IT'S NUANCED
Local SEO requires physical address
LOCAL
HIGH Impact
INTERMEDIATE
The Myth
"You can't do local SEO without a physical business address."
The Truth
It depends on your business type. For Google Business Profile (local pack rankings), you need a legitimate business location—either a storefront or service-area business designation. Service-area businesses can hide their address while still ranking locally. For local SEO beyond GBP (local content, local links), no physical address is strictly required.
DInsight from @dejanseo
"If you serve local customers, Google wants to show you. Service-area business settings exist for a reason. Don't fake an address—configure GBP correctly for your business type."