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  • Paid media, Pay Per Click, SEO Optimisation

Case study

Aki London
We supported Aki London with a joined‑up digital strategy spanning SEO, Google Ads and Meta Ads, helping a newly opened Marylebone restaurant get found and turn curiosity into reservations. The result was a growing organic presence, qualified traffic from paid search and a social advertising strategy that brought a steady flow of new diners through the door.
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Jay Díez
SEO ally
DNA Creators case studies - Aki London restaurant SEO and google business profile optimisation

+68%
organic search impressions
£9
cost per booking on Google Ads
+ social
Meta shifted from awareness to measurable bookings
3
channels working as one acquisition engine

Client & context

Aki London brings Kyoto craftsmanship and Tokyo energy to a Grade II listed former bank on Cavendish Square, Marylebone. With 80 covers, a late-night lounge and one of the few UK licences to serve authentic Kobe beef, the restaurant was set for success. But as a new opening, great food alone does not earn Google’s trust.

We were brought in to build a full‑funnel digital engine covering SEO, Google Ads (PPC) and Meta Ads (Social Media) helping Aki get discovered and establish a lasting presence in a highly competitive market. The same team also manages Aki’s underground bar, KIYORI, creating efficiencies and opportunities across both brands.

The challenge

  • Limited initial authority: a new brand had to earn space against established competitors in a crowded dining market.
  • Discovery gaps: high-intent searches were not yet translating into meaningful organic visibility.
  • Need for immediate bookings: the priority was to generate real and consistent demand, not just brand awareness.
  • Two brands, one strategy: Aki and KIYORI had to be coordinated without splitting the budget or diluting the message.

Strategy & execution

We built a coordinated acquisition system designed to capture demand at different stages of the customer journey. The work combined organic visibility, high-intent search advertising and a performance-led social approach focused on turning attention into bookings.

01

Boosted organic visibility

We worked on content and high-intent pages to strengthen the restaurant’s presence in key searches and expand its reach beyond the brand name.

02

Optimised Google Ads acquisition

We prioritised clear booking intent and refined spend to keep cost per acquisition highly efficient for the category.

03

Turned Meta into a booking channel

By introducing a performance-led Meta strategy, we transformed social media from a brand awareness channel into a significant and measurable driver of reservations.

Results

  • Organic search impressions rose by 68%, strengthening the restaurant’s visibility in relevant searches.
  • Google Ads cost per booking came in around £9, showing strong efficiency for a premium opening.
  • Meta shifted from awareness to measurable bookings, establishing an additional acquisition channel.
  • SEO, PPC and social worked together as one acquisition engine.

Key takeaway

For a new opening, turning visibility into bookings matters more than traffic alone. This project showed that when paid search efficiency is maintained, social is treated as a performance channel, and all three disciplines work together, the result is a predictable acquisition engine that drives real and sustained demand.