[Quiz Result] Can a Food Truck Have a GMB Listing If They Don’t Have a Permanent Location?

This is part 1 in a series of posts that will dive into the questions, and answers, from the 2020 Local SEO Blackbelt Quiz. If you haven’t taken the quiz, head over there now and give it a shot. 

Here are the scores from the following quiz question.

Can a food truck have a GMB listing if they don’t have a permanent location?

We had over 900 respondents answer this question. Here’s how the answers break down. The correct answer is Yes.

Food Trucks are businesses but are often unable to use Google My Business due to their inability to receive mail.  If they don’t accept mail at their location, or their location isn’t permanent, they have two options:

1. If they want to utilize Google My Business, they are allowed to set up a listing as a service area business using their home address but it won’t show their location or have a pin on the map.
2. If they do have a permanent location but just can’t get mail, they can technically be added as a place on Google Maps but wouldn’t be allowed to utilize Google My Business.  This would be a better option if having a map pin & driving directions outweighs the need to respond to reviews or do posts.   According to a post on the MapMaker Forum, which has since closed:

“If a truck is always in the same spot from X o’clock to Y o’clock on (a) particular day(s) of the week then I would interpret the guidelines as saying we can map it, whether it moves at night nor not.”

To add a location via Google Maps, follow these instructions. Note: With this option, it won’t be possible to manage or verify the listing via Google My Business but the listing will still rank.

Stay tuned for part 2 in the Local SEO Blackbelt Quiz results series.