Hide your address if you go to your customers

If you're a plumber, roofer, cleaner, or any business that goes to the customer, Google calls you a service-area business.

Google's guidelines say service-area businesses should hide their address and list the areas they serve instead. Showing a home address when customers don't visit is a common reason profiles run into trouble.

Which one are you?

• Customers come to you (a shop, office, or studio with signs): show your address.
• You go to customers: hide your address and add a service area.
• Both (a shop that also does house calls): show your address and add a service area.

How to set it up

1. Open your profile and click Edit profile, then Location.
2. Clear the address that shows to customers. Google still keeps it privately.
3. Under Service area, add the cities or counties you actually serve. Google allows up to 20.

Rules worth knowing

• Don't use a P.O. box or a virtual office. Google doesn't allow them.
• Keep your area realistic. Google's guidance is about two hours of driving from your base.
• Only one profile for your business, not one per town.