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Google seems to have a bug when changing the addresses of some server area businesses (SABs) according to local SEO Ben Fisher. He said on Twitter that "ff you are trying to change an address for a (SAB) Service Area business, adding an address and clearing it is not working. In most cases, it will revert back to the initial address."
So if you move your business, you really cannot change your address right now.
The crazy part, he said you wouldn't notice this if you didn't use the API. He said "You would not know this unless you were using the API." Plus many of these get stuck in the reinstatements queue.
The good news is that this is a "temporary bug," Ben said. This only occurs in two situations.
- Adding an address and clearing it for a move, will revert the address back to what it was before as a service level business.
- Going from a storefront to a service level business removes all traces of an address.
This is an issue because he said what "happens is if you get suspended there is no recourse at the moment, since the address will be wrong in both cases."
So maybe hold off on making changes for SABs in Google My Business until this is fixed.
Forum discussion at Twitter.
Update: Ben Fisher updated us saying "Small update here, I talked to Google and they are aware of the issue and working on a near term fix. The good news, I was able to get a null address SAB reinstated."
