Client Overview
Kokomo Caribbean Restaurant serves authentic Caribbean food in Brooklyn, blending island flavors with a vibrant brunch scene. Despite thousands of Google reviews and strong social media presence, the site wasn’t ranking for “Brooklyn Caribbean food,” “Brooklyn Caribbean Restaurant,” or “Caribbean Brunch.”
Challenge
- Zero presence on Google’s search first page for target food terms in Brooklyn, NY.
- Missing from the Google Search local Map Pack despite a 4.4-star average
- Reliance on social media and word-of-mouth for traffic and reservations.
Strategy & Implementation
Founder Dave Holman led a focused, dish-driven SEO campaign to rank Kokomo for key Caribbean-food searches in Brooklyn.
1. Google Business Profile Optimization
- Claimed and verified the listing under “Caribbean Restaurant”
- Completed menu link, reservation URL, hours, and attributes
- Added professional photos of jerk chicken, oxtails, and seafood platters with keyword-rich alt text (e.g. “Authentic Brooklyn Caribbean food jerk chicken”)
2. Website On-Page Optimization
- Updated title tags and meta descriptions to include “Brooklyn Caribbean food,” “Brooklyn Caribbean Restaurant,” and “Caribbean Brunch”
- Refreshed H1 and H2 headings to feature star dishes (“Signature jerk chicken in Brooklyn,” “Savory oxtails with rice and peas”)
- Added keyword-rich alt text to all images (for example, “Brooklyn Caribbean Restaurant oxtails plate”)
- Built internal links from blog pages and menu sections to reservation and online-order CTAs
- Optimized page titles site-wide with target keywords for consistency
3. Technical SEO & Analytics Setup
- Conducted a site audit to reduce mobile load time below 2.5 seconds and fix crawl errors
- Implemented JSON-LD schema for LocalBusiness, Menu, and Reservation
- Set up Google Search Console and GA4 analytics tracking to monitor impressions, clicks, and conversion events
- Streamlined site architecture and removed render-blocking scripts for efficient indexing
4. Content & Keyword Strategy
- Mapped primary (“Brooklyn Caribbean food”) and secondary keywords across all key pages
- Created a “Caribbean Brunch” overview on the homepage with local landmark mentions
- Published keyword-rich blog posts about signature dishes, linking back to menu and reservation pages
- Monitored Search Console queries daily and adjusted on-page copy based on real-time user behavior
Results (30-Day Timeline)
- Map Pack Entry: Achieved top-3 placement for “Caribbean Brunch”, “Brooklyn Caribbean Restaurant” and “Brooklyn Caribbean food” within 14 days
- Organic Rankings: Secured Google Search positions 1–3 for target keywords by day 30
- Reservations: Online bookings via Resy and Toast rose by 45%
- Online Orders: Popmenu order clicks increased 35% after menu and image optimizations
By combining hyperlocal, dish-focused on-page SEO, expert GBP management, technical SEO enhancements, robust analytics, and a data-driven content strategy—all under Dave’s leadership—Kokomo Caribbean Restaurant climbed to the top of both Google Map Pack and organic results in under 30 days. This SEO case study demonstrates how a precise, food-centric SEO approach can convert strong brand affinity into measurable reservations and revenue growth.
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