How Advantage of Visible Address Diminished to Next to Nil?

[consultant]

Seems like I'm seeing more service area businesses with no visible address making it into the 3-pack than before. I had previously thought, due to the fact on 3-pack and map results Google wants to map the business location, there was a strong preference (all other factors equal) to businesses with visible addresses. Anyone know if Google has dialed back the preference recognizing a very large percentage of businesses are service area businesses and/or by appointment only?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

There was a time years ago when having a visible address directly impacted ranking, positively. That's not the case anymore.

I could see it having an indirect impact since people tend to trust, and therefore click listings that have a visible address over one that doesn't. But that's just a hypothesis based on conversations with friends and family.

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[Linda Buquet]

Yes, I agree with Colan, for the past 3 or 4 years it didn't matter. I saw markets where everyone in the 3 pack (or 7 pack) had address hidden and the ones with address showing happened to rank lower.

 

[Tim Colling]

I agree with Colan and Linda - it isn't important any more for the industries that I work in most of the time, at least.