Listing fundamentals, before any ad spend
A listing with gaps, missing photos, thin descriptions, an outdated menu, loses orders that advertising cannot win back. Fix this layer first, since every ad you run later sends traffic to this same listing.
- Photograph every item you want to sell, not just a few flagship dishes.
- Write a real description for each item, not a one-word label.
- Keep hours, availability, and out-of-stock items accurate in real time.
- Suggest relevant menu add-ons at the right moment to lift average order value.
Working the ad formats you actually have
GrabFood's self-serve ad tools in the GrabMerchant app, under Marketing or Ads, include formats like Search Ad and Image Ad, run on a CPC basis. There is no ad creative element to design for most of these formats, the lever is which keywords and targeting you run, not a banner you design.
The practical work is keyword research for what customers actually search, testing different targeting variations against each other, adjusting bids based on what competitors in the area are doing, and removing keywords or promotions once they stop performing. This is ongoing maintenance, not a one-time setup.
| Area | Specific action |
|---|---|
| Listing | Photograph every item |
| Listing | Write real descriptions |
| Listing | Keep hours and stock accurate |
| Listing | Suggest relevant add-ons |
| Ads | Keyword research for actual search terms |
| Ads | Test targeting variations |
| Ads | Adjust bids against competitors |
| Ads | Remove underperforming keywords |
| Retention | Retarget past customers |
| Retention | Run new-customer campaigns separately |
| Promotions | Measure against a stated goal |
| Reputation | Track order-fault causes, not just star rating |
One client account: orders over one month
- July 2026
195 orders
- August 2026
415 orders
+115.8%
Get a review of your GrabFood account
Retargeting and repeat customers
New customer campaigns bring people in once. Retargeting brings past customers back, and it is usually the cheaper order to win since the customer already knows the restaurant. In one client account we manage, after a round of retargeting work, the customer base went from 195 orders to 415 orders over one month, a 115.8 percent increase, with repeat behaviour as a meaningful part of that growth. (One client account, results vary.)
Promotions that are actually worth running
A promotion that is never measured against its cost is just a discount. Before running one, decide what it needs to achieve, new customers, higher average order value, or clearing slow-moving stock, and check afterward whether it did. We cover this in more depth in our guide on which delivery promotions actually pay back.
Keeping your rating defensible
Orders slow down when ratings slip, and ratings slip fastest from preventable causes: wrong items, late preparation, or packaging that does not survive the ride. Track these causes alongside sales, not just the star rating itself, so you fix the actual cause rather than guessing.