Hello all,

Got a customer here that keeps getting calls from people asking if they can pop in to the store. Trouble is, they don't have a physical location. They were set up before with a virtual office address, which is likely why people think there's a physical place to go. I'm guessing people are seeing the address in Google. Their business shows in the map pack. 

I'm trying to find out what sort of impact removing the business address and abandoning the virtual office would have on SEO. Does anyone know and/or have any links to studies that talk about it in a bit more detail?

 

Regards,

Faramous

Google likes addresses. Even virtual ones.

If you drop the address google can no longer rank you locally, map listings will go and the big company info box on the right may disappear as well.

There may be a big impact on SEO if you no longer have an address.

3 hours ago, fisicx said:

Google likes addresses. Even virtual ones.

If you drop the address google can no longer rank you locally, map listings will go and the big company info box on the right may disappear as well.

There may be a big impact on SEO if you no longer have an address.

Very good point. That's really useful, thank you. I appreciate the swift response.

If their service is callout then it might be worth opting to hide address and go for coverage area.

Indeed, but Google will drop you from the maps and the local business listings. If you don't have a physical address then you don't get listed.

For example, if I search for Plumbers in Peterborough google will list the plumbers that have a peterborough address on their website.

If you have a virtual office address then that's where Google will place you. If that address is in London and you are in Doncaster you won't show up in the listings for a Doncaster search. And the address in your Google account has to exactly match the one on your website. Rd =/= Road

Edited April 19, 20188 yr by fisicx

47 minutes ago, fisicx said:

Indeed, but Google will drop you from the maps and the local business listings. If you don't have a physical address then you don't get listed.

Hmmm, not from my experience, see below;

Edit: Forgot to say their phone number comes up and has Address: Crawley. Had to add the address to get listed but it doesn't display as it's an area served business.

Edited April 19, 20188 yr by BrowserBugs