How Does Service Area Work in Google Business Profile?

What is a Service Area Business?

A Service Area Business (SAB) is a business that delivers products or services directly to customers at their location rather than operating from a traditional storefront that customers visit. Think of businesses like plumbers, electricians, cleaning services, or mobile pet groomers. These businesses typically operate in multiple locations but don’t have a physical location where clients walk in for services.

The Google Business Profile (GBP) helps these businesses get discovered by allowing them to define their service areas. This ensures they appear in local search results for the locations they serve, even if they don’t have a physical address in those areas.

How to Use Service Areas on the Google Business Profile?

Setting up service areas on your Google Business Profile is essential if you want to reach customers outside your immediate location. Here’s how you can optimize your GBP with service areas:

1. Sign in to Google Business Profile: Log in to your account and select the business you want to edit.
2. Access Info Section: In the dashboard, click on the “Info” tab on the left-hand menu.
3. Add or Edit Service Areas: You’ll see a section labeled “Service Areas.” Here, you can add cities, postal codes, or regions where you provide services. Google allows you to list up to 20 service areas. We recommend you not to use any service areas further away than 2 hours from your main location (e.g., your home, where you park your company van, or your physical location if you are a hybrid business).
4. Remove Physical Address (If Needed): If you don’t serve customers at a storefront, remove the physical address from your profile. This ensures Google knows you’re a Service Area Business.
5. Keep It Relevant: Only list areas where you genuinely provide services. Listing too many unrelated areas can confuse potential customers and might negatively affect your SEO.
6. Verify Your Profile: After setting up your service areas, complete any verification steps Google requires to confirm your business.

Learn how to verify your Google Business Profile.

Service Areas for Hybrid Businesses

Some businesses have a hybrid model, meaning they serve customers at a physical location and offer services at customers' locations. Think of restaurants that offer dine-in services and delivery, or a beauty salon that also offers mobile appointments. Here’s how to set up service areas for hybrid businesses:

1. Keep Your Physical Address Visible: Unlike SABs, hybrid businesses should display their storefront address on Google Business Profile.
2. Add Service Areas: In addition to your address, list the areas you deliver to or serve.
3. Clarify Service Types in Descriptions: Use your business description to specify that you offer both in-person and mobile services. For example, “Visit our salon in downtown Chicago or book an in-home appointment anywhere in the city!”
4. Update Hours Accordingly: If your business operates differently for in-store and mobile services, make sure your hours reflect that. You can add special hours for delivery or mobile services if they differ from your regular business hours.

Are Service Areas Also Important for Physical Locations?

Yes! Even if you have a physical storefront, service areas can still play a crucial role in expanding your reach and improving your local SEO. Here’s why service areas matter for physical locations:

1. Highlight Delivery and Off-Site Services: If your business offers delivery, catering, or off-site services, listing service areas lets Google (and your customers) know where you’re willing to go.
2. Broaden Your Reach: Service areas help you appear in searches beyond your immediate neighborhood, especially if people are searching for businesses like yours in surrounding areas.
3. Clarify Geographic Coverage: For businesses located on the border of multiple neighborhoods or towns, service areas clarify exactly where you provide services.
4. Improve Local SEO Rankings: Google prioritizes businesses that clearly define their service regions. This can help boost your visibility in nearby locations, even if customers don’t search for your exact address.

Local SEO for Service Area Businesses - Step-by-Step Guide

Optimizing your local SEO as a service area business is essential to appearing in the right searches and attracting more customers. Let’s take a quick look at how to optimize for local SEO if you have a Service Area Business:

1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile

• Set Up Service Areas: As mentioned earlier, clearly define all the areas you serve.
• Business Categories: Choose the most relevant categories for your business (e.g., “Plumber” or “Mobile Dog Groomer”).
• Add Photos: Include high-quality images of your work, even if you don’t have a physical location.
• Business Description: Write a clear and engaging description that highlights your services and service areas.

Learn in detail how to set up and optimize your Google Business Profile for maximum success!

2. Use Local Keywords

• Identify Local Keywords: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to find keywords relevant to your service areas (e.g., “HVAC repair in Austin”).
• Incorporate Keywords Naturally: Add these keywords to your website, blog posts, and GBP description.

Learn how to research local keywords easily!

3. Get Local Reviews

• Encourage Reviews: Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile.
• Respond to Reviews: Engage with your customers by responding to their reviews, both positive and negative.

Check out our Review Management Tool to effortlessly collect new reviews, prevent negative feedback from being published online, and let our AI respond automatically to your Google reviews!

4. Build Local Citations

• List Your Business on Local Directories: Add your business to relevant directories like Yelp, Angie’s List, and local Chamber of Commerce websites.
• Ensure Consistency: Make sure your business name, phone number, and service areas are consistent across all listings.

Check out the top business directories on which creating a listing is an absolute must!

5. Optimize Your Website for Local SEO

• Optimize Title Tags & Meta Descriptions: Make sure you use suitable local keywords in your title tags and meta descriptions (this is the title and short description you will see on the Google search results). The title tag should not be longer than 60 characters and the meta description not be longer than 160 characters.
• Create Service Area Pages: If you serve multiple regions, create dedicated pages on your website for each area.
• Include NAP Information: Ensure your Name, Address (if applicable), and Phone number are visible on every page.
• Use Local Schema Markup: Add structured data to your website to help search engines understand your business better. Use our free local business schema generator!

6. Leverage Social Media

• Promote Services in Different Areas: Use your social media platforms to highlight projects or services in various service areas. Choose different locations on your posts.
• Engage Locally: Join local groups and communities to increase your business’s visibility! These groups are practically lead generators for your business. However, make sure you stick to the group rules and avoid overly commercial postings.

Good to know: While social media is not a direct ranking factor for Google in local SEO, it is for Bing! So, if you want to boost your Bing Places rankings, don’t overlook social media. Plus, many businesses benefit from social media in general anyway!

If you’re planning to promote your local business on Google, optimizing for local SEO is a must! Whether you have a physical location, operate as a service-area business, or a mix of both, not showing up at the top of local search results means you’re losing potential customers. Local SEO isn’t just about know-how - it requires constant monitoring and adjustments to stay ahead of the competition.

Let us help you attract new clients by optimizing your business for local search results! Our automations keep everything running smoothly in the background, so you can focus on what matters most - your business and your new customers. No local SEO knowledge is needed and only minimal effort is required!