What the Gatsby and Bunny Chow can teach us about Local SEO
If you’ve ever tried a Gatsby in Cape Town or a Bunny Chow in Durban, you already know they’re more than just food. These famous sandwiches are local icons. They’ve got personality, they’ve got flavour, and everyone will have their story about when they first tried one.
But weirdly enough, these two South African legends can also teach you a thing or two about local SEO.
Can’t see it yet? Let us show you the ways.
Local SEO lessons from the Gatsby and Bunny Chow
1. Know your crowd like local takeaways do
Walk into a takeaway in Cape Town and ask for a Gatsby, and you’ll get something built for locals. In Athlone, it might be a masala steak Gatsby with loads of hot spices. In Bellville, you may find the general public likes it less spicy. The base idea is the same, but the details change depending on the area.
The vendors know who they’re feeding. They don’t sell the same thing to every area. They adapt.
Local SEO lesson:
Generic content won’t help you rank. If your website says “We offer cleaning services” and stops there, you’re invisible.
Write for the area you’re targeting. Mention the suburbs. Talk about the people who live there. Use real names for streets, malls or schools. Be specific.
2. Give people what they actually want (and a lot of it)
Nobody buys a Gatsby because they want a light snack. You buy it because you’re starving or because you’re sharing. Same goes for a Bunny Chow. You buy that bread, packed with spicy curry, because it tastes good, it’s affordable, filling, and familiar. There’s no confusion about what you’re getting.
Local SEO lesson:
Your website should answer every question a potential customer might have. If someone searches for “garage door repairs in Durbanville,” they probably want a name, phone number, business hours, photos of your work, etc.
Put all of that on your page. The more useful your content is, the longer people will stay on your site. And search engines take that as a sign that you’re a good match.
Resource: 5 common small business SEO mistakes that cost you leads
3. Don’t try to be everything to everyone
We all know that a Gatsby isn’t health food. A Bunny Chow doesn’t come in gluten-free sourdough. The customer already knows what they are, and that’s why they’re there to buy it.
And not everyone wants one. That’s fine too.
Trying to please everyone usually means you end up with no strong identity, and no loyal fans.
If the place known for great Gatsbys or Bunny Chows suddenly starts selling SIM cards and phone chargers, people will stop coming for lunch because it now feels more like a dodgy corner shop than a trusted takeaway. When your business tries to offer everything, people stop knowing what you’re actually good at.
Local SEO lesson:
Be specific about what you offer and who it’s for, and go all in on that. That makes it easier for the right people to find you.
Not sure if your SEO is working? Grab your free SEO audit and find out what’s holding your site back.
4. Keep it simple, but structured
A Gatsby is simple: bread, salads, chips, meat, sauce. But there’s a method to it. Too much sauce, and it’s soggy. Too few chips, and it’s not allowed to be called a Gatsby anymore.
Same with a Bunny Chow. The bread can’t fall apart before you get halfway through. The curry can’t be watery.
These meals may look just thrown together, but the best ones have one thing in common. Good structure.
Local SEO lesson:
Your website doesn’t need to be flashy. But the one thing it can’t be is messy.
Make sure that it loads fast, it works on phones, the menu is easy to navigate, your contact details are easy to find and every service has its own clear page.
Keep the structure clean. Use hierarchical headings, short paragraphs, and bullet points. And always mention the location.
These are just the basics of SEO, and there’s way more to it. But get these right and you’re already off to a great start.
5. Local loyalty matters
Ask someone where to get the best Bunny Chow or their favourite Gatsby spot, and you’ll get very specific answers.
People are loyal to the places that get it right.
It’s the same with small businesses. If you do a good job and stay visible, people come back. And they tell others.
Local SEO lesson:
Use your Google Business Profile. Keep it updated, and ask your happy clients to leave reviews, ideally with location mentions.
South African local SEO for small business
The Gatsby and Bunny Chow didn’t succeed by trying to be perfect. They just did one thing well, again and again, for people in their area. They’re examples how being specific, local and consistent with your content builds loyalty.
If your website and content can do the same, by serving a specific purpose, in a specific place, for a specific type of person, you’ll show up where it matters. And like a great Gatsby or Bunny, you’ll hit the spot and leave people satisfied.
