Local growth & visibility

Local Brand, Website & Local Search

Great food, zero digital presence. Built the brand identity, structured the local search footprint, and connected them.

317 BBQ · Local restaurant · Indianapolis, IN

Top 3

Local pack ranking for 'BBQ Indianapolis'

4.8★

Google rating — 200+ reviews

+180%

Organic search traffic in 6 months

Project snapshot

Before, build, and operating change

A lightweight view of the problem, the intervention, and what changed after the system shipped.

Before / Problem

No consistent brand identity — logo, colors, and tone varied across materials and platforms
Google Business Profile was unclaimed and incomplete

Build / Fix

Brand identity system
Logo, color system, typography, and voice rebuilt around the actual character of the brand — Indianapolis pride, craft BBQ, no-pretense authenticity. Brand guide created and applied consistently across signage, packaging, social media, and digital assets.
Google Business Profile and local search structure
GBP claimed, completed, and optimized: primary and secondary categories, service area, menu items, photos, Q&A, and business description with local keyword targeting. Posting cadence established for weekly specials and event announcements.

After / Outcome

317 BBQ now ranks in the top 3 for its core local search terms and maintains the review volume and recency needed to hold that position. The brand identity gives the restaurant a consistent presence across every touchpoint — from social to packaging to the Google listing. New customer discovery is now primarily organic, not dependent on paid promotion.

Why it mattered

For a local restaurant, 90% of new customers start with a search. Not ranking in the local pack for your core category means you don't exist to most of your potential market — regardless of how good the product is. 317 BBQ was exceptional food that nobody could find.

What was broken

→No consistent brand identity — logo, colors, and tone varied across materials and platforms
→Google Business Profile was unclaimed and incomplete
→Website was a single-page template with no local keyword structure or schema markup
→Listings on directories used mismatched name, address, and phone, which weakens local trust signals
→No review solicitation strategy — reviews were sporadic and unmanaged

What was built

Brand identity system

Logo, color system, typography, and voice rebuilt around the actual character of the brand — Indianapolis pride, craft BBQ, no-pretense authenticity. Brand guide created and applied consistently across signage, packaging, social media, and digital assets.

Google Business Profile and local search structure

GBP claimed, completed, and optimized: primary and secondary categories, service area, menu items, photos, Q&A, and business description with local keyword targeting. Posting cadence established for weekly specials and event announcements.

Citation cleanup and local SEO architecture

NAP (name, address, phone) audited and corrected across 40+ directories. Duplicate listings merged or removed. LocalBusiness schema markup added to website with correct category, hours, and service area data. Internal linking structure built around neighborhood and occasion-based keywords.

Review velocity and reputation management

Post-visit review request system implemented via QR code on receipt and packaging. Staff trained on timing and framing of review requests. Negative review response protocol established. Review velocity increased from 2–3 per month to 15–20 per month within 90 days.

Supporting visual

317 BBQ catering page showing a conversion-focused service path for local food orders.

Catering conversion page

Operating impact

SYSTEMS INVOLVED IN THE BUILD

The tools and system layers that made this project work — grouped by what they contributed.

Analytics / data

Search and listing performance were tracked so visibility gains were tied to real local demand signals.

Google Cloud

Infrastructure / platform

The website and structured local presence gave the restaurant a stable destination once discovery improved.

Apache

Build / workflow

Brand system work kept site, signage, packaging, and local content moving from one recognizable identity.

Figma
Canva

Visibility / SEO

Google Business Profile, citations, and local keyword architecture made the restaurant findable in its real market.

Google

Conversion / booking

Menu, catering, and local visit intent were clarified so search visibility translated into action instead of curiosity.

Documented implementation layers

Brand identity system
Google Business Profile
Citation cleanup (40+ directories)
LocalBusiness schema
Review velocity system
Local keyword architecture

Case study angles

What this project demonstrates

Each block names the capability first. Figures below are supporting context from the same engagement — not the headline.

Brand Identity System
Logo, palette, typography, and voice rebuilt around Indianapolis craft BBQ, then applied across signage, packaging, social, and digital touchpoints.
Related problem →Related capability →
Referenced outcomes (same engagement)
Local pack ranking for 'BBQ Indianapolis'
Top 3 — Local pack ranking for 'BBQ Indianapolis'
Google rating — 200+ reviews
4.8★ — Google rating — 200+ reviews
Local Pack Ranking System
Google Business Profile, categories, cadence, and media structured so the restaurant reached top-three local pack placement for core BBQ terms in six months.
Related problem →Related capability →
Referenced outcomes (same engagement)
Local pack ranking for 'BBQ Indianapolis'
Top 3 — Local pack ranking for 'BBQ Indianapolis'
Organic search traffic in 6 months
+180% — Organic search traffic in 6 months
Citation and Schema Layer
NAP corrected across 40+ directories, duplicates merged, and LocalBusiness schema added so the site, GBP, and listings agreed on facts.
Related problem →Related capability →
Referenced outcomes (same engagement)
Organic search traffic in 6 months
+180% — Organic search traffic in 6 months
Google rating — 200+ reviews
4.8★ — Google rating — 200+ reviews