Google Places - No Real Address

mhatter

mhatter

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What is the latest strategy for adding a business to Google Places that doesn't have a business address?

I don't want to use the person's home address.

I'm referring to plumbers, accountants, masons, etc. People who have real businesses but don't have an office or storefront.

Is Google still allowing a UPS Mailbox??? (UPS Mailboxes have a real street address)

Google Places experts please advice. Thanks!
 
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its hit or miss lately, try the po box that allows a real private address, or find a cpa or other professionial that doesnt really advertise and see if they will lease you there address. Or have you client find a cheap ass office, some are the really cheap virtual kind with mailing address. The price of local seo is going up and up.
 
you can rent a virtual office. I use this kind of strategy, 7 months now, everything ok. I dont know when google will catch up tho, then on the google places page, hide your address and tick the option " you travel to your costumer " thing.
 
I would just use their home address, I have done this many times. Do what Parlenk said "hide your address and tick the option " you travel to your costumer " thing." Then their address won't show up in the places listing it will only show the general area. Good luck with GP SEO though.
 
I'll probably do a UPS mailbox but in my opinion it's ridiculously obvious to Google.
 
heres a little trick that i learned to see if a private or ups mail box will work- find a address u want to use and google it- if other businesss come up- bam ur done
 
anyone doing this in Canada? I know that regular mailboxes ETC po box numbers don't work, however, UPS allows unit numbers. Question remains whether google has caught up with this or not.
I have about a week left to wait and will update on my Canadian UPS experience. Waiting is pure agony!
 
The UPS address theory doesn't make sense to me. There are many offices that are shared in one building, distinguished by only suite numbers. How would Google differentiate between a UPS store, an apartment complex or an industrial complex?
 
I had a question about this earlier. Google is starting to call and verify places listings. A client got a call abut it todaye. They use a UPS address, The guy who called asked questions about do they meet clients there, and were they this type of business or that. The thing that is scary, I looked on Google groups today, and a lot of people are saying their places page went down after the verification call, and ads suspended. Google changed TOS or something they are saying now. I'm trying to figure out an answer as it sucks that its going to be harder to find addresses that work.
 
PM me if you need help with this. I've got listings up across the country without being at a UPS Store. In fact, I use addresses nobody else uses so it will never be a problem. I can verify accounts by phone too so I can use any address, LOL.

Message me if you need help with your listings.
 
+1 to the Virtual office. I used to have one, until client base increased, at which point I upgraded to a part-time office, with a 9-5 assistant and access to all facilities, including a large meeting room. The upside to this is that you can pick a service that includes a dedicated phone line and use that for google places as well.
 
Keep in mind that to do well with G+ Local rankings, you need citations... citations must include Name ADDRESS and Phone... so you had better use an address you don't mind plastering all over the internet. Your most secure bet is by renting a virtual office. These are legit commercial spaces that many professionals rent. You can get mail-only service for as little as $10 / month, so it's a no-brainer. The most expensive VO fee I've come across is $125. Again, a no-brainer if you're in an industry where page-1 G+ Local rankings will bring in good coin.

I do nothing but work with G+ Local all day long and speak with support reps on a regular basis. They are very aware of poor listings and they will be removed in a heart beat. My advice is to not waste time, get a proper virtual office and start focusing on getting ranked so you can get customers.
 
According to Google...If you provide services with no real office..then hide your address in your dashboard. All of my service based clients are now doing this and our rankings have not been affected (they all have strong websites).

One of my clients (taxi transportation) was completely knocked out because someone reported his address as a residence. Once I spoke with Google (thru email) I hid his address and within 1 week his biz is back in the top 3 of most packs.

Guys you can play the games but depending on your niche (how competitive) you will get reported. Of course, we all know how fragile Google+ Local (old Google places) can be but as of now my clients are doing fine by playing within the guidelines.

Good luck...
 
Some people are just claiming to be at a particular address and adding the "suite 123" suffix on it. Office buildings, etc...would be good for this. I've seen residential addresses listed on G+ Local. I wonder sometimes about the possibility that having your house listed as a business might affect tax situation, and also might invite scrutiny from local government for City Zoning, etc...
 
The first listing I created for Google Places (in Canada), I was given an option to either have the verification code sent by phone, SMS, or snail mail. Now every business that I try to add I only get the option to send the code by snail mail which takes 2-3 weeks. I think Google has taken out the other verification options (except snail mail) because everyone was just using a fake mailing address. I would say the best options are:
1) Just enter a real address and have the listing set as a business that travels to customers
2) If your in the USA, there is trick where you go into "Google Map Maker" and add the business in there
3) If your in Canada or the UK, you can add using Google Maps Community Edits
(there is a more detailed article that I can't post the link to but if you go to Google and search for "Workarounds For Google Places Verification" it will list alternative options)
 
Rather than fiddle with so many workarounds, isn't it just faster and less of a headache to just order the postcard? My experience has been the same as ESM2012... play by the rules and your listing will do well. I've had some great exchanges with Google Reps for my Google Plus listings. And because I understood the rules and could make that obvious to the reps, they were willing to do all sorts of things that saved me months of waiting.

I've had them manually verify listings for me, I've had them render address displays for me so they match the citations we had out there, I've had them delete rogue listings for me... all of these things save time, money and headache.

If you don't have a physical office, rent an address and get mail service. Add on a suite number and you're good to go. This is playing by the rules because these are actual office spaces. You just need to make sure in your G+ local backend you've selected the option that says you service customers at THEIR location and that you've set up a service area. And this doesn't hurt your rankings.
 
These are legit commercial spaces that many professionals rent. You can get mail-only service for as little as $10 / month
Click to expand...

So, MagicBeanz, can you recommend some services that provide these virtual mail-only office for that $10 monthly rate? The Regus services and others like it appear to be at least at the $40 monthly level

Thanks
 
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