Expanding HVAC Service Area from FL to AL – Best GBP & Website Strategy?

[Matt Chauhan]

We’re working with an HVAC contractor based in Pensacola, FL, who has an existing hybrid GBP tied to their physical office in Florida. The company is now licensed to operate in Alabama and wants to expand its service into Baldwin County, AL.

They don’t have a physical office in Alabama, but they’re hiring a technician who lives in Baldwin County to handle service requests there.

Question:
What’s the best approach for targeting this second state (Alabama) in terms of:

1. Google Business Profile – Should we create a second GBP, even without a physical office in AL?
2. Website Strategy – How should we structure service area pages to effectively target Baldwin County and its cities?

We’d appreciate insights on local SEO best practices for multi-state service expansion without multiple offices. I appreciate any help you can provide.

 

[ElizabethRule]

Does Alabama require businesses to have a physical address in the state? Many states do. If so, you could use that address for verification purposes and hide the address when setting up the Google Business Profile. Google may request video verification, in which case the technician will need to visit the area with a branded vehicle, tools, and other business materials to prove they are providing HVAC services in Baldwin County, AL.

However, it might be better to establish a small office in Baldwin County to register the business there. Setting up a space for the technician to work from and meet clients (if necessary), along with adding signage, would not only make the presence more official in Google's eyes but could also improve your rankings.

As for the website, does it currently only target Florida? If so, I would recommend creating some content specifically for Alabama, such as city pages for key cities, a county page, and a state page. Be sure to create a page for whatever city you register the business in and include the address on that page. Even if you hide the address on Google, having the address visible on your website can help with rankings.

 

[Stefan Somborac]

I'll add a simple business perspective to Elizabeth's post; I've worked with several clients who were reluctant to pay rent to establish a physical presence in a new location.

In the end, I think you'll find that the cost of rent is a small fraction of the revenue you can generate from a Business Profile with good online visibility. The ROI is easy to calculate and, likely, positive.

 

[Matt Chauhan]

Does Alabama require businesses to have a physical address in the state? Many states do. If so, you could use that address for verification purposes and hide the address when setting up the Google Business Profile. Google may request video verification, in which case the technician will need to visit the area with a branded vehicle, tools, and other business materials to prove they are providing HVAC services in Baldwin County, AL.

However, it might be better to establish a small office in Baldwin County to register the business there. Setting up a space for the technician to work from and meet clients (if necessary), along with adding signage, would not only make the presence more official in Google's eyes but could also improve your rankings.

As for the website, does it currently only target Florida? If so, I would recommend creating some content specifically for Alabama, such as city pages for key cities, a county page, and a state page. Be sure to create a page for whatever city you register the business in and include the address on that page. Even if you hide the address on Google, having the address visible on your website can help with rankings.

Hi, Elizabeth. You do not need a physical office in Alabama to register the business. The business will be hiring a technician from that region. He will act as a Registered Agent with a physical address in Alabama, which is a state requirement.

Thanks for your input for the website. We will be moving forward with the suggestions.