According to Pew Research Center, “People looking for information about local restaurants and other businesses say they rely on the internet, especially search engines, ahead of any other source.” It’s a no-brainer: your restaurant should have a web presence.A web presence extends past a standard website (although if you don’t even have one yet, it's a great place to start!). Search engine optimization (SEO) coupled with social media will immensely help your chances of getting recognized online.Here are five things to do to get your restaurant in front of your target audience. Because social media goes hand-in-hand with SEO, we’ve included some tips in that area, as well.1) Get mobile-friendly. Google recently implemented an algorithm update (humorously nicknamed by webmasters as “Mobilegeddon”) to its search criteria for mobile devices. In a nutshell, to get ranked higher on Google on a mobile device search query, such as "barbeque Austin," the webpages on your site must be designed in a way that suites devices.2) Get social. Create and then consistently monitor Yelp, Facebook, Twitter, and even an Instagram page. The more you expose your brand, the greater chance you'll have of people noticing you and sharing your link on the web (getting links mentioning your brand and pointing to your website is great for SEO) and visiting you in person.3) On-page optimization is crucial. Say you have a website with lots of pretty photos. That’s great way to display your delicious food, but you must make sure you also mention in text what kind of food you serve. In your copy, and in the META tags (such as your title tags, image tags), be sure to describe your cuisine, be it Mediterranean, Asian, Italian, Latin or fusion. For even better optimization, include the city or cities where you’re located.4) Start blogging and create press releases. These are two ways you can gain content for your site and backlinks: two powerful pieces in the SEO world. Not sure where to start? You can write about special promotions, charity events you’re participating in or new chefs.5) Don’t forget to make sure your site is listed on Google My Business so that locals can find you when they search for your business name. Add your address, phone number, hours of operation, website and photos.Best of luck, and read on for more restaurant insight.Google photo credit: Anthony RyanCC by SA 2.0