Umiya Raleigh

Overview

As a national chain’s first location in the Southeast, all-you-can-eat sushi and hotpot restaurant Umiya Raleigh needed to quickly build awareness in a new market. Through a phased digital and community-focused marketing strategy, we helped position Umiya Raleigh as both a must-visit dining destination and a community gathering place.

How we worked

Monthly support

A hotpot stove at restaurant Umiya Raleigh

About Umiya Raleigh

Umiya Raleigh is an all-you-can-eat sushi and hotpot restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is part of Umiya, a national, family-led chain with more than 20 locations in Texas, the Carolinas, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky and Florida.

Challenge

In terms of marketing, each of Umiya’s locations operate independently. As the chain’s first addition in the Southeast, Umiya Raleigh needed to generate awareness, drive traffic and establish credibility in North Carolina’s restaurant scene.

Solution

During Umiya Raleigh’s first year of operation, we managed its digital marketing and coordinated in-person engagement. Our work included social media, website management, content creator collaborations, community events and search optimization.

Laying the foundations

In the early months, we prioritized visibility. We didn’t want to hear anyone say, “I didn’t know that place was open.” Through strategic partnerships with content creators and media outlets, we generated viral momentum on social media. In just two months, Umiya Raleigh grew from zero to 3,000 Instagram followers, and we sustained engagement by posting content consistently.

As the grand opening approached in April 2025, our focus shifted toward building familiarity and connection. By the time the restaurant officially opened, a base of regular customers had already formed. Our promotion before and during the grand opening helped Umiya Raleigh reach more than 300 orders.

Forging the future

Over the summer, we worked to optimize the Umiya Raleigh website for both traditional search engines and AI-generated search results. Building on search engine optimization (SEO) best practices, we overhauled the site’s structure, accessibility and content to support discoverability and usability.

We also developed a content strategy centered on answering user questions and establishing brand credibility. By publishing clear, informative content across the site, we positioned Umiya Raleigh as a trusted source for both customers and emerging AI search tools.

From July to August 2025, the number of AI chatbot interactions with the website more than doubled.

Cultivating community

Restaurants build community, and Umiya Raleigh has become a gathering place for communities across the city. In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we helped the Red Hat Asian Network organize a dinner with more than 100 guests. We also formed a partnership with RDU Asian Eats, a foodie community focused on Asian cuisines. This collaboration led to Umiya Raleigh’s participation in NC Asian Eats Restaurant Week and a meetup at the restaurant with more than 150 orders placed. Additionally, we helped plan and promote a benefit night that raised several hundred dollars in support of Alpha Phi Gamma Sorority, Inc. at North Carolina State University.