Working with service-area businesses (SABs) presents a unique set of challenges when it comes to local SEO. Unlike your typical brick-and-mortar businesses, SABs—like locksmiths, plumbers, and exterminators—don’t operate from a storefront where customers can visit. Instead, they serve customers at their locations, which often means you need a different playbook when it comes to managing online citations.
For service-area businesses, visibility is key, but so is privacy. These businesses don’t always want to display their physical address online; instead, they need to specify the areas they cover. The problem? Not every citation site gives you that flexibility.
"Service-area businesses need to play by a different set of SEO rules. It’s about making sure you're visible where it matters most—without exposing too much."
That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best citation sites for SABs across different regions. Whether you're in the USA, UK, Canada, or Australia, this guide will help you find the right directories that allow you to hide your address while still specifying your service area.
Why Citation Sites Matter for Service-Area Businesses
Citations are a cornerstone of local SEO, but for SABs, they’re even more important. When you’re competing for visibility in local searches without a physical storefront, being listed in the right directories becomes a must. Google and other search engines use these listings to verify your business details, which helps you rank higher in search results for your service area.
For SABs, hiding your address while specifying your service area is crucial to staying competitive without sacrificing privacy.
Top Citation Sites for Service-Area Businesses in the USA
Let’s kick things off with the USA. These are the top citation sites that allow service-area businesses to hide their addresses and specify their service areas.
Citation Site | Domain Authority | General/Niche |
Google Business Profile | 100 | General |
Yelp | 93 | General |
Bing Places | 90 | General |
Apple Maps | 91 | General |
Angi (formerly Angie’s List) | 85 | Niche (Home Services) |
HomeAdvisor | 82 | Niche (Home Services) |
Thumbtack | 80 | General |
Nextdoor | 83 | General |
Yellow Pages | 88 | General |
Houzz | 80 | Niche (Home Improvement) |
Top Citation Sites for Service-Area Businesses in the UK
For SABs in the UK, here’s a list of citation sites that let you hide your address while specifying the regions you serve:
Citation Site | Domain Authority | General/Niche |
Scoot | 86 | General |
Yell | 88 | General |
FreeIndex | 75 | General |
Thomson Local | 83 | General |
Yelp UK | 93 | General |
77 | General | |
My Local Services | 74 | General |
LocalPages UK | 70 | General |
FindOpen UK | 66 | General |
Hotfrog UK | 81 | General |
Top Citation Sites for Service-Area Businesses in Canada
For Canadian businesses that need to hide their address but specify their service areas, here are the top citation sites:
Citation Site | Domain Authority | General/Niche |
Yellow Pages Canada | 85 | General |
Canada411 | 88 | General |
Hotfrog Canada | 83 | General |
Cylex Canada | 82 | General |
Yalwa Canada | 77 | General |
85 | General | |
Canpages | 75 | General |
LocalBusinessGuide | 70 | General |
FindOpen Canada | 61 | General |
ShowMeLocal Canada | 66 | General |
Top Citation Sites for Service-Area Businesses in Australia
For our friends down under, these citation sites will help you specify your service areas without displaying your physical address:
Citation Site | Domain Authority | General/Niche |
Yellow Pages Australia | 85 | General |
Hotfrog Australia | 83 | General |
dLook | 78 | General |
Gumtree Australia | 74 | General |
StartLocal | 76 | General |
Cylex Australia | 82 | General |
Yalwa Australia | 77 | General |
AussieWeb | 70 | General |
69 | General | |
FindOpen Australia | 66 | General |
Why These Directories Matter
Citations on the right directories help you rank in Google’s local search results even if you don’t have a physical storefront for customers to visit. These directories allow service-area businesses to get in front of the right audience while keeping their address private.
By listing on these platforms, you can gain trust, improve your search engine rankings, and make it easy for potential customers to find you.
Wrapping It Up
Getting listed on the right citation sites is essential for service-area businesses that want to stay competitive in local SEO. Whether you're in the USA, UK, Canada, or Australia, these directories let you hide your address and focus on the areas you serve—so you can grow your business without compromising your privacy.
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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