London Ohio Virtual Business & Digital Marketing Guide
London Connections to Places, Professionals, and Processes
Business Places & Profiles Trusted Business Professionals Business Resources Meetings & Networking
London Community Builder
Matt Yerkes - CEO & Founder
I work with business owners to improve their professional presence. This includes assistance with their Google Business Profile, Physical or Virtual business location, website and professional networking. I own Business Center locations and collaborate with building owners throughout the Columbus region to help business owners find the right virtual spaces or private office locations that help them reach their customers. I maintain this guide to share my resources and connections. If you would like to suggest an edit to this guide or get help to improve your professional presence please connect with me.
London Connections to Business Places
The library has one meeting room that, when not in use by the library, is available to civic, professional, government, educational, and other not for profit groups (no selling, solicitation or order taking allowed). The room has seating for 70, is handicap accessible, and contains most standard audio-visual equipment. The meeting room is reserved on a first come, first served basis. There is no charge for the room, but donations are accepted.
A post office box at the London United States Postal Service is the most affordable address option, and you never have to worry about the store going out of business and losing your business address, but many business and legal documents do not allow mailing and receiving via P.O. box.
The London Business Center provides an affordable retreat with a work environment to step up your professionalism, increase your productivity, and eliminate distractions. Our office and meeting spaces are a great place to collaborate with colleagues and clients. Plans are ideally suited for service-based businesses, contractors, sales teams and remote workers. London Business Center Provides Businesses With A Local Business Address, Office, Dedicated Workspaces, and a Meeting Room to meet, work and grow.
The Nook Coffee Bar is open 6am-6:30pm Monday-Friday and weekend hours vary. as a coffee shop with coworking available in dining areas. It is first come first served, and they offer free wifi to customers. This is the best fit for consultants and remote workers looking to get a break from their house with a great cup of coffee.
London Connections to Trusted Professionals
For Google to verify your Business Profile, you need to validate that you own and actively operate the business at the location you provide. This typically involves a video verification showing your workspace, business equipment, branding, and access to non-public areas. If you serve customers at their locations rather than inviting them to yours, your profile should be configured as a Service Area Business. This allows you to define the communities you serve while keeping your street address hidden from public view. Your address is still required for verification, but it will not be displayed on your profile, helping protect your privacy while demonstrating legitimate business ownership and control.
Professional Meeting Location
Service area businesses and some storefront businesses still need a professional place to meet with clients, vendors and employees. This may not be practical at your home, a coffee shop and sometimes even at your office.
Permanent Mailing Address
Businesses often need several different mailing addresses. First is the legal address for the Statutory Agent listed for your LLC. This is usually an attorney if you set this up professionally but if you skip legal help and do this directly with the Ohio Secretary of State then you may need to list yourself as the Statutory agent. It may not be ideal to use your home address and you cant use a PO Box or CMRA (mail center).
For business mail such as checks, bills and contracts it may be helpful to have a PO Box if this is convenient to your home. It is a huge hassle for a business to change the payment address for their customer payments, credit card statements, bank statements and other business mail so with a PO Box you can set this once and have mail go there for decades and also know that it is secure while you are out of town.
Businesses We Commonly Help
Business Resources - Google Business Profile Support
Fix Your Existing Google Business Profile or Setup a New Profile Correctly. These fixes help Google understand what you do, the customers you serve and validate claims about your business.
- Help Google understand what you do
- Help Google understand the customers you serve
- Help Google validate what you claim
- Setup new profiles correctly
- Assess policy & compliance violations
Business Resources - Service Area Business vs Storefront Business
Learn what type of business profile is appropriate for your type of business and the Places where you serve your customers.
Trades, Construction & Home Services Accordion
What is a Service Area Business?
A Service Area business is a business that does not have customers visit their brick and mortar location. It does not apprea in map results and hides your address. Some examples are home services and contractors that go to the customer's location, and businesses operating out of their home or a coworking space.
What is a Storefront Business?
A Storefront business is a business where customers come to your location to purchase goods and/or services. This is a mapped Google Business Profile so that customers can get directions to visit the business. Storefront businesses are popular with companies that want to show up in "near me" searches, such as "coffee shops near me" or "hair salon near me".
Benefits and Limitations
Both types of businesses can configure up to 20 individual towns or neighborhoods for their Google Business Profile. In practice, your website will need to show examples of your work and have landing pages for each of those communities before Google will show your business profile to customers in that area.
When a Home-Based Business Should Hide Its Address
A home-based business should configure their Google Business Profile as a Service Area business and hide their address unless you have signage and customers visit your home. Google will still require video verification of your home office to show that you own and control the business.
When A Storefront Business Is Appropriate
Google requires storefront business to meet the following criteria:
- have permanent signage at your location
- have staff onsite during your business hours
- submit a video and often additional verification documents to show that your business operates here and you have access to non-public areas
Business Resources - Virtual Business & Digital Marketing Plans
The Virtual Business & Digital Marketing Plan is perfect for any business that works from home, the job site or is considering a virtual office or coworking/shared office space. Many of our clients are just starting a business or are facing limitations operating their business from home. With a quick phone conversation, we’ll explain how it works, what to expect and Google's rules for Service Area Businesses. We’ll share free resources and tips that will take the guess work out of what is needed for your type of business before you sign up for a plan with anyone. The address, mailbox and meeting rooms included are for our Grove City or London Business Centers however other locations are available. We can also tailor a plan with just the features and amenities that are best for you. The Virtual Business & Digital Marketing Plan includes:
Google Business Profile Support
To prepare, setup, verify & optimize. We will explain Googles policies, help you steer clear of common mistakes that result in profile suspension.
Professionally Written and Built One Page Website with Support to Add Pages
This is the fastest and least expensive way to start but with a solid marketing foundation that can grow with your business.
Custom Monthly Post for Your Website, Google Business Profile, & Social Media Using Our Quick Success Story Platform.
These posts showcase your work and follow SEO best practices.
Our Staff Picks for Best London Locations
Best For Contractors
The London Business Center: Allows for 24/7 access to get mail and packages, and business owners can have a business address and office that is compliant for a Google Business Profile
Best For Consultants
The London Business Center: Combines the best of having an inexpensive business address with the best location to get work done
Best For Financial Advisors
The London Business Center: Access to multiple private meeting rooms that are equipped with flatscreen TVs and privacy to have financial conversations with clients
Best For Remote Workers
The Nook Coffee Bar: For the cost of food and beverages at the coffee shop, you get wifi and a change of scenery from working at your house
Best For Startups
The Nook Coffee Bar: Combines the best of having an inexpensive business address with the best location to get work done
Best Overall Value
The London Business Center: Businesses can get a business address and meeting room access while using the Pick 'Em Up Joe dining area for free coworking
London Networking and Business Resources
Trades, Construction & Home Services Accordion
Networking Groups
We don't know of any networking groups yet in London, but in northern Madison County there is the Plain City Business Association and BNI Clocktower Connections.
Chamber Resources
The Madison County Chamber of Commerce has the mission to enhance the economic, civic and cultural growth of Madison County and act as a “voice of the business community.”
Economic Development Organizations
The Madison County Economic Development Department provides assistance and guidance for businesses in the county.
Entrepreneur Support Programs
Quick Square Consulting offers Small Business Marketing and Growth Consulting to help owners through the milestones that matter most: revenue, profit, exit, and legacy.
Business Events
The Madison County Chamber of Commerce hosts business events and trainings.
Learn To Network
New to networking? Free resources to become a better networking developed by Chris Borja
Frequently Asked Questions
Trades, Construction & Home Services Accordion
Can I operate from home?
Yes, you can operate from home if you intend to be a Service Area business. The City of Grove City does not require a license or approval to operate a home office however if you have customers, employees coming to your home or you need signage then you may not be able to operate from home.
What is a Service Area Business?
A Service Area business is a business that provides services virtually or provides services to their customers at their locations rather than having a storefront. Your home address is hidden.
Should I use my home address?
You can use your home address if you are a Service Area business, as it will not display on the front end of your Google Business Profile. If you are a storefront business, however, you should not use your home address, you must use the your business location.
When should I rent office space?
You should rent an officce space if you are a business that needs a verified business address, or you are looking for a private and secure office to do your work in.
Can I rank in multiple communities?
You can configure up to 20 individual towns or neighborhoods for your Google Business Profile. in practice, your website will need to show examples of your work and have landing pages for each of those communities before google will show your business profile to cusotmers in that area.
What is the difference between a mail center and a business center?
Both mail centers and business centers provide mail and package receiving services, while business centers also allow for coworking space or office rental.
What if my Google Business Profile is suspended?
If your profile is suspended, Google may email you a notification explaining which policy you have violated. Common violations include
- changing your business name, or adding a keyword such as your city to your business name
- changing your business address, your primary category, from what was initially approved
- violating their review guidelines by offerring an incentive or soliciting reviews
What if my Google Business Profile is stuck pending verification?
Google often requires additional forms of business verification when they cannot determine the details of the profile. You may need to contact Google's support and provide them with additional documentation to verify your business. That ducumentation may include
- a new video that meets all of the requirements for verification
- a utility bill (phone bill) that shows your address and business name that exactly matches what you used on your profile
- your Better Business Bureau profile ID that matches your business
- your business registration or license that shows your business name and address that you used on your profile