Google Places with No Physical Address

5 replies
I want to start doing lead gen through Google Maps, as well as my websites and wanted to hear peoples opinions on creating a listing when you have no physical address. EG: I have a plumbing site but don't own a plumbing business.

I have a website ranked #1 in a particular niche for a phrase and want to link it to a maps profile to get the other remaining traffic. Is it best to just call the company you rent it to and say Google will be texting you and I need that code or fake an address?

I don't want the business to know the leads are from Google Maps in case they think they can do it themselves.

Suggestions and insights/experiences welcome.

Steve
#address #google #physical #places
  • Profile picture of the author redlegrich
    I have heard folks simply selecting an existing address, say a Mailbox place. Instead of renting a box just use the address of the facility. This only works if you don't use the post card verification option! I have not personally done this but it makes sense.
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  • Profile picture of the author jsherloc
    Hi Steve,

    I have read about people using all sorts of "methods" to achieve what you are trying to do. None of these methods seem 100% solid to me personally. edit: I'd consider it blackhat in the sense that I'm sure it violates Google's TOS somewhere. Then again though, if you are actively working with/getting paid for services from other companies (have organic sites for them, doing ppc, etc, is it still 100% blackhat? I'm not sure...I'd imagine so. (considering Places seems to update and tweak things CONSTANTLY as well, but hey they are obviously working for people at this point).

    Option 1 - Use the UPS Store Addresses. Yes, use the actual UPS STORE ADDRESS. You can also go a step further and get an actual box at the UPS Store if you'd like, but be aware that Google recently has been outing MANY Places listings with USPS PO Boxes, though I haven't heard any negatives regarding actual UPS boxes...YET

    I guess the reason for using the actual UPS Store address is that MANY business owners cannot legally operate businesses out of their homes, so many (think contracting type stuff usually) use the UPS store address. If they get a piece of mail, but don't have a box, I'd imagine that the store will obviously still hold on to them for a period of time/fwd them/etc as well. Apparently this is a very commonplace thing for many businesses, and you'd think Google could just pull the plug on all of the UPS store addresses, but what about all of the people out there that use UPS Stores in their business, regardless of the whole Google Places thing? What about the ones who have boxes there, use their address, and then don't renew their contracts with UPS store right away? Surely they shouldn't be "penalized", etc... This leads to a real messy picture I'd imagine..

    The UPS Store addresses are essentially written out like any generic corporate office park/plaza addresses.

    ex: UPS Location: 123 Smith Street # 7689 Yourtown, AA 12345

    Office Park:John Dentist DDS
    1234 Hollywood Boulevard, # D5,
    Hollywood, CA 90210

    Option 2: Look up virtual offices in your area. The main company in my area offers packages for as low as $60 a month for a business address/virtual office. This is a pricy option if you are planning on doing a lot of Places pages, but IMO would be the SAFEST route, as long you pay you do in fact have a real unique physical address. Furthermore, if you are at this stage of the game, I'd imagine $60 off your profit margin is not gonna be a HUGE deal. I would think you'd be charging at least $250+ a month right out of the gate. Who's to say you are not already working with a plumber? Google? I just dont see how Google can "combat" this approach effectively really....

    note: To put the icing on the cake, you could probably register a MyTownPlumbing DBA within your targeted county as well. This way, you will have not only a legitimate business address, but a legitimate business name (with keywords too maybe, though they have penalized the major KEYWORD STUFFERS in the Business Name category, I wonder how they react to it if it is in fact your business name?). I don't see how Google can stop this from happening, but I'm all ears....

    Option 3: Find a corporate/medical office park in your targeted area, and use an "add-on" number/suite/etc... This is ultimately a timewaster IMO and Google can probably take you out on a whim.

    Option 4: Just use any address you want (even your own, etc), then when you get a client interested, change the address to their business location. I have been reading that Google primarily anchors the PHONE NUMBER to a specific business, but not necessarily the address. This makes sense to me, but I'd still worry that all my weeks of optimizing a listing could go out the window when I change the address, it could spark a flag/review/etc? I'm curious to hear other Warrior's opinions on this matter. If most people have not had ANY issues lately JUST changing the business address in a Places listing and nothing else, then this seems like an effective solution as well.

    Also, Google Places now gives you the option to "hide" your physical address. So to avoid any of your "competition" getting curious about your address,...use this option and Google will display your address like: "Location near 1234 Smith Street".

    You can setup call forwarding with a local number for extremely cheap to handle the Places verification. This way you control the entire "lead funnel", should a client not pay, etc...

    I'll think of more I've come across lately...

    - Jim
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Holmes
    Cheers Jim,

    If you are renting an office then you can only really use it once in maps, i have several niches to get into so would prefer not paying 60 a month considering i'm not sure if it would work or not.

    Ideally, I wanted to make sure if I was #1 on maps for a phrase, that it would generate leads before actually contacting a company - so I knew it worked.

    Initially, I might just use a virtual office address anyway and add an extra floor to the office.

    I like the idea of the number redirect, I already have a Skype number I could use.

    If anyone has actually created listings that rank and generate leads without you working with a company directly or having a physical address - I'd love to hear from you.

    Steve
    Signature
    "Live like you'll die tomorrow, Learn like you'll live forever" - M. Ghandi
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  • Profile picture of the author jsherloc
    Yeah, the Places thing is kind of scary to me, in the sense that literally tomorrow everything could be changed. (of course, using that mindset, I think people are just throwing everything they've got at Places to see what sticks and can make the most $$$ for the time being)

    The virtual office idea should work though, and I believe is the best option out of the ones I've read about if you were trying to simply test the # of leads you're receiving. My only concern would then be not having a legit business name to supply Google. But if you went to the county and registered a DBA (this just a business name - "doing business as", not sure how it is overseas,) something like "MyTownPlumbing.com" as your actual business name, how could Google even flag something like this? edit: EVERYTHING I'VE SAID HERE IS BASED ON WHAT I'VE READ HERE AND ELSEWHERE. I am only speaking hypothetically here in the interest of starting a discussion.....I'm looking over my shoulder for Google agents to come to my door now...KNOCK KNOCK

    I think it is the best option because IF it does in fact work 100%, you would not need to worry about changing a THING after leasing out the "lead funnel". And I believe that is the major issue most people have with Google Places right now, the ability to make changes without having your listing get reviewed,flagged, dropped, etc... At least that is what has me so paranoid about anything Places related, the whole "don't do this or use these or add this" mentality going on right now and the horror stories people post on the Google Places support blogs are terrible....

    - Jim
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    • Profile picture of the author fushigi
      Hi Steve,

      I've had success using a private mailbox address. I didn't have any trouble getting in the 7 box, it was quite easy. You could easily use a UPS store for your biz address.
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