Do you run a small business but would prefer to hide your store address without sacrificing search engine results?

You’re not alone, and although it’s usually more advantageous to keep your address visible, there are ways to hide it by building citations. Here’s a preview on how to obtain web anonymity without losing business.

 Why Hide Your Address?

Some businesses do not operate a physical, brick-and-mortar business. Therefore, they view the prospects of having their address online as more of an unnecessary privacy invasion. This, of course, is not something you would want to do if you run an automotive business, restaurant, or anything else contingent upon physical customer traffic.

Fortunately, if you’d like to maintain your privacy, or do not need to communicate with your customers from a physical location, there are ways to do so. Believe it or not, it’s possible to have a hidden address AND enjoy the advertising benefits of Google Maps.

How to Build Citations to Hide Your Address

One of the simplest ways to hide your address is to establish a virtual office, but this is less effective if Google switches its algorithms. Virtual offices on Google are a useful option as long as you don’t have to staff your business for any specific office or operational hours. 

Another solution is to build citations through other websites. You may have to put your address somewhere, but it doesn’t have to be on Google. You can advertise on less popular websites with an address besides your primary Google-oriented approach.

This is possible without compromising your SEO. Another method, however, is to use a direct-to-website submission strategy, which also leaves address details hidden. Many business owners even use a P.O. box location rather than their home addresses.

Finally, consider using an address from a shared workspace (including renting cheap office space somewhere). There are many ways to do this, as many businesses did during the pandemic lockdowns. Be careful, though, because you’re more vulnerable to deletion by Google. 

Does This Hurt Your Local Ranking as a Small Business?

This will depend on your business type, but we’re more than happy to help you determine that. There are many valid reasons to build citations and keep your address hidden.

• You operate a business that requires more security and confidentiality such as a mental health facility.

• It’s impossible to meet customers face-to-face for any reason.

• You run several locations or business franchises, which makes it confusing or unnecessary to identify a specific address.

• Your work remotely and your residential address wouldn’t look professional on your website.

So, while there’s no guarantee your address will remain hidden online, there are steps for heading in that direction. If you’d like to have a better shot at online anonymity AND get outstanding digital marketing results, then consider the services of DigiSphere Marketing. Our web design services help you avoid all the common pitfalls and enjoy lots of organic web traffic.

Contact us anytime to learn more by calling 941-803-4141.