Updating address for listing that's an SAB

[Ben_apt]

I've ready through some other threads but not found the answer I'm after.
We manage a listing that's an SAB - the registered address is a co-op or shared office space that doesn't have signage and is not staffed, so the address has been hidden, as per Google's guidelines.

The business is moving to a different address, but with the same setup, meaning we still won't be able to show the address.

We'd still like to update the GBP address on the backend, and keep it hidden, but am very cautions of this triggering a verification. Is there a step by step process to doing this?
We are aware of some tips that might not be best practice anymore and might be out of date
Thanks

 

[Professor M]

We manage a listing that's an SAB - the registered address is a co-op or shared office space that doesn't have signage and is not staffed, so the address has been hidden, as per Google's guidelines.

You should read the guidelines as it is against the guidelines even for SAB

 

[Ben_apt]

You should read the guidelines as it is against the guidelines even for SAB

Changing address is against the guidelines? Not sure I follow here. We want the address to continue to be hidden

 

[JS Girard]

I think Professor is just misreading the background. Let's just generally assume for the purpose of this discussion that the business is legit.

It is currently absolutely impossible to change the address that is used to rank a SAB.

So the important question is: does this address change significantly affects the area the business will be servicing in the future? Because if it does not, there is no reason to really change it anyway.

 

[Professor M]

Changing address is against the guidelines? Not sure I follow here. We want the address to continue to be hidden

I am not talking about changing address but this setup is against the guidelines: "the registered address is a co-op or shared office space that doesn't have signage and is not staffed, so the address has been hidden, as per Google's guidelines." if it is not staffed in a co shared office space it is not compliant with the guidelines

 

[Ben_apt]

I am not talking about changing address but this setup is against the guidelines: "the registered address is a co-op or shared office space that doesn't have signage and is not staffed, so the address has been hidden, as per Google's guidelines." if it is not staffed in a co shared office space it is not compliant with the guidelines

Surely it's not compliant with showing the address publicly, which is why we keep and still want the address to be hidden?

 

[Ben_apt]

I think Professor is just misreading the background. Let's just generally assume for the purpose of this discussion that the business is legit.

It is currently absolutely impossible to change the address that is used to rank a SAB.

So the important question is: does this address change significantly affects the area the business will be servicing in the future? Because if it does not, there is no reason to really change it anyway.

We need to update the address on the LSA profile so insurance and other business docs are accepted. LSA support claim they can see which address is on the backend of a GBP that's set to an SAB and they want to see the new address there before being able to update the address on the LSA profile.

I am not comfortable just leaving the old address when it's not one the business operates out of at all

 

[Professor M]

Surely it's not compliant with showing the address publicly, which is why we keep and still want the address to be hidden?

even with hidden address is not permitted:

Service-area businesses​

Service-area businesses, or businesses that serve customers at their locations, should have one profile for the central office or location with a designated service area. Service-area businesses can't list a "virtual" office unless that office is staffed during business hours.

It should read own staff

You should have a private office with signage if there are verification issues or gets suspended otherwise they will not help, even if it is a SAB

 

[JS Girard]

We need to update the address on the LSA profile so insurance and other business docs are accepted. LSA support claim they can see which address is on the backend of a GBP that's set to an SAB and they want to see the new address there before being able to update the address on the LSA profile.

I am not comfortable just leaving the old address when it's not one the business operates out of at all

That's going to be a challenge then, 'cause you genuinely need to be able to verify the new address, and as Professor M points out, in the new system, where it's usually video validation, doing so is almost impossible for those sort of coworking spaces.

 

[Ben_apt]

even with hidden address is not permitted:

Service-area businesses​

Service-area businesses, or businesses that serve customers at their locations, should have one profile for the central office or location with a designated service area. Service-area businesses can't list a "virtual" office unless that office is staffed during business hours.

It should read own staff

You should have a private office with signage if there are verification issues or gets suspended otherwise they will not help, even if it is a SAB

We don't want to list the virtual office, just update the address so Google and LSA support see it on the backend

 

[JS Girard]

We don't want to list the virtual office, just update the address so Google and LSA support see it on the backend

1) You literally said the new address has the same setup.
2) in theory, that IS the way to change the backend address that LSA will see
3) Changing that backend address just will not work to actually alter the address used for ranking

point #3 is why you cannot move a SAB to a different locale (which I thought was what you wanted to do). It's a counterintuitive and profoundly stupid bug that Google seem to steadfastly refuse to fix. In theory, it should be possible to change the address LSA sees, BUT as I and Professor M point out, the revalidation process is going to be at best a challenge.

If that is also the address used on all the documentation, it might go over a little better. I really wouldn't know though: my agency never had to deal with this particular kind of setup. Our corner cases are usually formal sublets within other commercial spaces or home addresses.

 

[Professor M]

We don't want to list the virtual office, just update the address so Google and LSA support see it on the backend

However, virtual offices are not allowed for storefront or service area businesses. Google meant by "list" is to use it as the verification address, which is the address that LSA team wants to be changed, as JS Girard points out

 

[JoyHawkins]

Here are instructions for how you handle a move for a service area business on Google. However, as others have stated, you are not likely to be successful as getting the new profile verified is going to be difficult if you are violating guidelines. Virtual offices/coworking spaces are not allowed.

 

[klharris08]

Who would get business insurance and other business documents where the address is a shared co-op space? Why not get business insurance at a place that is more stable, like your home address if you only meet customers where they live? It seems weird to use the address of a WeWork (for example) for important business documents, especially if you are never there. Am I missing something?

My solution here is to get supporting business documents at an address where you can verify a business from.