As a contractor, expanding your business reach across multiple cities can significantly boost your visibility and client base. Google Business Profile (GBP) provides powerful tools to help you effectively target various service areas. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of setting up and optimizing your GBP to reach customers across multiple locations.
Understanding Google Business Profile Service Areas
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) allows service-based businesses without a physical storefront to define geographic areas where they operate. This feature is particularly valuable for contractors, plumbers, landscapers, and other professionals who travel to their customers.
The Difference Between Physical Location and Service Areas
- Physical location: The actual address where your business is based
- Service areas: The geographic regions where you provide services to customers
You can choose to display your physical address or hide it while still targeting specific service areas—ideal for home-based contractors who want to maintain privacy while expanding their reach.
Setting Up Service Areas in Your Google Business Profile
To configure your service areas:
- Sign in to your Google Business Profile account
- Navigate to “Info” in the menu
- Find the “Service areas” section and click “Edit”
- Enter the cities, zip codes, or regions you serve
- Remove any areas where you don’t offer services
- Save your changes
You can add up to 20 service areas, so prioritize your most important markets.
Strategies for Targeting Multiple Cities
1. Prioritize by Proximity
Start with cities closest to your physical location and gradually expand outward. Google’s algorithm tends to favor businesses that are physically closer to the searcher, so building a strong presence in nearby areas first establishes credibility.
2. Create City-Specific Content
For each service area you target:
- Develop location-specific pages on your website
- Include neighborhood landmarks and local terminology
- Share project photos and customer testimonials from each city
- Create city-specific posts in your GBP
This localized approach signals to Google that you genuinely serve these areas rather than simply listing them.
3. Build Location-Based Reviews
Encourage clients from different service areas to leave reviews that mention their specific location. Reviews that reference “excellent plumbing service in Riverside” or “best contractor in Oakville” strengthen your relevance for searches in those areas.
4. Use Google Posts Strategically
Regularly create GBP posts highlighting completed projects in various service areas. Include:
- The city name in the post title
- Location-specific details in the description
- Geo-tagged photos when possible
- Local hashtags relevant to the area
Posts expire after seven days, so maintain a consistent posting schedule across your service areas.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Over-Extending Your Service Area
While it’s tempting to add every nearby city, resist listing areas you can’t realistically serve. Google monitors customer interactions and may penalize profiles that show patterns inconsistent with their claimed service areas.
Neglecting to Update Your Service Areas
As your business capacity changes, regularly review and update your service areas to reflect your current operating radius. This helps maintain accuracy for potential customers and keeps your GBP in good standing.
Creating Multiple GBP Listings
Some contractors mistakenly create separate GBP profiles for each city they serve. This violates Google’s guidelines and can result in all your listings being suspended. Stick to one profile with multiple service areas.
Measuring Success Across Service Areas
Track these metrics to gauge your multi-city targeting effectiveness:
- Search visibility: Monitor how your profile appears in searches across different locations
- Direction requests: Compare the number of direction requests from various service areas
- Phone calls: Track call origins to identify which cities generate the most leads
- Website visits: Analyze which service areas drive the most traffic to your site
Use Google’s built-in insights along with Google Analytics to evaluate performance.
Advanced Tips for Contractors
Seasonal Service Area Adjustments
If your contracting business fluctuates seasonally, consider temporarily adjusting your service areas during peak periods when you can travel further and scaling back during slower times.
Service-Specific Areas
If you offer multiple contracting services with different travel radiuses (e.g., small repairs within 10 miles but major renovations within 30 miles), create website content that clearly explains these distinctions, even though your GBP will show the same service areas for all offerings.
Local Partnerships
Establish relationships with complementary businesses in your target cities. Cross-promoting with local suppliers or subcontractors can enhance your visibility and credibility in those areas.
Staying Compliant with Google’s Guidelines
To maintain a healthy GBP while targeting multiple cities:
- Be prepared to serve all listed areas within a reasonable timeframe
- Never use virtual offices or PO boxes to claim physical presence in multiple locations
- Respond promptly to all customer inquiries, regardless of their location within your service area
- Keep your business hours accurate, including any travel time restrictions for distant locations
Local Relevance Matters
Effectively targeting multiple cities through Google Business Profile requires a strategic approach that balances ambition with authenticity. By thoughtfully setting up your service areas, creating location-specific content, and building a consistent presence across all markets, contractors can significantly expand their reach while maintaining compliance with Google’s guidelines.
Be Visible Media, a specialized SEO agency who has been helping contractors with their SEO needs and goals, empowers businesses to cut through the digital noise and identify their most promising opportunities. By conducting thorough analysis to execute Google Business Profile strategies, Be Visible Media, which is based in Cebu Philippines, helps companies determine precisely how to concentrate their marketing efforts for maximum impact.
Remember that local relevance matters more than quantity. Focus on building genuine connections in each service area through quality work, responsive customer service, and active community engagement. This approach not only improves your Google visibility but also creates sustainable business growth across all your target cities.
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