Google My Business SAB & Virtual Offices Guidelines Updated

 Over the past couple of weeks Google has been making updated to its guidelines around service area businesses (SABs) and virtual offices in terms of their Google My Business use. Joy Hawkins documented a lot of the changes in detail but here is a short summary.

(1) Separate office locations once again must be staffed by your business staff.

(2) Some SABs can have multiple listings if they have different staff in different locations. Google wrote "If you have different locations for your service business, with separate service areas and separate staff at each location, you’re allowed one profile for each location. The boundaries of your profile’s overall service area shouldn’t extend farther than about 2 hours of driving time from where your business is based. For some businesses, larger service areas may be appropriate."

(3) Businesses can’t list a virtual office unless that office is staffed during business hours.

(4) Storefront vs service-area businesses. If your business doesn’t have a storefront with clear signage but travels to customers at their physical locations, you’re allowed one service-area Business Profile. If you’re a service-area business, you should hide your business address from customers.

There are many more changes, so if you have clients that this impacts, check out Joy's post.