In today’s competitive UAE F&B scene, your restaurant can’t rely solely on aggregator platforms to bring in hungry customers. If you want to stand out, you need a site that’s optimised, user-friendly and tailored to your brand voice. That’s why learning How To Create A Restaurant Website With SEO isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity.
Partner with Bird, your trusted Food & Beverage SEO Agency in UAE, to ensure your website doesn’t just look spectacular but ranks at the top when diners search for their next meal.
Setting the Foundations
Choosing the right CMS
The backbone of any website is its content management system. When you decide How To Create A Restaurant Website With SEO you must pick a CMS that balances ease-of-use with powerful optimisation features. Consider:
- WordPress: Flexible, thousands of SEO plugins, great for blogs and multilanguage setups.
- Wix: User-friendly drag-and-drop, built-in SEO tools, fast to launch.
- Shopify (for online ordering): If you’re selling meal boxes or merchandise alongside bookings.
- Custom frameworks: Ideal for highly bespoke designs but requires developer support.
Whichever you pick, ensure it supports custom meta tags, clean URLs and mobile-first themes.
Getting a SEO-friendly domain
Your domain is the first impression for both visitors and search engines. Aim for:
- Brandable and memorable: Short, simple and aligned with your restaurant’s name.
- Keyword-light: You don’t need “bestdubaisteak.com.” A clear brand domain helps long-term.
- Local TLDs: .ae or .com.ae signal your UAE focus.
Technical SEO Elements to Implement Early
Mobile responsiveness
Over 70% of restaurant searches in the UAE happen on mobile devices. A responsive design:
- Adapts layouts: Clear CTAs, legible menus, thumb-friendly buttons.
- Improves load speeds: Compress images, lazy-load offscreen elements.
HTTPS encryption
Security is non-negotiable. Google flags non-HTTPS sites as “not secure.” Implement an SSL certificate to:
- Encrypt customer data (bookings, form submissions).
- Boost trust signals for both diners and search engines.
Sitemap and robots.txt setup
Guide search bots through your site structure:
- XML sitemap: List all key pages—home, menu, booking, blog.
- robots.txt: Block staging or private sections, allow indexing of public content.
On-Page SEO for Restaurant Websites
Keyword strategy for homepage/menu/about pages
Define primary and secondary keywords around local search intent. For example:
- Primary: “Italian restaurant Dubai Marina”
- Secondary: “seafood dinner Dubai Creek” or “family-friendly brunch Abu Dhabi”
Integrate these organically:
- Homepage intro (H1): Keep it punchy and location-specific.
- Menu page: Use headings for each category (starters, mains) and alt text for dish images.
- About page: Tell your story, use semantically related phrases like “artisan ingredients” or “Emirati fusion cuisine.”
Perfecting title tags and meta descriptions
- Title tags: 50–60 characters. Include your restaurant name and primary keyword at the beginning.
- Meta descriptions: 150–160 characters. Use a compelling call to action and highlight unique selling points (e.g., “waterfront views,” “live oud music”).
Designing User Experience and Navigation
Easy access to address, phone, opening hours
- Place contact details in the header or sticky footer.
- Use click-to-call links for mobile users.
- Display opening times prominently—consider a “today’s hours” widget.
Menu downloadable and readable for SEO
A PDF menu alone won’t cut it for search engines. Offer:
- HTML menu with structured data (schema.org/Menu).
- Downloadable PDF for offline perusal.
Online booking and reservation integrations
Whether it’s OpenTable, Resy or a custom form, make the booking process seamless:
- Embed widgets rather than forcing redirects.
- Ensure form fields are crawlable—avoid complex JavaScript barriers.
SEO for Multilingual Audiences
Importance of Arabic and English content in UAE
To maximise reach, you need content in both official languages:
- English: Captures tourists, expats and business travellers.
- Arabic: Engages local Emirati diners and GCC visitors.
Implementing hreflang tags for multiple languages
- Use
hreflang="en-AE"for English UAE pages. - Use
hreflang="ar-AE"for Arabic UAE pages. - Include a sitemap with language annotations or insert tags in the page head.
Local SEO Requirements
Google Business Profile integration
Your Google Business Profile is often the first thing diners see. Optimise it by:
- Claiming and verifying your listing.
- Adding high-res images of your dining room, dishes and chef.
- Updating menus, hours and special offers regularly.
Embedding maps, location schema, and citations
- Maps: Embed a Google map on your Contact page.
- Schema markup: Use LocalBusiness schema with address, geo coordinates and telephone.
- Citations: Ensure consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across local directories like Zomato, Talabat and TripAdvisor.
Conclusion
Investing time in How To Create A Restaurant Website With SEO from day one saves you money on redesigns and paid ads later. A well-structured, mobile-friendly and locally optimised site will drive more reservations and footfall.
Ready to get started? Let us build your SEO-first site from the UAE—contact Bird today and watch your restaurant climb the search rankings.
