Google Local Result- Competitor Ranks without an Address. Why is this happening?

[mgordon]

My client is in a fairly competitive local market and there is a competitor who has ranked locally for around 2 years, but they have no actual address on their Google business listing.  Just city and state.

The listing is always top three and it does have their website listed, but directions aren't even available as there is actual no address.

The listing is extremely keyword dense (basically spam but they actually created a business with the spam name).

Citation Example:  Keyword dense business name, phone number, city and state only

Have you seen this?  Can you explain why this is happening?  Is this against the rules/anything I can do?

Thanks!

[BeanstalkIM]

I'm pretty sure I've seen something like this but obviously not sure the exact details. Do you mind PMing me the competitor and the query so I can take a peek?  I don't need to know the client.

[BeanstalkIM]

Thanks to the OP for sending the info across.  For those who may be wondering what was going on to create this I won't give details obviously but in short, the site was setup as a Service Area Business (SAB) wherein their actual address is hidden but they've selected a radius they serve.

For those interested there's a page on it at https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038163.

[mgordon]

Hey Dave- This makes sense.  What is the appropriate way to report this?

[BeanstalkIM]

Will respond via PM ... just noticed multiple listings which is a direct violation.

[Deacyde]

While not related to this exact issue, I did have a question about SAB in general.

If you were a nationwide distributor able to drop ship from various locations across the nation, would we use a sab and include the whole nation or is there not a feature for that sort of issue yet?

Local SEO for a nationwide service doesn't seem like a thing yet, or maybe I'm missing something

[BeanstalkIM]

Hmmm ... I've never used SAB for a national company so I'll let anyone else voice in.

I don't think you'd use it but hopefully someone else will voice in.

[Deacyde]

Thanks, yeah I'm pretty sure national SEO is just to work on organic, but never hurts to ask and be 100% sure.

I've already asked one way, a while back, but really boils down to since we don't have physical locations and those drop shipping places are just affiliate services we can access, doesn't warrant the same local search options as say a Burger King or Walmart having those national physical listings.

Thanks anyways

[manuanr]

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