Can You Use a Virtual Office to List Your Business on Google Maps?

Guidelines & Virtual HQ Recommendations

If Google even suspects that you are violating their guidelines, they can suspend your listing and require proof to reinstate it. They set the rules, and if they choose not to verify your listing, they have the right to do so, even if it seems unfair.

There are indeed verified virtual office spaces online. However, Google can’t catch every violation, and there’s no way to predict when a listing might be suspended until it happens. Visit the Google Guidelines to find out more information for representing your business on Google. 

This isn’t the end of the world, work on building your local Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) to improve your business’s outreach. Building your presence is more than just a pin on the map, and local SEO is the perfect way build out your business profile. To find out more on how to build your local SEO, please visit our blog here. Additionally, we have listed the best software to use for Local SEO to help your business make an informed decision.

Virtual HQ wants to ensure that customers have other alternatives to further enhance their business outreach. We have put together comprehensive instructions on how to get your business listed on Bing Places and added to Apple Maps.

What Happens if I Create a Google Listing for a Virtual Office?

Virtual HQ strongly recommends that customers add one location on Google My Business at a time. If you are a multi-site client at Virtual HQ, we advise adding your multiple locations individually and spreading them out over time to avoid any issues with Google. We can’t guarantee that this will work, as virtual offices can be treated differently on a case-by-case basis.

The outcomes can be unpredictable, as Google’s approach is inconsistent. While some law firms successfully create Google Business profiles for their virtual offices without issues, others face difficulties. Here are the possible scenarios:

1. The listing is verified and goes live without any problems.
2. The listing is verified initially, but later Google suspends it, requesting proof that the business adheres to guidelines (e.g., videos, photos, business documentation, or a combination of these).
3. Google immediately asks for proof upon submission, such as a live video or another verification method, to confirm compliance with guidelines. If you cannot provide this, the profile will not be verified.

In summary, there is no way to predict whether Google will verify your virtual office in advance. Moreover, not every virtual office is treated the same, so creating a listing comes with risks.

Should I use a Virtual Office Space on Google Maps?

Many businesses, especially those primarily working from home, grapple with the decision of using virtual office spaces due to the high costs of maintaining a physical office. While a virtual office can be appealing, it’s crucial to adhere to Google’s Guidelines to avoid the risk of suspension. Leasing a virtual space only to discover it cannot be verified by Google can be a frustration.

Here at Virtual HQ, our goal is to educate clients and potential customers on Google’s best practices and the potential consequences of not following their guidelines. 

Unfortunately, we do not have the final say on whether listings will get verified. Ultimately, the decision to use a virtual office space is a business decision that depends on the client/customer.