What's the best use of local phone numbers from recently closed physical locations?

• Our business recently closed down several physical locations. However, we'll be adding those closed locations as service areas, so we'll still be servicing those areas.

  So, I'm wondering what to do with the phone numbers in regard to my Google My Business service area listings?

  What are the benefits of keeping and redirecting those local numbers versus just listing our 888 number?

Answer:

The short answer is - It depends.

• Are the area codes/prefixes location-targeted?
• Will a customer recognize your local phone number if they see it?

Bear in mind that, in your Google My Business Service area listings, having a local phone number can be an important asset.

You'll have to weigh the cost vs. the benefit for local customers. It stands to reason that, if they see a non-local number, they may choose a competitor because they look more local.

If you still want to rank and gain/maintain market share in those locations, we recommend you keep the local numbers and feature them on your listings, even if they all redirect to a central line or another location.

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