Should a service-area business hide its address on Google?

Does Google require service-area businesses to hide the address?

Yes. Google’s help pages say that if your business has no storefront where you receive customers, you must hide your business address. They also say you should only choose to not show your address if you are a service-area business.

A service-area business visits or delivers to customers directly. It does not serve them at its own address. Cleaning services and plumbers are the examples Google gives.

When should I show my address instead?

Show it if customers come to you. A shop with staff during business hours is a storefront, and a storefront shows its address.

Google also describes a hybrid business. A hybrid business serves customers at its address and also travels to them. A dine-in restaurant that delivers is the example. A hybrid business can show its address and set a service area.

Google adds one condition. If your business has no permanent on-site signage, it is not eligible as a storefront. You should list it as a service-area business.

What happens to my profile if I hide the address?

The profile shows your service area and not your street address. If you do not enter a service area, Google chooses a local area for you. You can edit it later.

Google also says the address on your profile is public. For a home-based business, hiding it keeps your home address off Search and Maps.

How do I hide my address?

1. Open your Business Profile.
2. Select Edit profile, then Location.
3. Next to “Business location,” select the edit icon.
4. Turn off Show business address to customers.
5. Select Save.

Google says profile changes usually show up in about 10 minutes. In some cases they take up to 30 days.

How do I set my service area correctly?

1. Go back to Edit profile, then Location.
2. Next to “Service area,” select the edit icon.
3. Pick a suggested area or type your own.
4. Select Save.

Follow these rules from Google:

• Set the area by city, postal code, or another type of area. You cannot use a radius around your business.
• Use up to 20 service areas.
• Keep the whole area within about 2 hours of driving time from where you are based.
• Be as specific and accurate as you can.

For an Ontario business, postal code areas and named towns are the usual choices. Choose the places you really serve. A long list of far-away towns does not help you and goes against Google’s advice.

Can I use a fake address or a mailbox address to show a pin?

Do not do it. Google asks you to represent your business as it is recognized in the real world. It also asks that your address or service area be accurate and precise.

A made-up storefront can also mislead customers. In Canada, the Competition Bureau enforces rules against misleading representations in business. A fake address on a listing is a risk that you do not need.

What if my profile already shows my address?

Google says that if your service business is already verified and displays its address, you must remove or hide the address. Follow the steps above. Then check that your service area is filled in.

Should my website and other listings match?

Keep your public details consistent. Use the same business name, phone number, and service area wording on your website and on the directory sites you use. If you hide your address on Google, do not publish it on another listing.

Google also says to create only one profile for the metropolitan area you serve. Multiple profiles for the same business in the same area can lead to account suspension.

What should I do if I am unsure which type I am?

Ask one question: do customers come to my address to buy from me? If yes, and you have permanent signage and staff there during business hours, you are a storefront or a hybrid business. If no, you are a service-area business. Hide the address.

Hiding the address does not promise better results on Google. It keeps your profile within Google’s rules and protects your privacy.