Two restaurants. One shopping center. Similar foot traffic - but diverging digital destinies.
We all know that Google is the lifeline of a business, but when it comes to generating organic traffic, there’s not exactly a clear path to go down.
This isn’t a struggle that only newbie business owners face. No one truly knows what’s going behind the scenes of the great Google empire, and it’s for a pretty obvious reason: Google wants you to generate website traffic by running ads, not by mastering their organic algorithm.
In May we didn’t have a choice. Our client’s organic website traffic was dipping and we had to find the source before it became catastrophic.
The solution was not only deceptively simple, but is also one that any business can employ.
Take a look at our May Flex below for the details. We also provided a few tips on how you can increase your organic traffic using the information we gathered.
May Flex at a glance
Scope
Our client owns two different restaurant concepts in the same shopping center, and as we pulled the monthly metrics, we saw something that couldn’t be ignored. One location had an uptick in organic traffic. The other? A steep drop.
Flex Tip: Do your due diligence in researching all potential causes of dipping organic traffic, then check each piece one-by-one until you find the source.
Finding the Cause
After ruling out other causes, we traced the difference to something deceptively simple: Google Review Frequency.
In the stats below you’ll notice a clear pattern: Restaurant 1’s reviews dropped off – both in volume and sentiment – and traffic followed suit. Meanwhile, Restaurant 2 saw a spike in review activity and improved ratings, and their organic traffic jumped.
Restaurant 1
(American cuisine)
Review Frequency
-33%
Average Rating
-8%
Organic Traffic
-8%
Restaurant 2
(Mexican cuisine)
Review Frequency
+51%
Average Rating
+6%
Organic Traffic
+17%
Diving Deeper: Ratings vs Reviews
To validate the pattern, we ran some statistical analysis to evaluate both velocity (how often they were getting a review) and quality (star rating).
We discovered that Google ratings do play a role in organic traffic, but not in a clear-cut way.
Google review count vs organic traffic
Strong, positive correlation (r=0.71)
Review increase = strong traffic increase
No clear, direct impact
Review increase = minimal difference
Google rating vs organic traffic
Weaker and statistically irrelevant
Higher rating = minimal traffic increase
Moderate positive correlation (r = 0.36)
Higher rating = moderate traffic increase
The Takeaway: While every business is a bit different, one thing’s consistent: changes in review activity - both frequency and sentiment - tend to show up in your website traffic metrics. And quickly.
Beyond Ratings and Reviews
Google Business Profile Completeness: A Cornerstone of Local SEO
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is more than a listing – it’s a signal to Google about whether or not you’re relevant to show. And profile completeness matters.
- Accurate Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP)
- Selected business categories and attributes
- Current hours, business description, photos
- Regular posts or updates
Consistency is Key
Respond to reviews, add photos, post updates. Show Google (and your customers) that you’re present and paying attention.