If you have a Service Area Business, you should set up a Google Business Profile to improve your local SEO results. Having no physical location doesn’t mean there is no need to claim and optimize your service area business listings.
Service area business vs brick and mortar
What’s the difference, and what do service area businesses do?
Service area business (SAB) refers to a business that delivers services and products to customers in a particular area. Some businesses might still have offices, but they don’t display the address information.
The key differences between SAB and businesses with physical stores are:
- SABs provide services at customer's locations
- They serve a wider area beyond their immediate location
- Customers may not visit their location.
Some examples of service area businesses are:
- House painting companies
- Cleaning services
- Electricians
- Plumbers
Google Business Profile optimization for SAB
Service area businesses don't sell their products from a physical address, but they can still benefit from claiming and optimizing their Google Business Profile and listings. Your potential customers should be able to find your business through a Google search.
How to optimize your SAB listings? Local SEO optimization strategies and ranking factors are not that much different from regular Google Business Profile listing optimization.
- Choose your business categories
- Share your contact information
- Upload images
- Engage customers with Google posts
- Manage and respond to reviews
What not to do as a service area business
Don’t add a geolocation indicator to your name
This is one of the most common mistakes businesses make that negatively affect their local SEO results. If you think adding the name of the city or neighborhood is going to benefit your business, it’s not. It will actually violate Google’s terms of service, and they can remove your listing.
Choose the right business category
Choosing your category (primary and secondary) is more important than it sounds. Your category is a major ranking factor used by Google to understand what your business is about and who needs to see it in relevant search results.
Make sure you choose the categories according to the products and services you provide, otherwise, you will show up in irrelevant search results, which will increase your bounce rate.
Don’t list your SAB address
As a service area business that doesn’t have a physical location where customers can go, you shouldn’t display any address on your Google Business Profile. All you need to do is to show the service area you operate in.
It's important to remember that as a Service Area Business, your service is your product, and there's no location for customers to rate. They are going to rate your online brand and reputation. Makes sure you make the most out of it by keeping your listings optimized and enhanced with photos, posts, and updated information.
Have multiple locations? Need help with claiming your GBP listings? We can help!
Contact us or learn more about local SEO.
Astghik Nikoghosyan, November 8, 2022
