Multiple Locations and Service Areas

Introduction

When a business grows, marketing becomes more complex. A second shop needs its own listing. A plumber who travels to customers needs a different set-up from a café. Platform guidelines are strict about what counts as a location, and mistakes can lead to suspensions. Always read the current guidelines for your business type.

Storefront versus service area

• A storefront business serves customers at a physical address during stated hours. It shows its address publicly.
• A service area business travels to customers, such as a plumber, locksmith or mobile groomer. It lists the areas it serves and usually hides its home address.
• A hybrid serves customers at a location and travels. It can show both, following the guidelines.

Set up your profile according to what you really are, and keep it accurate.

Multiple locations

Each real, staffed location that customers can visit usually has its own listing, with:

• Its own address, phone and hours
• Its own photos and local details
• A dedicated page on your website with unique, helpful content, linked from a locations page
• Consistent naming following the platform's guidance, such as the brand name, and the area only where it is genuinely part of your usual name

Do not create listings for places where you have no staffed presence. Virtual offices, mailboxes, shared desks without signage and staff-less addresses typically do not qualify, and fake locations are a leading cause of suspensions.

Service area businesses

• Choose the areas you genuinely serve, within a reasonable range, such as towns or postcodes, and not an entire country.
• Hide your address on the profile if customers do not visit you there.
• Make sure your website explains the areas and services, with truthful, helpful pages.
• Do not claim to have a shop where you do not.
• Be clear about call-out fees, hours and response times.

Consistency at scale

• Keep a master record for the business and one for each location.
• Use the same brand name, categories and descriptions, with local details added.
• Create standard processes for hours changes, holiday notices, photos, review replies and questions.
• Check all listings regularly for errors, duplicates and unauthorised changes.
• Prepare templates for responses, but personalise them. Copy-pasted identical replies feel cold.

Roles and access

• Use the platform's owner and manager roles so each person has the access they need, and no one shares passwords.
• Keep at least two owners in case someone leaves.
• Remove former staff and agencies promptly.
• Two-factor authentication on the accounts.
• Write down who is responsible for each location's reviews and updates.
• If you hire an agency, check that you remain the owner of your listings, and that they follow the guidelines.

Local differences

Each location may serve a different community. Adapt photos, offers, events and content, and ask each team for local knowledge. Review performance per location, as you learned in the measurement lesson, and compare fairly, considering size and local competition.

If a listing is suspended

1. Read the notice and the specific guideline cited.
2. Fix the problem, such as incorrect category, address or name.
3. Appeal through the official process with accurate evidence, such as photos of signs, licences and utility bills where requested.
4. Do not create duplicate listings or accounts to get around it.
5. Learn from it, and update your procedures.

Try it yourself

For your business, decide whether it is a storefront, a service area or a hybrid. List each location or area with address or area, hours and the owner of each listing. Write a one-page procedure for updating holiday hours across all listings.

Summary

• Storefront, service area and hybrid businesses are set up differently, and each location listing must be real and staffed.
• Keep master records, standard processes and consistent branding with local details.
• Manage access through roles and two-factor authentication, and respond to suspensions through official routes.