[Quiz Result] Are Appointment-Only Businesses Allowed a GMB Listing?
We had 817 people answer this question in our 2020 Local SEO Blackbelt Quiz. The correct answer is yes.
Here’s how the answers broke down.
Google My Business currently doesn’t have an option for hours to allow businesses to indicate they are available by appointment only. If a business is appointment-only, Google states that it shouldn’t provide hours on their listing.
For example, the home-based massage therapist can set themselves up as a storefront as long as they don’t set business hours because they don’t want people walking up without making an appointment. If the customers are coming to the massage therapist’s house they would want to keep the address visible (not hide it).
This does not mean that virtual offices that are used to meet clients occasionally (by appointment) are allowed since they would not be regularly staffed.
So What?
Google My Business has never had a perfect way to indicate that you are a by-appointment-only business. However, removing your hours, as well as adding a blurb to your GMB description, and perhaps even your Google Posts, is a great way to indicate to customers that you are only available by appointment. Lastly, make sure to select the “Appointment Required” GMB attribute that was launched in 2020.
My biz has been suspended. I’ve been using an address that has virtual offices as well as normal office space. It also has training rooms which are valuable to me. There are always people there, a receptionist and an office manager at all times. It is in a prestigious location. I have my own private phone service just for my business. This is so much more professional for me than having no address. I also found that having no address became a challenge for one customer to find my home address and it was NOT a pleasant experience. For security reasons, I sincerely need a true office address. Do you think this could get me out of suspension?
Hi Fran, are you using a virtual office or one of the normal offices? You need to have the location staffed with your own staff in order to qualify to use that location.
Hey Fran,
I would suggest posting your issue on the GMB forum: https://support.google.com/business/community?hl=en. Include all the details of your business (name, address, phone etc) and someone can advise.
Well the thing is, you have a link available at GMB where you can instead use it for a contact form on your site so you get your appointment set up.