Sep 1, 2025
Reading Time is 10 - 12 min
Summary
Key Takeaways
Your language isn’t always the buyer’s language. You may call it “artisan flatbread,” but locals type “pizza near me.”
Google gives you free clues. Autocomplete, “People Also Ask,” and related searches show real customer intent.
Competitors are free case studies. If they rank, study their structure, titles, and local terms — then do it better.
Keyword tools confirm what matters most. Ubersuggest, SEMrush, and free Chrome extensions show what people actually search in numbers.
Turn research into action. Each major offering (brunch, happy hour, pizza delivery, vegan menu) deserves its own dedicated page with clear language.
1. Introduction: Speak Your Buyer’s Language
Imagine this: You own a café and proudly advertise your “locally roasted Ethiopian Yirgacheffe pour-over coffee.” Sounds fancy, right? But when someone in your town is craving caffeine and pulls out their phone, what do they type into Google?
👉 “Best coffee shop near me.”
👉 “Café with Wi-Fi in [city].”
👉 “Latte near me.”
That’s the disconnect. You’re speaking in your language — industry terms, chef talk, or brand language — while customers use everyday phrases. If your website doesn’t bridge the gap, Google won’t show you, and customers will go to the café down the block.
The same happens for restaurants. You might call it “house-made Sicilian flatbread,” but the buyer is searching for “pizza delivery near me.”
This blog is here to solve that problem. You don’t have to be an SEO expert, but you do need to know how to uncover and use the words buyers actually type into Google. Once you know that, you can structure your website content so that it matches what people want — which means more traffic, more calls, and more full tables.
2. Where to Find Buyer Search Ideas
The easiest place to start your research? Google itself. It gives you clues for free, if you know where to look.
Google Autocomplete
Start typing into the search bar and notice how Google finishes your sentence. Those suggestions are based on what other people in your area are searching.
Type “best brunch…” →
“best brunch near me”
“best brunch in [city]”
“best brunch with bottomless mimosas”
Type “coffee shop…” →
“coffee shop with Wi-Fi”
“coffee shop open late”
“coffee shop near train station”
This shows you not just that people want “brunch,” but that they want brunch with specific features — bottomless mimosas, kid-friendly menus, or proximity to downtown.
People Also Ask (PAA) Boxes
Search for “restaurants in [city],” and you’ll likely see a section of expandable questions like:
“What restaurants are open late near me?”
“Where can I find family-friendly dining in [city]?”
“What cafés have outdoor seating in [city]?”
These are the exact questions people want answered before they decide. If you answer them directly on your site (for example, a FAQ section), you’re more likely to capture those searches.
Related Searches
Scroll to the bottom of a search results page, and you’ll see “related searches.” These often uncover hidden opportunities.
Example: Search “Italian restaurants near me” → Related searches might include:
“romantic Italian restaurants [city]”
“pasta delivery near me”
“outdoor Italian dining [city]”
Now you know people aren’t just searching “Italian” — they’re also looking for romantic spots, delivery options, and outdoor dining.
✅ Pro tip: Spend 15–20 minutes doing this exercise for your main offerings: brunch, dinner, happy hour, takeout, vegan, family-friendly, etc. Write down every phrase you see. This is the raw material for your future website content.
3. Learn from Your Competitors
Your competitors’ websites are like cheat sheets. If they’re showing up higher in Google than you, that means Google trusts their content more. That doesn’t mean they’re better restaurants — just that their site is structured better.
Here’s how to break it down:
Page Titles & Headlines
Look at how they name their pages. Do they use “Happy Hour in [Neighborhood]” instead of just “Menu”? Do they have “Vegan Options in [City]”? Titles tell you what keywords they’re targeting.Service-Specific Pages
Do they have separate pages for brunch, happy hour, catering, or delivery? If so, they’re giving Google clear signals about each offering. If you lump all of that on one page, you’re at a disadvantage.Local Keywords
Are they dropping city names in headlines and content? For example, “Downtown Chicago Café with Wi-Fi.” If so, they’re aligning with how locals search.
Example:
Let’s say three cafés in your city all have separate pages for “Happy Hour,” and yours doesn’t. Guess who shows up first when someone searches “happy hour near me”? Not you.
✅ Pro tip: Don’t copy competitors word for word. Instead, study their site structure and keywords, then ask: How can I say this better? How can I be clearer, friendlier, or more detailed?
4. Use Keyword Tools for Deeper Insights
Google gives you clues, but keyword tools confirm demand with numbers. These are great if you want to know how many people search for a phrase each month.
Ubersuggest
A beginner-friendly, budget option.
Type “coffee shop [city]” → it might show:
“wifi coffee shop” — 500 searches/month
“study café” — 200 searches/month
“24-hour coffee shop” — 150 searches/month
Now you know what matters most to locals.
SEMrush or Ahrefs
Professional-grade tools used by marketers. They’ll show you:
“Pizza delivery [city]” → 1,500 searches/month.
“Wood-fired pizza [city]” → 300 searches/month.
That helps you decide which pages deserve the most attention.
Free Chrome Extensions
Keywords Everywhere: Shows search volume right in Google.
AlsoAsked.com: Visualizes related questions (like a mind map of customer curiosity).
✅ Pro tip: You don’t need to dive deep into SEO. Use tools at a basic level:
Type in a service + location.
See if people search it often.
Write it down if the demand is there.
Even knowing “pizza delivery in [city]” gets 1,500 searches a month is enough to justify a dedicated page on your site.
5. Turning Research into Page Content
Research is only useful if you actually apply it to your website. That’s where keyword mapping comes in.
What Is Keyword Mapping?
It’s just assigning one keyword (search phrase) to one page. Each page is designed to capture that specific search.
Restaurant Example
Page 1: “Brunch in [City]” → Photos of dishes, brunch hours, bottomless mimosa specials.
Page 2: “Happy Hour in [City]” → Drinks menu, times, featured specials.
Page 3: “Pizza Delivery in [City]” → Delivery menu, ordering process, delivery zones.
Café Example
Page 1: “Vegan Café in [City]” → Showcase vegan lattes, pastries, sandwiches.
Page 2: “Gluten-Free Bakery in [City]” → Highlight gluten-free cakes and breads.
Page 3: “Coffee Shop with Wi-Fi in [Neighborhood]” → Target students/remote workers with cozy seating and outlets.
Using Keywords Naturally
Place them in your headlines (“Brunch in [City] Every Saturday & Sunday”).
Use them in opening paragraphs.
Add them to FAQs:
Q: “Do you have gluten-free options in [city]?”
A: “Yes, our [city] café offers gluten-free cakes, breads, and pastries daily.”
✅ Pro tip: Don’t stuff keywords. Just use them the way your customers would. The goal isn’t to “game Google” — it’s to clearly show both buyers and Google what you offer, where you offer it, and why you’re the best choice.
Final Word: Research = Buyer Language
At the end of the day, keyword research isn’t some complicated technical trick. It’s about understanding how hungry customers actually search when they pull out their phone.
You may call it “house-made flatbread,” but they call it “pizza.”
You may highlight “locally roasted Yirgacheffe,” but they just type “best coffee near me.”
You may describe your café as “a community gathering space,” but they’re Googling “café with Wi-Fi in [city].”
The good news? Once you know their language, you can rewrite and structure your site to match. That’s when Google notices you, and when diners find their way through your door.
👉 Remember: Speak your customer’s language, not yours. That’s the difference between an empty dining room and a packed one.
