Are Virtual Offices Allowed on Google My Business?

[Greg Schueler]

I know about the risks of using a Regus office and virtual offices in general, but I have a client that uses leases an office in a Regus complex that they use and have staffed M-F.

All has been well since they moved into the office until 2 weeks ago the GMB listing was suspended and no longer visible in the search results. They had the hours listed as 24/7 since they have after hours call answering services, but they only staff the office 830-5. So I switched the hours in case this was the issue. (The suspension didn't say why, just 'quality issues'. There was also an additional category that was similar, but I removed that extra category too. Once done I resubmitted for appeal.

I received a canned response stating:

The address used in your listing doesn’t match the address of your business. You must list your business at its correct location.

In particular: Do not create a listing, or place your pin marker at a location where the business does not physically exist. P.O. Boxes/Virtual offices are not considered accurate physical locations. Your business location should be staffed during its stated hours. Please note that mailboxes at mail receiving locations are also not considered accurate physical locations.

Please change your listing to comply with our policies and submit it for review. We’ll review your listing and if it complies with our policies, we’ll lift the suspension.

The address formatting that is used in this office complex is a little strange in that the main address is 1234 Example Ave Suite#100. Then inside that suite #, there are individual room numbers. All offices inside use the same Suite#100. The preferred mailing address is just the client's business name and the Suite #100 address. they normally don't need to include the Room #, but in response to the GMB message I added the Room# in addition to the suite# and sent back a full explanation of how the office formatting was at this location.

One day later I get the same response:

The address used in your listing doesn’t match the address of your business. You must list your business at its correct location.

The address DOES match the address of the business. It is listed on the website, they get mail there, it is formatted correctly, and it is staffed (small staff, but still staffed.)

Is there any way to reason with GMB Support or any way around this issue? It's like they don't listen, or the address is flagged as a whole.

We are not worried so much if search results get filtered for keywords, but this office has lots of caregivers and vendors that need to find the address by business name searches and stop by to drop off and pick up supplies, so showing up in maps for them is very important.

Thanks for any insight.

 

[GmyB Guru]

Yes, I have a stake so that is why it's important to debunk these myths that are spread on the internet. I don't understand the fear mongering talk of "suspensions" associated with use of virtual offices. Sure, we all hope Google cracks down on those who abuse the system. But, using a legitimate virtual office will not lead to any negative impact on a legitimate business.

It's very important to help people understand the truth of how GMB works with virtual offices so they are not afraid to make that next step to grow their business. Many people look here to get info from the "GMB Product Experts", so it's important that the "experts" have the correct information and don't spread false information. I'm just trying to help educate people on what is fact and what is false rumor based in incorrect interpretations or previous false information. Hopefully everyone will be better off going forward and all the experts will take time to learn more so they can more accurately give guidance to people. The more knowledge we share the better off we all are.

Just think of the massive negative impact of providing the incorrect interpretation of GMB Guidelines on this forum. Think of all those poor businesses that previously thought they could not use a virtual office and instead kept their home listed as their address and didn't use GMB (probably the best free advertising for a small business) to help grow their business.

I hope that everyone on this forum is trying to give the best advice they can. It's always tough to learn that what we believe to be true isn't. But, with knowledge comes improvement and hopefully going forward, those statements of absolutes that may have been valid many years ago, can be adjusted to the the current situation where virtual offices are perfectly fine to be used in association with GMB Service Area listings. Hopefully now that the localsearchforum GMB Product Experts have the most up to date and correct information, they can cross reference it with their own research, make calls to various virtual office businesses (that meet Googles requirement of having Conference Rooms or offices the clients can use during business hours to meet with clients) to verify the validity, and then hopefully help spread that information.

Best wishes

 

[keyserholiday]

I am not “fear mongering” as I am seeing an major uptick in suspensions in the last weeks. Other forums and FB groups are referencing the same suspensions as they say in November. I didn’t see any signs of those suspensions in November. I did see suspensions last March and a massive wave in June. The June suspensions started the Sunday before the WSJ article came out detailing Google’s Map spam issue. I presented in this as well with Local Marketing Institute. I have linked to the GMB forum where users are complaining about listings getting suspended or a delay in getting verified. If a business is a true SAB, they can hide their home address and use their house, and it’s free to do so.
I too am trying to help business owners navigate GMB and stay safe. I am not looking to make money and I offer my services pro bono too. If a business creates multiple SAB listings and they get reported Google will remove the duplicate listings. That is fact and not conjecture. I have reported and remove countless SAB and listings using co working spaces. I have also helped legitimate businesses get unsuspended using a VO. There are ways that it can work, however telling people to create a second listing at VO is not only bad advice it is also self serving to only you.

 

[keyserholiday]

A business owner came to the forum because he was suspended for being at a VO. This is the reality of what happens to business owners who don’t know the rules. The forum is filled with pleas for help just like this.

 

[GmyB Guru]

I'm really not trying to be self serving. That business could be anywhere and could use any virtual office. In that situation I was under the impression from the original post that he was using a different business name for a second legally formed business entity. I agree with you if it was the same business name to be used at both his home and at a virtual office, that could cause a red flag and the need for a detailed explanation to GMB.

Good point on the problems with co-working spaces. To my knowledge, many local co-working spaces expressly prohibit use of their address in their service contracts. Co-working is very different animal than a virtual office. It's good that you brought that up as that gets into a new grey area. I have no knowledge of how GMB handles those.

A business owner came to the forum because he was suspended for being at a VO. This is the reality of what happens to business owners who don’t know the rules. The forum is filled with pleas for help just like this.

My guess is they probably listed their business as a "Storefront" instead of a "Service Area". We have seen people do this and run into problems. I know it's not easy to untangle that mess once its created. 6 months ago one of our clients listed his business on GMB as as Storefront, got blocked by GMB, then tried for months to get it changed to a Service Area business. Amazingly, GMB eventually set up a scheduled video chat with him and our staff to establish what was really happening. We had to verify that he is in fact a virtual office client of ours and then they approved his GMB listing. I was impressed that GMB was willing to do that level of interaction to resolve an issue.

 

[BenFisher]

Many people look here to get info from the "GMB Product Experts", so it's important that the "experts" have the correct information and don't spread false information.

I have to chime in here. GmyB, Joy, Jason and myself are GMB Product experts. What this means is we talk to GMB on a daily basis, we meet with the teams live. So, I can safely state that we have the correct information. You may not like it, but it is facts.

A business that has a virtual office as their main or secondary address will have a target painted on their backs. They will be reported to GMB as fraudulent, GMB will act as they deem fit, usually suspending the listing and causing the listing owner to proceed with reinstatement. This is not fear-mongering, it is the reality that Joy, Jason, me and other PE's see on a daily basis.

I have clients that are in a VO, BUT have an executive office. These are fine. A SAB at co-working is ok at this time, but a SAB at a VO is not. This is simply because of the constant abuse.

 

[djbaxter]

Three threads merged. Duplicate posts merged or removed.

 

[GmyB Guru]

I have to chime in here. GmyB, Joy, Jason and myself are GMB Product experts. What this means is we talk to GMB on a daily basis, we meet with the teams live. So, I can safely state that we have the correct information. You may not like it, but it is facts.

A business that has a virtual office as their main or secondary address will have a target painted on their backs. They will be reported to GMB as fraudulent, GMB will act as they deem fit, usually suspending the listing and causing the listing owner to proceed with reinstatement. This is not fear-mongering, it is the reality that Joy, Jason, me and other PE's see on a daily basis.

I have clients that are in a VO, BUT have an executive office. These are fine. A SAB at co-working is ok at this time, but a SAB at a VO is not. This is simply because of the constant abuse.

Ben, I am sad that you would say this with such authority. I suspect that the people you and yoru team meet with and speak with are not the (GMB) people related to this issue of Virtual Offices. As an expert you should want to gather the facts before speaking with authority. In this case you are factually incorrect and that statement furthers the spread of misinformation. I hope this misinformation is not for monetary gain for you and the forum expert team. Please improve your "expert" status and speak with people high enough in the GMB hierarchy to learn the truth, learn what GMB approves within "the guidelines". A little bit on knowledge tied with conjecture, disjointed experiences and a personal interpretation of "guidelines", not rules, is a dangerous things when portrayed to the public as fact.

The information you have is actually backwards. A business renting a space at an executive suite can not list as a Storefront, as they do not meet the GMB minimum requirements for signage. We have learned this from first hand experience. But a business can use a VO or an executive suite as a Service Area Business (SAB) provided they are have facilities (office or Conference Room) where they can meet with their clients during business hours. The VO staff acts as an extension of the businesses "team".

GMB has done a great job balancing the support of legitimate businesses and the prevention of abuse. I am sure it will always be a battle for GMB, but they are doing a great job weeding out the problems. I hope this forum can transition to one of helping businesses better utilize local services like GMB instead of scaring them away from this wonderful free advertising tool.

If you and your team do in fact meet with GMB representatives. Please help encourage them update their guidelines to spell out exactly how they allow the use of executive suites and real virtual offices (that include meeting space during business hours). Clearly the use of non office building "virtual offices" like PO Boxes or UPS Stores don't meet the requirements and do not do the internet viewer any benefit, hence not permitted to use the address on GMB. This is the active practice, so it would be great if GMB put it in the guidelines that way. I personally have made this request to GMB reps and they always say it will be submitted. I imagine GMB legal prefers to keep a broad and open guideline so they can operate as needed and focus on the problem businesses.

I hope you and your team fight to help make GMB more inclusive in their guidelines. Please don't take this battle with me over what is allowed or not and carry it forward as an attack on the legitimate users of GMB with virtual offices. The goal should be to seek the best outcome for every small business trying to legitimately get their business on the internet. Thanks

 

[keyserholiday]

I am not sure what else we can say to you. We have all spoken with multiple people from various departments with GMB, including the Trust and Safety team. We have routine hangouts with GMB where we discuss policies, spam, and new features. We just got back from the yearly PE Summit. We spoke extensively with the Trust and Safety team.

There are ways that using a VO or Executive offices are allowed. I have clients in legitimate VO/ EO's. They need to have an office where they can meet clients directly and in person. They are not SAB's. A SAB is a business that travels to its customer's location, a plumber, a carpet cleaner, locksmith and not a lawyer or a data recovery company.

The bottom line is any business owner can create a free GMB listing using their home address and mark it as a SAB. There is no need to rent a VO to create an SAB listing.

 

[Yan Gilbert]

I have a client which provides at home tutoring services and has a dedicated office space in a Regus location for an employee who is there everyday. The listing is verified at the Regus address as an SAB. It was suspended last year, but pictures were provided and it was reinstated. Is this not officially ok? Should the listing be technically verified at the owner's address instead?

 

[LaurenHoward]

I have a client which provides at home tutoring services and has a dedicated office space in a Regus location for an employee who is there everyday. The listing is verified at the Regus address as an SAB. It was suspended last year, but pictures were provided and it was reinstated. Is this not officially ok? Should the listing be technically verified at the owner's address instead?

Typically if you have an employee of your business (not an employee staffed by the building/virtual office) at the location during the business hours, and you're not just using a virtual office space "by appointment" then it is allowed. Because Regus is associated with virtual offices, it often triggers red flags/suspensions even if you did rent out a real office, it's just difficult to get Google to see that you have a legit office.

To get a head of this, I like to add photos of the office with signage of the business name to the photo album- then you have some documentation ready and available for support if the listing gets suspended. If the address is intended for customers to visit, then I would not hide the address- hiding the address is only if the address is private/not intended for customers to visit.

In general though, Regus and other offices associated with the virtual setup are not recommended because it's hard to get Google to believe it's not virtual, despite the possibility that it's the office space you truly work out of.

 

[JoyHawkins]

I have a client which provides at home tutoring services and has a dedicated office space in a Regus location for an employee who is there everyday. The listing is verified at the Regus address as an SAB. It was suspended last year, but pictures were provided and it was reinstated. Is this not officially ok? Should the listing be technically verified at the owner's address instead?

By definition, what you're describing is not a virtual office. Providers that offer virtual offices often also rent physical space. Virtual offices would be if you + the staff you employ are not there during stated hours.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Okay so just in case anyone thought the article referenced from 2017 was outdated or no longer applied 3 years later, I got confirmation (publicly) from Google that service area businesses are still not allowed to use virtual offices.



I'll be updating my article with this info too so the date is more current.

 

[MoneypennyCO]

Okay so just in case anyone thought the article referenced from 2017 was outdated or no longer applied 3 years later, I got confirmation (publicly) from Google that service area businesses are still not allowed to use virtual offices.



I'll be updating my article with this info too so the date is more current.

Hi @JoyHawkins. Now that we are almost in April 2021, have there been any changes to the policy for attorney's being allowed to set up virtual offices? We have an attorney client who won't let go of the idea that he can set up virtual offices in other states with individual GMB pages in addition to the main, verified, physical address he has in his home state. We've been advising him not to do so at the risk of having those listings suspended, but instead to lease office space or purchase a free-standing building with signage inside and out and a staff member present at the location during posted business hours to answer the land line.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[BenFisher]

No change, this is still not allowed and is right in the guidelines.

Address

• If your business rents a physical mailing address but doesn't operate out of that location, also known as a virtual office, that location is not eligible for a Business Profile on Google.

 

[MoneypennyCO]

No change, this is still not allowed and is right in the guidelines.

Address

• If your business rents a physical mailing address but doesn't operate out of that location, also known as a virtual office, that location is not eligible for a Business Profile on Google.

Thanks for confirmation, Ben.

 

[Matt Chauhan]

Okay so just in case anyone thought the article referenced from 2017 was outdated or no longer applied 3 years later, I got confirmation (publicly) from Google that service area businesses are still not allowed to use virtual offices.



I'll be updating my article with this info too so the date is more current.

That means a service area-based business can use a virtual office from the providers like Regus if they are properly staffed during stated hours and can attend to phone calls from the customers. Correct?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Yes, but in that case they wouldn't actually be a pure service area business. They would be a hybrid business. What Joy was referencing is in reference to pure service area businesses.

 

[Matt Chauhan]

Yes, but in that case they wouldn't actually be a pure service area business. They would be a hybrid business. What Joy was referencing is in reference to pure service area businesses.

We are proposing to get a VO from Regus in order to be verified using the postcard and then hide our address in GBP. I just want to make sure that we are not violating any Google guidelines.

 

[keyserholiday]

We are proposing to get a VO from Regus in order to be verified using the postcard and then hide our address in GBP. I just want to make sure that we are not violating any Google guidelines.

You must be staffed during posted business hours and have permanent signage to qualify.

 

[rgblocal]

You must be staffed during posted business hours and have permanent signage to qualify.

Is this stated in their policy / documentation, or inferred?

Edit: Missed the link above - woops!