.

2) Search for your most likely keywords in Google and see if your website has moved up in the rankings.  If one of your competitors were unexplainably beating you, Google may have just caught up with them.

If your site’s results have remained unchanged, it is time to start looking at why you are not seeing the results you are hoping for.  With my newest site, Restaurant Marketing Plan, I am addressing some of the causes of poor search engine rankings.  I am also able to look at a handful of sites more carefully and address the reasons they are not seeing results.  If you would like me to take a look at your site, please send me an email at the address found at the bottom of Restaurant Marketing Plan’s home page.  In the meantime, take a moment to learn to how Google ranks sites with my introduction to search engine optimization for restaurants.

PS For those of you who were wondering, 100% of the sites I have optimized for myself and my clients remained unharmed.  While I think that this update has huge flaws and opens the door for “negative SEO”, I have always practiced and recommended SEO techniques that were endorsed by Google and will yield far more value as time goes by.

Restaurant Marketing Plan is the newest addition to The Hospitality Formula Network

As a result of writing this network of blogs, I have the opportunity to speak to a number of restaurant owners.  During these conversations, I often ask them about their restaurant marketing efforts and what is working for them.  This is often accompanied by a look of frustration.  While their restaurant marketing tactics they use vary, the result is generally disappointment.  Many are paying absurd amounts of money to companies to market their restaurant.  Others are trying to do their restaurant marketing from the manager’s office late at night with limited success.  Some are even signing up with the newest company promising to reach thousands of potential guests for them.  All are disappointed with their results.

I decided to build a new site after looking at the restaurant marketing advice that was available online.  Most are simply advertisements for restaurant marketing companies trying to sell their service. Others are pushing one specific service.  Many are built just to display Google ads while providing little or no actual knowledge.  The most informative one requires you to pay a monthly fee just to read their content.  It is no wonder that restaurant owners are confused.

Restaurant Marketing Plan can be best described by the following three principles:

1) Restaurant marketing ideas should be free and accessible.

2) Restaurant marketing strategies should be affordable.

3) Restaurant marketing implementation should be provided at a price that assures a return on investment.

I want to provide restaurant owners with the resources they need to become more profitable.  This site will be continuously updated with more information on how restaurants can reach more potential guests.  I even have some very special offers available on the website for those who are among the first to visit.  I believe this is the restaurant marketing website that restaurant owners have been waiting for.  Find out for yourself by visiting Restaurant Marketing Plan today.