Key takeaways
- Service-area businesses can hide their address and list up to 20 service areas by city or ZIP code; a radius is not available.
- Google still needs a real business location, so P.O. boxes, remote mailboxes, and virtual offices are not eligible.
- List only the areas where you really work, and show the same areas on your website.
- Duplicate profiles, keyword-stuffed names, and repeated changes to your name, address, or categories cause trouble.
What a service-area business is. A service-area business serves customers at their location, such as a plumber, electrician, cleaner or mobile mechanic. Google lets these businesses hide their address and show the areas they serve. A hybrid business, such as a shop that also makes house calls, can show its address and its service areas.
How to set it up
1. Decide if customers visit you
If customers come to your location during business hours, show your address. If they never do, hide it and list service areas. If both, choose hybrid.
2. Use a real address behind the scenes
Google needs a real business location. P.O. boxes, mailboxes at remote locations and virtual offices are not eligible.
3. Choose your service areas
You can list up to 20 service areas, set by city, ZIP code or another type of area. A radius around your business is not available. Around Austin, common choices include Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Leander, Lakeway, Bee Cave, Buda and Kyle.
4. List where you really work
Pick the places you serve and can earn reviews from. Listing areas you do not serve will not help and can look misleading.
5. Match your website
Show the same service areas on your website. Add an area page only where you have real jobs, photos and reviews. See how we think about it on our areas page.
6. Earn reviews from your service areas
Reviews that mention the job and the neighborhood help customers and help Google understand where you work.
Mistakes that cause trouble
- Using a virtual office, mailbox or co-working desk as the address
- Creating a second profile for the same business
- Adding keywords or extra words to the business name
- Listing dozens of areas you do not serve
- Changing the name, address or categories again and again
Related readingGoogle Business Profile verification, explained for Austin businessesExpect distance to matter
Even with a perfect setup, Google weighs distance. A business closer to the searcher often shows first, so check how you appear from different parts of your service area, and focus where it pays.
Not sure how to set yours up? Ask for a free audit, or see SEO for home service companies.
Written by the Best SEO in Austin team
We help Austin service businesses, clinics, and firms get recommended by AI and found on Google Maps. Terms are month to month, and you own every account.
