By Abigail Leow
So, you want to rank in a place where you don’t have a physical location. You’re not alone—businesses everywhere are asking the same thing. Whether you’re a service-area business (SAB) or a company trying to break into a new market, the question is simple: how do you show up in local search results for areas beyond your immediate geographic reach?
Let’s be real—ranking outside your physical location is like hunting for a unicorn. It’s tricky, elusive, and might just be a myth. But that doesn’t mean you can’t give it a shot. With the right strategies, you can stretch your digital footprint further than you thought possible.
Why Can’t I Just Rank Everywhere?
Google’s local search algorithm is designed to serve up results that are, well, local. It makes sense—when someone searches for “pizza near me,” they expect to find a place they can walk to, not one three cities away. Google prioritizes results that are closest to the searcher’s location because it’s trying to deliver the most relevant experience.
But what if your business, say a catering company, is willing to serve an entire region? Or what if you’re an SAB that provides services far beyond your listed address? This is where things get complicated. Google’s framework doesn’t always align with your business model, so you’ll need to get creative—and sometimes, you might have to settle for ranking in organic search results instead of the local pack.
What Can You Do?
1. Optimize the Google Business Profile (GBP) You Do Have
Before you can think about ranking outside your area, you need to make sure you’re dominating your local turf. This means optimizing your GBP to the max. Ensure that every detail is accurate, from your business name to your service areas. Follow all the best practices to maintain a strong local presence. If Google doesn’t see you as the best option in your home base, you can forget about ranking elsewhere.
2. SABs, Pay Extra Attention
Service-area businesses have a unique challenge. Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar businesses, you might not serve customers at a fixed location. Google lets SABs list up to 20 service areas by city or postal code. Just make sure these areas aren’t more than a two-hour drive from your base. This won’t necessarily boost your rankings, but it can help potential customers see that you’re available in their area.
Pro Tip: Don’t list an address if you don’t serve customers there. Google advises SABs to leave the business location field blank if they don’t operate out of that address.
3. Double Down on Prominence and Relevance
To rank outside your immediate area, you need to prove that your business is worth the drive—or the extra effort for customers to reach out to you. That means doubling down on prominence and relevance. Make sure your business is known for something specific and valuable. Whether it’s top-notch service or a niche offering, you need to stand out. Reviews, content, and backlinks all play a part in boosting your business’s credibility.
4. Rack Up Those Reviews
Reviews are your secret weapon. The more high-quality reviews you have, the more Google sees your business as trustworthy and authoritative. Encourage customers from all the areas you serve to leave reviews. The more geographically diverse your reviews, the better your chances of showing up in searches outside your home base.
Pro Tip: Use reputation management tools to help you gather and manage reviews from across your service areas.
5. Create Geo Pages (But Be Careful)
Geo pages, or city pages, are website pages tailored to specific locations where you don’t have a physical presence. They can help you rank in those areas, but there’s a catch—Google hates doorway pages. These are pages that exist solely to funnel traffic from search engines, with little unique content. To avoid this, make sure your geo pages offer real value, like customer testimonials, case studies, or area-specific services.
Pro Tip: Start small with just a few geo pages and see how they perform before rolling out more.
6. Get a (Real) Address There
If all else fails, consider opening a physical location in the area you want to target. This is the most direct way to boost your local rankings, but it’s also the most expensive. If you’re confident that the market justifies the investment, a real, staffed, brick-and-mortar location will give you the best chance of ranking locally.
Important: A PO box or virtual office won’t cut it. Google requires a real, staffed location to create a legitimate GBP.
Myths Debunked
Myth: Geo Pages Will Guarantee You Rank
Geo pages can help, but they’re not a magic bullet. If you’re in a highly competitive market, geo pages might not be enough to make you rank. On the other hand, if you’re offering a niche service with little competition, geo pages could be your ticket to better rankings.
Myth: A PO Box Will Do
Nope. Google’s not fooled by a PO box, and using one can actually hurt your rankings. It’s explicitly against Google’s guidelines to use a PO box as your business address.
Myth: Virtual Offices Are the Solution
Think again. Unless you can prove that you’re fully operating out of a virtual office, Google won’t allow it as a valid business location. It’s a risky move that could lead to penalties.
Expert Opinions
Claudia Tomina, CEO at Reputation ARM
“Showing up at the top of search results for areas far from your actual location is challenging and requires a mix of strategies. Paid ads are a quick way to rank outside the service area, but for long-term SEO, focus on local listings, city-specific pages, and quality content.”
Claire Carlile, Local SEO Expert at BrightLocal
“If you’re looking to gain organic visibility for locations beyond your physical location, organic local results are your best bet. Invest in unique, compelling content that can gain authority and eventually give you a chance of outranking competitors.”
Phil Rozek, Owner at Local Visibility System
“Make your service area explicit on every single page you hope to rank. Link your city pages to service pages and create content that’s heavy on both service and location-specific information.”
Andrew Prince, Senior SEO Manager at Rocket Mortgage
“If you want to rank outside of your service area, consider the scale of your topic. Avoid using LocalBusiness schema on pages targeting different areas—it can send mixed signals.”
Rachel Tinker, SEO Manager at Blue Corona
“When it comes to ranking outside your service area, focus on creating location-specific pages and locally targeted blog posts. Remember, the local pack is tough to crack, but organic rankings are still in play.”
In a digital world where visibility is everything, GMB Fox ensures your business isn’t just online—it’s the first choice customers make. Let us handle the complexities of digital marketing, so you can focus on what truly matters: growing your business.
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