While Google My Business replaces Google Places, one of the major points that has not changed is the requirement that Service Area Businesses (SAB) hide their address. Your business is classed as a SAB if:
- Your business is mobile
- You operate from home
- Your office is not staffed during your stated opening hours
The idea is Google do not want to show a location on Google Maps if you are not able to accept customers during your opening hours. They don’t want people travelling across town for a wasted journey.
Unfortunately the handy “Do not show my business address on my Maps” check box in Google Places has disappeared. Google now decides whether to show your address or not depending on the information you provide.
How To Hide Your Address On Your Google Local Page and Maps
A transcript and screenshots are below for those who prefer to read.
[showhide type=”transcript” more_text=”Click to Show Full Video Transcript” less_text=”Hide Video Transcript” hidden=”yes”]Hi, it’s Jan Kearney at My Local Business Online. This is a quick video to show you how to hide your business address on your Google My Business Local Business Page, which was Google Places. It’s a bit of a mouthful now!
First of all navigate to your Local Business page. You can do that either by going to Google Plus and selecting the My Business button here or go to google.co.uk/business and you can choose your business there.
Once you’ve arrived on this page, click on edit. Scroll to the address section where you can click the pencil to click edit again. What’s missing now, Google Places used to have a handy dandy tick box saying to hide your address on Maps. That wording has disappeared. Instead, it is now I deliver goods and services to customers at their location.
To hide your address on Google Maps and your Google Local page, make sure this check box is ticked. You’ll also see a check box to say that you serve customers at your business address. If you tick that box your address will show on Maps, so do not tick it if you require your address to be hidden.
Once you’ve ticked your box, click save and you’re all sorted. Do be aware that you may have to reverify your business if you make any changes to your address while you’re here. Not always, it does depend on the business. So, you may have to re-wait for the verification PIN postcard to arrive. So click save, you’re all done. It is that simple. I’ll speak to you soon.[/showhide]
1. Navigate to google.co.uk/business and choose your page
2. Click the red Edit button
3. Scroll to the address section and choose edit
4. Scroll down and tick “I deliver goods and services to my customers at their location”
5. Click the blue Save button
You’ll also notice the “I also serve customers at my business address” check box. This option will display your full address on Google Maps and your Google My Business Local Business Page. It should only be used if you have a staffed office during your stated opening hours and not for home based businesses.
Over to you…
Google can and often do remove businesses from Maps and delete Local Business Pages for breaching this guideline. Do you know a home based or service business that would find this info useful? Please help them out and share this article.
I’d love to hear your service or home business experiences with Google My Business – leave a comment below!
Google My Business: How To Hide Your Address [Video] by Jan Kearney
Grab your guide to local search and learn:
- What elements are important on your website
- How to set up your Google My Business Local Page
- How Google Plus can help you zoom past your competitors
- Two things you should not neglect if you want to rank in the local search pack
- How to power past your competitors and dominate your area
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Interesting, I did know about this but I guess its because I’ve recently started working from home. Lots to learn i guess.
Do we ever stop learning online Salma? 🙂 Thanks for popping in!
Uh, I didn’t know that… none of that. Still it was interesting and, as per usual, well written.
Thanks Jan,
Edward Thorpe
Thanks Edward 🙂 Even though the guidelines have been updated over the years, it’s not exactly clear that hiding a home/service only address is a requirement.
Hi Jan
I think that would be useful for my MineralsForTheBody page – but when I clicked the red edit button it didn’t show the address – so perhaps that means I already did it LOL
Thanks for drawing our attention to it though.
Joy
It sounds like you have a Brand Page rather than a Local Business Page Joy.
If you think a Local Page is more relevant to what you do, you can “convert” a Brand to a Local Page. Here’s my vid explaining how https://www.mylocalbusinessonline.co.uk/convert-google-plus-brand-page
Note that to be eligable for a Local Page you do need to have in-person contact with clients, not just online. If you do see some clients, then create a Local page, get it verified then transfer the details to the Brand Page following the instructions in my post above.
Thanks for including the video. It has explained things very well.
You’re welcome 🙂