In today’s market, local meal delivery businesses are facing rising marketing costs and increased competition from large national brands. But here’s the good news—by tapping into your local SEO advantage, you can outrank the giants and grow your customer base with less effort.

Local search engine optimization (SEO) is a powerful and cost-effective way to level the playing field. Meal prep businesses like yours can thrive by optimizing for search terms like “meal prep near me,” helping you attract more customers in your community. Here’s how to get started:

1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is the foundation of local SEO. Potential customers often search for specific dishes or types of meals, not necessarily your brand. By making sure your profile is complete and regularly updated, you increase the likelihood of appearing in relevant searches like “healthy meal prep near me.”

Key Actions:

• Add photos of your most popular meals. Profiles with photos get 35% more clicks and 42% more requests for directions.
• Use local keywords in your business description and services section (e.g., "vegan meal prep in [Your City]").
• Ensure your business details, hours, and contact info are up to date.

2. Harness the Power of Customer Reviews

According to recent data, 67% of consumers check reviews before ordering. Google also factors in review quality and quantity when determining local rankings. Encouraging your customers to leave positive reviews not only helps you rise in search results but also wins trust with new customers.

Tips for Getting More Reviews:

• Send an automated follow-up email after a successful delivery, politely asking for a review.
• Include a QR code on packaging that directs customers to your Google review page (coming soon to Bottle).
• Use social media to periodically remind your followers to leave a review if they enjoyed their experience.

3. Rank for Local Meal Prep Searches

Proximity searches, like "meal delivery near me," are consistently popular. In fact, in the US, there are 14.8K searches each month for "meal prep near me." You can optimize for these searches by mentioning local landmarks or neighborhoods in your website’s content. For example, if your delivery zone includes a popular area, make sure it’s mentioned on your website and in blog posts.

Actionable SEO Tip:

• Create location-based landing pages (e.g., “Meal Prep Service in [Your City]”) to rank higher in local searches.
• Use these keywords in your page titles and meta descriptions to capture this growing demand.
• Consider long-tail keywords like “vegan meal prep…” or “healthy meal prep…” to capture more specific traffic and attract customers looking for specific options that your service provides.

4. Get Backlinks from Relevant Local Sources

Backlinks are links from other websites to yours, which signal to Google that your site is credible. These are one of the most effective ways to improve SEO. The more relevant, high-quality sites that link to your business, the better your chances of ranking higher on Google.

How to Get Started:

• Collaborate with local bloggers, food critics, or influencers who can review your meals and link to your site.
• Reach out to your suppliers to see if they’ll feature you as a partner on their websites. These “supplier links” can give you a valuable SEO boost.

Final Thoughts:

SEO isn’t just about driving traffic—it’s about attracting the right customers who are searching for meal prep services like yours. By optimizing your Google profile, encouraging customer reviews, taking full advantage of local search trends, and fine-tuning your website, you can boost your visibility and grow your meal delivery business.

Need help getting started? Send me an email at johnny@bottle.com and I’ll be happy to nerd out on some keyword opportunities in your area.

See you next week!

‍