SAB moving from primary target location to non-target location - best way to handle GMB?

[MonicaH]

I have a client with a SAB that covers a large metro area made up of several distinct cities and a lot of small towns.

They have an office in the "best" of those cities (and that's where they do most of their business) but are selling it (closing end of Dec) and moving the business to a home located in a much smaller town nearby. The current business address is hidden on GMB (because there's usually no one in the office - which is why they're selling it) and they rank ok (not great, but OK - about 5 - 9 in local pack, depending on search term) in that city (which is their preferred service area).

I assume we'll have to change the address in GMB (and all other citations) because the new business buying the current office location will be using that address with their GMB profile/citations.

Changing the client's GMB address to the small town will affect local pack/maps visibility, right? Especially if it's not a town in which he does much business.

What is best practice in this situation? Use the home address and accept less visibility? Use a VO in the preferred location? Something else?

He's not concerned about hiding the home address on other citations (it will obviously be hidden on GMB) so it's fine to use that address. I just want to be sure I'm not killing his local search visibility in the area where he does most of his business!

Thanks for any suggestions y'all can provide!

 

[BenFisher]

Currently, the best practice is to leave it where it is, as a SAB. No need to change the address as ranking proximity is based on the verified address. However, you will want to keep a DBA that is registered to that address, just in case of suspension.

 

[MonicaH]

I'm a little confused, @BenFisher - won't it be a problem when the company that's buying the office location sets up and verifies their GMB profile at that address? My client won't have any connection whatsoever to that location after it's sold so nothing will be registered to that address.

 

[JoshuaMackens]

He should negotiate in the contract of sale to keep his GMB listing there. Unless the company moving in is in the same industry, it won't hurt them. And I doubt they'll care.

 

[MonicaH]

He should negotiate in the contract of sale to keep his GMB listing there. Unless the company moving in is in the same industry, it won't hurt them. And I doubt they'll care.

Wouldn't have thought of this - thanks!