Industry: Restaurant – Cuban Cuisine
Business Type: Local Business (Two locations: Times Square & Roosevelt Field, NY)
Havana Central is a Cuban restaurant known for its vibrant atmosphere, live Latin music, handcrafted cocktails, and authentic Cuban cuisine. With locations in the heart of NYC and Long Island, they offer a unique dining experience for locals and tourists alike.
The Challenge
Inconsistent Digital Visibility & Local SEO Struggles
❌ Struggled to rank competitively in local search results for both Times Square and Roosevelt Field locations.
❌ Google Business Profile (GBP) inconsistencies, outdated information, and lack of structured content hindered rankings.
❌ Missed opportunities in third-party platforms (Uber Eats, DoorDash) due to poor optimization.
❌ No clear tracking for digital efforts leading to reservations, foot traffic, and online orders.
Website Performance & User Experience Issues
❌ Slow load times, broken links, and poor mobile experience led to high bounce rates.
❌ No front-end dedicated landing pages for seasonal promotions, hurting conversions.
❌ Weak call-to-action (CTA) placements failed to drive bookings, takeout orders, and catering inquiries.
Our Solution
To elevate Havana Central’s digital presence, drive more in-house and takeout reservations, and strengthen its local authority, Fivespot Marketing executed a multi-channel SEO, paid advertising, and brand awareness strategy designed to maximize engagement and conversions.
1️⃣ Comprehensive SEO Overhaul & Local Search Strategy
We optimized Havana Central’s Google Business Profiles, third-party listings, and website content to increase local search visibility and drive more organic traffic.
- Google Business Profile Optimization – Fully revamped and optimized both NYC locations, ensuring maximum visibility in local searches and map results.
- Enhanced Third-Party Platform Listings – Improved Uber Eats, DoorDash, and other delivery platforms to boost takeout & delivery orders.
- Targeted SEO Content Development – Created high-ranking content targeting key local search terms:
- “Best Cuban restaurant in NYC”
- “Times Square dinner reservations”
- “Private dining in NYC”
- Strategic Citation & Backlink Campaign – Strengthened local SEO authority through high-authority link-building and local citation placements.
2️⃣ Data-Driven Paid Advertising & Geo-Targeting
To capture high-intent customers and seasonal traffic, we launched hyper-targeted ad campaigns across Google Ads and Meta platforms.
- Event-Driven Ad Campaigns – Created Google & Meta Ads targeting:
- Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, and corporate dining events
- Happy Hour promotions & corporate lunch/dinner targeting Midtown Manhattan professionals
- Tourist-focused ads for out-of-town NYC visitors looking for a top-rated dining experience
- Competitor Conquesting Strategy – Built search and social ads targeting high-traffic competitors like Carmine’s & Victor’s Café to attract diners actively searching for Cuban or Latin-inspired cuisine.
- Remarketing & Retargeting Campaigns – Ensured website visitors and social media engagers stayed engaged, driving repeat website visits, reservations, and online orders.
3️⃣ Website Optimization & Conversion Strategy
A fully optimized, fast-loading, and conversion-driven website was key to increasing reservations, catering orders, and online takeout sales.
- Website Performance Overhaul – Optimized for faster load times, mobile responsiveness, and stronger SEO rankings.
Dedicated Landing Pages for Conversions – Developed high-impact pages for:- Event-based campaigns (Thanksgiving, NYE, corporate events)
- Tourist dining specials for out-of-town visitors looking for a unique NYC restaurant experience
- Catering and group dining reservations for corporate & private events
- Optimized CTA Placement & Lead Capture – Strategically placed reservation buttons, takeout order links, and catering inquiry forms throughout the site.
- Advanced Conversion Tracking – Implemented tracking to attribute ad spend to real-world results, including foot traffic, online orders, and revenue impact.
4️⃣ Brand Awareness & Seasonal Marketing Strategy
To keep Havana Central top-of-mind for both locals and visitors, we implemented an ongoing brand awareness strategy with a seasonal marketing push.
- “Always-On” Brand Awareness Campaigns – Ensured consistent digital presence through Google, social media, and programmatic advertising.
- Seasonal Campaign Framework – Created structured seasonal promotions with dedicated landing pages, ad campaigns, and organic content to drive engagement during peak dining seasons.
- High-Impact Competitor Targeting – Launched conquesting campaigns targeting competitor search terms and audiences to redirect traffic toward Havana Central.
- Enhanced Social Media Strategy – Optimized organic & paid social efforts to promote live music events, Cuban cocktails, and authentic dining experiences for maximum engagement.
The Results
Through SEO, paid advertising, website optimization, and brand awareness efforts, Havana Central increased online visibility, boosted takeout & delivery orders, and drove more foot traffic to both of its high-traffic NYC locations.
Massive Growth in Organic Search Visibility
- 156% increase in organic traffic (117,916 visits)
- 304% growth in search impressions (2.3M+)
Dominant Google Business Profile Performance
- 1.8M total impressions across both locations
- 49,245 website clicks and 6,465 call clicks
- 35,314 direction requests leading to increased foot traffic
High-Performing Paid Ad Campaigns
- 2.5M total impressions with 5.8% CTR
- 30K+ clicks for high-intent searches like “Cuban food near me”
Improved Engagement & Bookings
- Higher foot traffic & reservations from targeted local advertising
- Boosted event & seasonal campaign conversions (Thanksgiving, NYE, corporate dining)
- Increased dine-in and takeout sales through structured retargeting
📢 Ready to Dominate the Local Dining Scene?
Your restaurant deserves top-tier marketing strategies that drive real revenue. Let’s build a plan that works for you.
🚀 Partner with Fivespot today.