Google Business Listing with no physical office location

[ichorstudios]

Hey, everyone! As a business owner who works from home and doesn't have a physical office location.

Is setting up a Google business listing without location going to hurt my local search ranking? Should I get a virtual office so I have a physical location?

Thank you!!

[MiriamEllis]

My pleasure!

[ichorstudios]

Thank you, Donald.

[ichorstudios]

This is super helpful! Thank you so much!!!!

[donsilvernail]

If you are comfortable using your home address that is what would do. In fact that is what i do and i am in the same business as you

Thanks,

[MiriamEllis]

Hey There,

Donald is correct that virtual offices, P.O. boxes, etc. are ineligible as far as Google My Business listings go. What you are describing is a Service Area Business (SAB) if you are going to the homes of your clients or other remote locations to serve them. So, in order to be guideline-compliant, you'll want to list yourself as an SAB, using your home address, which Google will then hide publicly. The most important thing here is to avoid violating Google's guidelines ... that is a much more important consideration than how something affects your rankings.

There has been debate over the years as to whether businesses with physical, public addresses have a ranking advantage over home-based businesses with hidden addresses, it's true, but until you do get a staffed physical office to which customers come to do business with you, it's not accurate to represent your business as having one. So, list yourself accurately and focus all the energy you have on the ranking factors you can control. Hope this advice is helpful!

[ichorstudios]

So I am web designer and I work from home mostly. I either meet with my clients at their office or a coffee shop. I currently have a virtual office that I literally never go to. I don't know if I want to pay rent for something I don't use.

I am concerned about if I switch my GMB from physical location to a service area business, that might hurt my ranking?

[donsilvernail]

I would advise against a virtual office as it is against google guidelines https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177?hl=en

What type of business are you? Are you a service area business or do people see you at your office. My business is run out of my home as well. I use my home address for my business on google. So that is the physical location for me. You cannot have a po box or remote location to get a business verifies so you will need to set it up as a service area business. There has been some studies to suggest that google is bias to these type of business listings. However, I handle a couple custom home builders websites and this has not been an issue.

I have also set up custom local landing pages for these businesses to help them rank in towns that they want to be found in. Maybe you could do the same.

Thanks,

Don Silvernail