Google Business Profile: Should You Show Your Home Address?

When it comes to setting up your Google Business profile, one of the most common questions that often arises is whether it’s suitable to include your home address.

The decision to display or hide your home address holds significant weight for service-based or virtual businesses that operate from home.

In this article, we’ll navigate through this crucial decision, discussing the intricacies of Google’s policies and providing insight into what could be the best choice for your specific business.

Should You Display Your Home Address on Your Google Business Profile?

Setting Up Your Google Business Profile

When establishing your Google Business profile, now known as the Google Business Profile, a physical address is necessary for verification by Google. This typically involves receiving a postcard with a verification code to your provided address.

Whether your business operates from a physical location or not, you must provide an address during the setup process. For businesses without a physical location, the option of setting up a service area allows you to hide the address provided to Google.

Service Area Businesses

Businesses that serve customers at their respective locations, such as roofers, carpet cleaners, HVAC, and landscapers, are categorized as service area businesses. In this case, Google displays the area served by the business instead of revealing its exact location.

However, it’s essential to ensure that your business is eligible for a Google listing, as businesses solely operating online might not qualify.

Address Display and Its Impact on Ranking

It’s a common misconception that showing your address can enhance your Google ranking. Contrary to this belief, Google requires that the displayed address must be a commercial building or have clear signage indicating it as the place of business.

Residential addresses and PO boxes cannot be used for this purpose. Moreover, businesses operating from residential addresses must hide their address as displaying it could result in suspension or removal by Google.

The Influence of Business Activities on Address Display

The decision to show or hide your address should be based on your primary business function and the convenience of your customers. If your business primarily serves customers at your business address, displaying your address helps them locate you easily.

For businesses that serve customers at their locations, a hidden address displaying the serviced areas is more suitable. However, for businesses that engage in both, a thorough evaluation of the primary function is essential for making the right decision.

Address Display and Customer Service

Ultimately, the decision about address display should prioritize the convenience of your customers. If customers visit your business location, displaying your address is beneficial. On the other hand, if you provide services at the customers’ locations, opting to hide your address and indicating the serviced areas offers a customer-centric approach.

Understanding the best approach for your Google Business profile—whether to display or hide your home address—entails thoughtful consideration of your business activities and customer service requirements. Rather than focusing on ranking preferences or hearsay, the decision should prioritize customer convenience and compliance with Google’s policies.

Remember that your Google Business profile is just one element of a smart marketing strategy. To discover how your marketing stacks up and receive customized recommendations, take the SMART Marketing quiz. Unleash your business’s true potential with smart marketing!

And remember, you don’t need crazy tech skills, buckets of cash, or a dedicated staff to market your business. You don’t even need a lot of time.

What you need is to be smart, and your Google Business profile is a smart move for your business.

If you're ready to grow your business with smart marketing you can:

1. Sign up for weekly FREE Business Bytes with CEO, Torie Mathis

2. Get a SMART Funnel and begin to automate your marketing

3. Learn Digital Marketing with a Smart Marketing Course

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: TORIE MATHIS

Torie Mathis helps entrepreneurs grow their business with Smart Marketing.  She is a best-selling author, Army veteran, international speaker + trainer, and the CEO + Creative Director at Lake Shark Media. She also teaches entrepreneurs how to get smart with digital marketing at toriemathis.com