Case Study: Wiideman Consulting Group achieves dramatic organic traffic and revenue growth for Applebee’s & IHOP with Similarweb

Shifting Consumer Habits During Pandemic Places Takeout and Delivery Front and Center of Search Strategy, Driving Increased Revenues

Wiideman Consulting Group, an SEO research and strategy firm, helped multi-location brands like Applebee’s and IHOP pivot when the pandemic forced restaurants to shift from dining in to takeout and delivery. Their challenge was that diners weren’t finding these brands for non-branded queries like “restaurant delivery near me,” leaving off-premises revenue at risk.

Using Similarweb to identify keyword opportunities, DSP insights, and industry trends, Wiideman deployed optimized takeout/delivery subpages, updated Google My Business profiles to emphasize off‑premises options, and added a floating “Start Order” CTA. The tactics boosted organic traffic by 37% for Applebee’s and 63% for IHOP (2019–2020) and drove revenue increases of 167% and 70% year‑over‑year, respectively.

Wiideman Consulting Group

Steve Wiideman

President