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      Service Area Business

      Does your business qualify as a service area business?

      What is a service-area business (SAB)? A business that visits or delivers to customers directly but doesn’t serve customers at their business address. SABs do not display their address publicly on Google Business Profile (GBP) listings; instead, they show a service area map that indicates the regions they cover. Service-area businesses can only create one profile for the metropolitan area that they serve.

      • For example, businesses like cleaning services or plumbers.
      • Google's video explaining service area businesses

      How it works: You can’t set your service area as a distance around your business. Instead, you must specify your service area by city, postal code, or another type of area. Keep in mind:

      • You can have up to 20 service areas.
      • The boundaries of your overall area should not extend farther than about 2 hours of driving time from where your business is based.

      How do I set up a SAB?

      1. Go to https://www.google.com/business/
      2. Select Sign In
      3. Add your business name & select your business category
      4. Google will if you want to add a location that customers can visit, select no here.
        1. If you have a physical location, such as an office or a showroom, be sure to list it. Otherwise, no address will appear with your listing on Google Search and Google Maps.
      5. Add your service areas
        1. You can have up to 20 service areas.
        2. The boundaries of your overall area should not extend farther than about 2 hours of driving time from where your business is based.
      6. Add your phone number & website URL
      7. Enter your mailing address
        1. P.O. Boxes are not accepted by Google. This can be a residential address, but it should be within the area you are trying to target. The address should match the one listed on your business license or registration.
      8. Verify your listing. Your listing is not live on Google until it is verified.

      See here for further details.


      FAQs

      1. Can I use a P.O. Box? P.O. boxes or mailboxes located at remote locations aren't acceptable per Google.
      2. Do I still need to send you a business address? Yes, but it can be a residential address. This is a requirement for top-tier listings. Your address will not be publicly visible.
      3. Can the residential address be outside of the city I service? No, it must be within the area you service. Even though the address is hidden from the public, this is still the city Google uses when considering what local listings to display.
      4. Can I create multiple GBPs? Create only one Business Profile for the metropolitan area you serve. Your Google account may be suspended if we find multiple profiles for the same business in the same metropolitan area.
      5. Will removing my address from the listing affect my metrics? Removing the address to comply with Google’s guidelines for SABs may lead to a dip in metrics initially. However, this ensures compliance and prevents risks like suspension, which can harm your visibility long-term.