When marketing your business online, a physical location is a must-have. For most aspiring entrepreneurs, buying or leasing commercial space is not always possible. When you’re listing your business online, the most important thing to promote is your business name, address, and phone number. So what can you do if you don’t have a location for your business?
The answer is simple. Use your home address. Yes, it looks unprofessional. Yes, it tells everyone where you live. This is a barrier that you must overcome if you want to promote your business for free.
Luckily, Google Maps offers you an option to leave your actual business address “unlisted”, meaning you can still promote your business with Google Maps and keep your address hidden from the public. There is a catch, though.
Although you don’t need to show your actual address on Google Maps, you still need to include it on the footer of your website. Also, when listing your business on various business directory websites, you will still have to put your address (which will be visible to the public). By having your address publicly listed, you are signaling to Google that your business does exist and its details can be found all over the web.
When You Should Use Your Home Address
Using your home address is great if you’re looking for customers who are close to home. Google will typically only show businesses that are close to the user. By having a pin on the map, you will tap into a pool of customers who are close by. This is especially beneficial for local service area businesses.
When You Shouldn’t Use Your Home Address
You should avoid using your home address if you are worried about customers visiting your home unexpectedly. People will often drive to a business location regardless of the business type. Even if you made it crystal clear that your business is only available by appointment, people will still show up and expect service.