New Google SAB Update + Don't Make this Frightful Mistake!

[Linda Buquet]

Since it's Halloween I just had to work the word "Frightful" in. You'll see why in 2nd screenshot.

Just discovered a new little Google update. At least I think it's new because I have not seen anyone mention yet.

Service area businesses, the neglected and even sometimes abused step child of Local Search, just got a little extra attention and a little update from Google.

The service radius feature, while available in dash was seldom seen by customers. I don't think very many consumers went to maps and noticed the to "Show service area."

But now service area is showing up
right in the Knowledge Graph in page one Google Search.




And here is the Frightful Mistake I was warning you about.
Careful where you put that thang... your map marker than is!

​

If you set your service area wrong you can land in Lake Michigan.

And if you set your service area wrong
PLUS use a fake violation-filled name on top of it
Well... your local search skills are just plain scary!


​

That company needs help! I think on top of all the that it's a duplicate listing.
Who needs a new client? Go sic 'em Danno!

Happy Halloween everyone!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Meant to ask... is the service radius showing in search new?
Or did I just miss it?

I don't really work with SABs, so could have missed it if Mike or someone mentioned before.

 

[Keenan Glass]

Maybe they just specialize in carpet cleaning on boats.

Everyone needs a niche.

 

[Linda Buquet]

LOL Keenan. You crack me up!

But you are right, everyone needs a good niche!

 

[Dustybones]

Plumbers Houston shows a few. I also continually have to un-check that box in Google. They love automatically changing it...

 

[Linda Buquet]

Mike just posted about it too.

Google SAB Update: Service Area Now Displaying in Knowledge Panel

 

[Jim Froling]

Maybe they just specialize in carpet cleaning on boats.

Everyone needs a niche.

Or maybe their niche is cleaning up Lake Michigan, which could really use it! Dirty, dirty job. Similar to our work with dupes. Dirty job but someone has to do it

 

[Tyson Downs]

Linda do you think there is any advantage to stating the zip codes that you serve verse just stating how many miles you serve from your location?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Ty,

Nope. And listing zips or cities is how you end up with a marker in a lake like that or out in the middle of a field outside of town. Whatever you put in that box Google will calculate the middle.

Best setting by far is city, NO ZIP and 20 mile radius. Then Google will put your marker smack in the middle of the city. By default I think she lists your city AND your zip, which would put you in the middle of your zip. If that marker location looks ideal then you can leave zip in.

Keep in mind no matter what you put in that box it won't affect ranking at all. If you add a zip it won't help you rank there. If you add the next city over you won't rank there.

That setting only affects the visual radius that shows on the map. And more importantly map marker placement if address is hidden.

 

[Keenan Glass]

I agree with Linda, and that works fine in most cases, but you may need to take into account the company's goals and then look at this from a Users point of view.

I live in a BIG city so I have clients that do not want to service certain parts of town. A simple radius might give the impression that they will travel to one side of town, which they won't, but drawing it in too close misses a big area on another side of town.

This wasn't an issue when the service-area was impossible to find, but now it is.

So in some cases zip codes are better. Just depends.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Yes true and good point. If you need to use service areas because you ONLY service specific areas of town due to licensing or distance, then zips would be good as long as it does not put your marker in a lake or something.

But in most cases a business services the whole city and their only goal in tweaking service areas is because they think it will help them rank or show up in certain areas.