How do you set up different service areas for Google My Business?

Short Answer: If you have an office in a particular city, it is best to open a Google My Business location with that office’s physical address because listings with an address tend to attract jobs faster than service area-only listings. If you do not have an actual office in the city, you can instead use a residential address to set up your service area.

Full Explanation

When setting up different service areas on Google My Business, a key consideration is whether you have a physical office in the city you want to serve. Google tends to prioritize listings that have a physical address, as these are seen as more credible and trustworthy to customers. This means that if your business has an office location within the city, entering this precise address in your Google My Business account will generally result in jobs or leads arriving more quickly.

On the other hand, if you do not own or rent an office in a target city, you still have an option. You can use a residential address instead for your Google My Business setup. This allows you to create a listing that represents your service area, even though you do not have a dedicated office location there.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Identify if you have a physical office in the city you want to list as a service area.
If yes, create a Google My Business location using the office’s physical address. This will enable your listing to appear more prominently and likely attract jobs faster.
If no office is available in the city, use a residential address to set up the Google My Business listing. This still allows you to service the area but may not perform as strongly as a full office location.

Real Examples

Consider a business with an office in City A but not in City B. For City A, the business should register a Google My Business location using its known office address. For City B, where it lacks an office, the business can still list the service area by using a residential address to represent this territory.

Common Mistakes

Attempting to set up service areas without considering the presence of a physical office location.
Not using an office address when one is available, which can reduce the speed and volume of incoming jobs.
Failing to input any address, which may lead to lower visibility in Google My Business results.

FAQs

Can I use a residential address for all my service areas? Yes, but it’s best reserved for cities where you do not have an office to improve credibility.

Why does having a physical address matter? A Google My Business listing with a verified office address generally attracts jobs faster because it signals a real, local presence.

Key Takeaways

Always use a physical office address if you have one in the city you want to serve on Google My Business.
If there is no office, a residential address can be used to create service area listings.
Listings with a physical address tend to perform better in attracting relevant job opportunities more quickly.