Client Overview

• Business: A restaurant specializing in Shawarma (chicken, beef, mixed) with sides like fries and beverages.

• Location: Bahkashab District, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

• Initial Status: The website had initial traffic (~500 monthly visitors) but was not listed in the Google Maps Local Pack for searches like “Shawarma Jeddah” or “Best Shawarma in Bahkashab,” ranking around positions 6–9.

Challenges

• Strong competition from prominent Shawarma restaurants in Jeddah dominating local search and Google Maps.

• Google Business Profile had only basic information with no advanced optimization or customer engagement.

• The website lacked local keyword optimization and had moderate loading speed (3.5 seconds).

• Existing traffic did not translate into sufficient sales due to poor visibility on Maps.

Goals

1. Rank within the top 3 results in Google Maps (Local Pack) for local Shawarma-related keywords.

2. Increase organic traffic and sales by leveraging existing traffic.

3. Establish the restaurant as a top Shawarma destination in Jeddah within 6–12 months.

Strategy

1. Google Business Profile Optimization

   • Updated the profile with accurate details: address (Bahkashab, Jeddah), working hours, and categories like “Shawarma Restaurant” and “Fast Food.”

   • Added 25 professional photos of Shawarma (chicken, beef) and seating areas, optimized with keywords like “Shawarma Bahkashab.”

   • Activated the “Posts” feature to publish promotions such as “Buy 2 Shawarmas and get a free drink.”

2. Competitor and Keyword Analysis

   • Analyzed competitors’ Google Business profiles to identify the keywords they rank for (e.g., “Shawarma Jeddah”).

   • Targeted local keywords like “Best Shawarma in Bahkashab,” “Shawarma near me,” and “Shawarma restaurant Jeddah” based on search volume.

3. Targeted Local Backlinks

   • Built manual backlinks targeting local keywords, such as posts on Saudi food blogs titled “Best Shawarma Restaurants in Jeddah” linking to the restaurant.

   • Listed the restaurant in local directories like “Jeddah Directory” and “Zomato,” with links including “Shawarma Bahkashab.”

Results
After 12 months, the restaurant achieved:

• Google Maps Visibility: Ranked 1st in the Local Pack for “Shawarma Jeddah” and 2nd for “Shawarma Bahkashab.”

• Traffic Growth: Monthly traffic increased from 500 to 2,000 visitors through local SEO.

• Sales Growth: Sales rose by 160% due to higher Google Maps visibility and online orders.

• Reviews: Received 210 reviews with an average rating of 4.8 stars, boosting trust and visibility.

• Local Dominance: Became the top choice for Shawarma lovers in Bahkashab.

Conclusion
By taking over a site with initial traffic, we leveraged local SEO, optimized the Google Business profile, and built targeted backlinks to elevate the restaurant to the top of Jeddah’s local Shawarma market, demonstrating the power of enhancing existing performance to achieve outstanding results.

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