Where restaurant customers actually decide
People pick a place to eat on Google Maps and on Instagram, in that order for anyone over thirty and the reverse for anyone under. Google shows the profile's photos, the menu, the latest posts and the newest reviews all on one screen. A profile whose last post was the grand opening and whose menu photos are from January is losing the "dessert near me at 10 PM" search to the place that posted tonight's special an hour ago.
A week of posts for a cafe
- One dish, one photo. The special, the new flavour, the thing that sold out. The caption names the dish and the town, because "crepes in Lincoln RI" is a search and "yum" is not.
- Hours and late nights. "Open until 1 AM Friday and Saturday" is the single most useful post a late-night place can make, and it should run every week because Google posts expire in seven days.
- An event or an offer when you have one, as a Google Event or Offer post with the real dates, so Google shows it as an event.
- Something from behind the counter. The tray of sweets coming out, the coffee being poured. This is the Instagram post; it does not have to sell.
Four posts a week, from photos you already take. Approving them takes less time than posting one by hand in four apps.
Buttons and links, done properly
Every Google post carries a button: Order online, Book a table, View menu, Call. The scheduler sets the right one for the post and points it at your page with tracking, so you can see that Tuesday's dessert post brought forty menu views. Menu and order links on the profile itself are kept current too, because a profile with no menu link sends the customer to DoorDash's cut instead of yours. The mechanics are on the Google Business Profile scheduler page.
Reviews, the same day
Restaurant reviews come fast and they come emotional. A five-star review about a waiter deserves a reply that names the dish they loved; a one-star about a slow night deserves a calm apology and a person to call, the same day, before it sits at the top of the profile for a month. Every review shows up with a drafted reply for you to approve. See review replies.
Halal, vegan, kosher and other things people filter by
If the kitchen is halal, or the menu is mostly vegan, say so in posts and in the profile attributes, because those are search filters. A post that says "halal dessert cafe, no alcohol, open late" ranks for exactly the group that is looking for it and nobody else is telling them.
More than one location
A second cafe across town gets its own profile, its own posts and its own reviews, with the town named in each. That is the multi-location setup. For the broader picture of how the posting is planned and priced, see social media management for small business.
Straight answers
Can it post the menu?
It keeps the Google menu link and the menu items on the profile current from your menu, and posts individual dishes. It does not replace your ordering system.
We post on Instagram already. Why add Google?
Because Google is where the person standing on the corner at 9 PM is looking. The same photo goes to both with one approval.
Can staff post from their phones?
Yes. A team member can add a photo and a line; the owner approves or lets it publish.
See it on your own profiles
We are onboarding a small group of shops now, one at a time. Tell us about the shop and we will connect your accounts with you.