Google Maps now open to Plumbers, Contractors, Real Estate Agents, and other Home-Based Businesses
Google is finally making their Maps product friendly to home-based and service businesses who are very local in nature, but they don’t have a “physical location”. They often come to you. Until now, businesses had to display a physical address to get a listing on Google Maps in one location. This makes it difficult for service-based businesses that come to you, target additional towns/cities. This new feature (still in testing) should solve that problem.
Businesses will be able to choose whether to list their address and they can select the service area. Service areas can be input either via distance from a single point, or listing cities/zip codes.
NOTE:
This is in testing, so it may not be available in all areas/listings yet,but go ahead and try it now. If you already have a current listing, log into your Local Business Center and update your listing to add your service areas. If you don’t have a listing, add it today! Go to: www.google.com/LocalBusinessCenter
Matt McGee wrote a step-by-step at Search Engine Land.