How do I set service areas on my Google Business Profile?
Who can use a service area on Google Business Profile?
Google allows a service area for two kinds of business.
A service-area business visits or delivers to customers and does not serve them at its own address. Cleaners and plumbers are Google’s examples.
A hybrid business serves customers at its address and also visits or delivers to them. A dine-in restaurant that also delivers is Google’s example. A hybrid business can show its address, set staff hours, and also have a service area.
If your business has no permanent on-site signage, Google says it does not count as a storefront. List it as a service-area business.
How do I set my service area, step by step?
- Go to your Business Profile. You can do this from Google Search or Google Maps while signed in to the account that manages it.
- Select Edit profile, then Location.
- Next to “Service area”, select the edit icon.
- Choose a suggested service area, or type one in.
- Select Save.
If Google approves the edit, it may take up to 48 hours to show on your profile. Check the profile again after that time before you change anything a second time.
Should I hide my address?
Hide it if customers do not come to your location. Google says you must hide the address of a business that has no storefront. A home-based business in Ontario is the common case.
- Go to your Business Profile.
- Select Edit profile, then Location.
- Next to “Business location”, select the edit icon.
- Turn off Show business address to customers.
- Select Save.
After you hide the address, the profile shows only your service area. If you did not enter a service area, Google picks a local area for you. Edit that area so it matches where you really work.
If you serve customers at your address and also travel to them, enter both the address and the service area.
How many areas can I add, and what can they be?
You can add up to 20 service areas. Each one can be a city, a postal code, or another type of area. In Ontario, many owners list towns and cities. Others use postal codes. Pick the type that matches how your customers describe where they live.
Be as specific and accurate as you can. A short, true list is better than a long list of places you rarely visit.
How far can my service area reach?
Google advises that the edges of your overall area should not be much more than about 2 hours of driving time from where your business is based. For some businesses a larger area is appropriate, but treat the 2 hour figure as your starting limit.
A good test: would you take the job if a customer in that town called today? If the answer is no, remove the town. Customers who see you listed for an area you do not serve are likely to be disappointed. Google’s guidelines also ask that you reflect your business accurately.
Can I set a radius around my business?
No. Google does not let you set a service area as a radius distance. If you set one that way in the past, you cannot edit it. You must replace it with cities, postal codes, or other areas.
How do I remove a service area?
- Go to your Business Profile.
- Select Edit profile, then Location.
- Next to “Service area”, select the edit icon.
- Under “Selected service areas”, remove the places you do not serve.
- Select Save.
Do I need a separate profile for each town?
No. A service-area business can have only one profile for the whole area it serves. Google also advises one profile for the metropolitan area you serve. If Google finds several profiles for the same business in the same metropolitan area, it may suspend your account. Put all your towns in one profile and do not create extra profiles to look local in each place.
What should I check after I save?
Search for your business on Google Maps and on Search. Confirm that the address is hidden if it should be, and that the areas listed are correct. Keep your business name, phone number, and website consistent with what customers see on your vehicles, invoices, and signs. Google asks that your profile reflect your business as it is known in the real world.
Questions people also ask
Can I remove all of my service areas?
Only a storefront business with its address on the profile can remove every service area. A service-area business must keep at least one area listed.
What happens if I hide my address and do not enter a service area?
Google chooses a local area for you by default. You can edit that area later, so open the Location settings and replace it with the places you actually serve.
Can a business that sells age-restricted products use a service area only?
No. Google says businesses with products or services that have an age requirement, such as alcohol, cannabis, or weapons, need a storefront.
Can I use a service area to advertise my business on Google?
Google says service-area businesses can run Local Services ads to advertise on Google and get calls or messages. That is a separate product from the profile settings.
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