As you may or may not be aware, Google announced on November 5 that Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) listings will now have a limit of 20 total service areas. This means any listings with more than 20 service areas specified will need to update their listings.
Within the announcement, Google stated, “Businesses with more than 20 service areas will receive suggested updates to their service areas to cover the same geographic area while only using 20 areas.”
At first glance, you may think, “Thanks, Google, for making these suggestions for us,” and if so, you’ll definitely want to think again. Keep reading to find out why.
The Google Business Profile Service Areas Goof-Up Is Causing Concern
The goof-up I am referring to above is tied to the service areas Google is suggesting. For one of the franchises we manage Google Business Profile (GBP) listings for, Google has pushed out their suggestions and the service areas don’t make sense. Some are not even close to the businesses’ actual service areas. For one location, they are recommending a school district as the service area. This is a big goof-up and an even bigger concern.
So, What’s This Google Business Profile Service Area Change-Up Mean for Businesses?
- You need to audit the GBP listings for all the service-area businesses you represent right away.
- You should probably make sure your local business customers realize you are aware of the change and that you are on top of the issue.
- You need to put a plan in place to review all your clients’ GBP listings on the regular.
The proof is in the pudding, and Google is proving once again that while they think they know what is best, this isn’t always the case.
Are You Taking Full Advantage of Google Business Profile?
- Are you claiming each GBP listing for the businesses you represent?
- Are you monitoring the GBP photos and reviews?
- Are you using Google Business Profile Insights to understand how customers are finding your clients’ GBP listings?
- Are you using the Google Business Profile App to stay on top of changes while on-the-go?
If you answered Yes to all these questions, great job. If not, be sure to click the linked text above. We have a how-to on each at the ready for you!
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At Advice Local, we’re all about helping our local marketing and agency partners to help local businesses get found online! Our listing management services is one of the partner solutions that could be perfect for you. Request a demo today to learn more.
