Service Area Business Settings: How to Set Them Up Without Killing Visibility

The "Address" field in your Google Business Profile is a landmine.

For retailers (restaurants, shops), it's easy. You show your address.

For contractors (plumbers, roofers, mobile detailers), it's complicated. You go to the customer; the customer doesn't come to you.

Google calls this a Service Area Business (SAB).

If you configure this wrong, you will either be suspended (for showing a home address) or invisible (for setting your area too wide).

To Hide or Not to Hide?

You MUST Hide Your Address If:

• You operate out of your personal residence.
• You operate out of a "virtual office" (Regus, UPS Store) - Note: Actually, you shouldn't use these at all, but if you do, absolutely hide it.
• You have a warehouse but no signage/staff to receive customers.

You Can Show Your Address If:

• You have permanent signage.
• You have staff present during stated hours.
• You welcome walk-ins.

Hybrid Model: Pizza delivery is the classic example. You can eat in OR get delivery. They show the address + set a service area.

Setting Your Service Area Correctly

A common myth is: "If I select the whole state, I will rank for the whole state."

False.

Google grants ranking based on Prominence and Proximity.

• Proximity: How close is the searcher to your verification address (even if hidden).
• Prominence: How strong is your brand (reviews, links).

If you verify in Chicago and set your service area to Include Milwaukee (90 miles away), you simply will not rank in Milwaukee. You are confusing the algorithm.

The Best Practice Strategy

1. Primary City: Set the city where you are verified.
2. Core Suburbs: Add the 10-15 towns immediately touching your primary city.
3. The 2-Hour Rule: Google's guidelines state service areas should not extend beyond ~2 hours of driving time.
4. Avoid "United States": Never set "United States" unless you are purely digital.

Converting from Storefront to SAB

If you moved your office to your house, you need to transition cleanly.

1. Go to "Edit Profile" -> "Location".
2. Toggle "Show business address to customers" to OFF.
3. Go to "Service Area".
4. Add your cities.
5. Save.

Warning: This often triggers a re-verification (Video Call). Be ready to show your truck and tools to prove you are a real mobile business.

Verification Checklist

• Address Hidden: If you are at home, is the map pin gone?
• Area Defined: Did you list specific cities/zips, not just a whole county?
• Hours Accurate: Do your hours reflect when you answer the phone?

Common Mistakes

[!WARNING] The "Staffed" Lie Do not say you are open for walk-ins at your house. A competitor will drive by, take a photo of your house, submit it to Google, and get you suspended for "Misrepresentation."

• Overlapping Areas: If you have 3 different profiles for the same business, their service areas should not overlap significantly, or they will compete with each other (Cannibalization).
• Ignoring Distance: Trying to rank 50 miles away without a physical office there is nearly impossible in 2024. You need Local Service Ads or a new location for that.

FAQ

Q: Can I have multiple SAB profiles? A: Only if you have multiple distinct crews/offices and they are legitimate separate operations. Creating fake profiles at employee homes is "Spam" and risky.

Q: Does hiding my address hurt my ranking? A: Slightly, yes. A pinpoint is stronger than a generic area. But being suspended hurts more. Follow the rules.

Sources and References

1. Google: Service Area Business Guidelines - Official Guidelines
2. BrightLocal: SAB vs Storefront Ranking Study - Analyzing the visibility gap.

Changelog

• 2024-04-05: Initial publication.

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Read Next in This Hub:

• Duplicate GBPs - Managing multiple locations.
• Local Pack Visibility - How to rank the SAB.

Related System:

• Local Visibility Systems - Optimization done right.