Corktown Taphouse is simply not the kind of place that fits neatly into one category.

It is a Detroit restaurant, bar, and entertainment destination where people can grab a meal, try something new from the self-pour tap wall, play duckpin bowling or AR darts, catch live entertainment, or bring a group together for an event.

That variety is part of what makes Corktown Taphouse unique. It also creates an interesting digital marketing challenge: how do you communicate everything a business offers without overwhelming the people discovering it online?

That was one of the opportunities The Growth Shark took on when it partnered with Corktown Taphouse.

Creating a Website That Works for Every Type of Guest

The Growth Shark worked on Corktown Taphouse’s website UX and development to make it easier for visitors to find the information they needed.

That mattered because Corktown serves different types of guests. Someone looking for dinner has different priorities from someone searching for entertainment, planning a group outing, or organizing a private event.

TGS helped organize the website around those different needs, making important information about food, drinks, activities, events, and reservations easier to access. The site was also designed to provide a smoother experience across desktop and mobile devices.

The goal was not simply to give Corktown a refreshed website. It was to make the site a useful part of the experience, helping visitors understand what the venue offers and decide what they want to do next.

Helping More People Discover Corktown

A well-designed website only works when potential customers can find it.

For a business serving Corktown and the wider Detroit area, local search is an important part of that discovery process. People search for restaurants, bars, entertainment, events, and things to do before deciding where to spend their time.

The Growth Shark developed a local SEO strategy for Corktown Taphouse that included Google Business Profile optimization, local keyword research, citation management, on-site optimization, and localized content.

The focus was on building stronger connections between Corktown and the types of searches potential customers were already making. Rather than simply adding keywords to pages, the strategy considered how people search for dining and entertainment in Detroit and how Corktown could better meet those needs.

That gave the business a stronger foundation for competing in a busy local market.

Showing What Makes Corktown Different

Getting someone to notice a business is one thing. Giving them a reason to remember it is another.

Corktown Taphouse has plenty to show. Beyond its food and drinks, the venue features duckpin bowling, AR darts, trivia, live entertainment, and a 76-tap self-pour wall. It also offers options for private events and group gatherings.

The Growth Shark supported this side of the brand through creative direction, photography and visual content, promotional materials, social media, and influencer partnerships.

These efforts gave Corktown different ways to communicate what was happening at the venue. A promotion could highlight the food and drinks, while another piece of content could focus on an upcoming event or one of the entertainment options.

The message could change depending on the audience without losing the personality of the brand.

Keeping the Conversation Going

For a local business, the relationship with a customer does not have to end after one visit.

The Growth Shark supported Corktown with email marketing, social media, influencer outreach, and reputation management to help keep the brand connected with its audience.

Email campaigns supported important moments such as the grand opening and new concept launches. Social content helped showcase events, food, drinks, and experiences between visits, while influencer partnerships introduced Corktown to new audiences.

Reputation management added another layer. Reviews are often part of the research process when someone is choosing a restaurant or planning an event. TGS helped monitor and respond to customer feedback while encouraging satisfied guests to share their experiences.

Together, these channels gave Corktown more opportunities to stay in front of existing and potential customers.

Turning Attention Into Action

Building awareness was only part of the strategy. Corktown also needed ways to turn that attention into visits and website activity.

The Growth Shark supported the business with Google Ads campaigns designed to increase visibility and drive traffic. According to the TGS case study, the campaigns generated more than 1.1 million impressions and 45,000 clicks over an eight-month period, with an average cost per click of $0.55 on $25,000 in ad spend.

Paid advertising worked alongside the site’s organic visibility and other marketing channels. Instead of relying on one source of traffic, Corktown could reach potential customers through search, social media, email, reviews, and paid campaigns.

That broader approach was particularly useful for a business with multiple experiences and reasons to visit.

Building a Digital Presence That Matches the Experience

Corktown Taphouse has a lot going on, and that is exactly what makes it interesting.

For a Detroit restaurant and entertainment destination, marketing needs to communicate more than what is on the menu. It needs to show people what they can experience, make events easy to find, and give potential guests enough information to plan their visit.

The Growth Shark’s holistic digital strategy brought website development, local SEO, and creatives together around that goal.

The result is a digital presence that gives Corktown more ways to connect with people before they ever walk through the door.

And for a place built around bringing people together, that first connection matters.

Ready to fire up your brand? Book a free discovery call with us to get a custom growth strategy for your business.