SFMF PRO | Many Questions About PO Box (Day 4 Lesson 1). All Answered Here
Before we begin to answer some of the questions below that many have about getting a PO Box; allow me to first address the following:
Most of the questions arise about this topic stems from the association of a PO box to a Google Ads account. SFMF PRO students are worried about doing the wrong thing and then get their Ads account suspended by Google Ads.
Allow me to clarify this before moving forward. Getting a PO box has nothing to do with Google Ads. Google Ads and a PO box are two separate things. A PO/Suite address is to serve a different purpose. Which can also be used in your Google Ads account as your address under certain circumstances; however the main objective of getting it is NOT FOR GOOGLE.
Now let's move on to the questions.
Question 1:
I live outside of USA and Canada, can I get a PO box in my country or should I get one with a North American Address?
Answer:
It is recommended to get a PO box with an address based in where you live. This is the address you will place on your website. You are getting a PO box address so that you can have an address to place on your website instead of your home address so you can keep personal life private.
YES it is a Google ads compliance step to have an address on your website hence why we also do it. But this has nothing to do with your Google Ads account itself or the verification process you are required to complete at Google's discretion. Remember to keep the two separate and I will address more on this topic in the questions below.
Also; your address does not have to be a PO box. I only offer this in the Day 4 Lesson 1 training to make it easy in getting a virtual one. But you can get a Suite number instead; or if you have a business with a physical address you can use that too.
In addition; if you already have a Corporation or business license registered with an address attached to it that is not your home address and if this is the corporation/business you decide to run your SFMF PRO business under; then its a good idea to use that.
Question 2:
Does having a PO box from a third world country turn people off and cause them not to want to do business with me?
Answer:
ABSOLUTELY NOT. The world does not consist of USA and Canada. There are many countries around the world operating very successful online businesses. So do not let this limiting belief allow you to think otherwise. So the answer is NO. Having a PO box in your home country won't make people to trust you any less.
In fact they will trust you more because you have an address and a way they can contact you.
We have students in over 20 countries. Including India and Hong Kong and Jamaica. They are all doing well and having an address from their home country on their website.
Question 3:
What is the point of a PO box?
Answer:
Your PO box or suite; is just for your website. So you do not add your personal address to your website. This is it. This has nothing to do with Google. This is for your personal protection only and to protect where you live (your home address).
Now keep in mind; if you have a corporation number or business license number; DO NOT PLACE IT ON YOUR WEBSITE WITH YOUR PO/Suite address ADDRESS UNLESS YOU CHANGE YOUR CORPORATION ADDRESS TO THE PO/Suite ADDRESS FIRST.
Here is why I say that:
This won't be a big deal at first. But in the future if Google asks you for advertiser information to verify your ads account; and if they ask for your corp number or business license information and see that your number is not associates/or the same as the address you provide on your website; then there is a problem.
In cases like this; your account won't get suspended but your ads would be paused until you can verify your business address.
Question 4:
What is the ideal scenario if I want to do everything proper and not ever worry about any compliance or suspension issues from Google?
What I am about to tell you is just what I [Michael Bashi] has done. This is not the only answer because there are many answers. But this is my setup and what I did.
SPECIAL NOTE: I am not a lawyer or accountant and this is not legal advice whatsoever. THIS IS ONLY WHAT I DID AND READ IT ON YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
Step #1: I got a suite number address which happens to be where I run the business. You can also get a Suite number from UPS as they provide suite number addresses. I got a suite number (NOT PO BOX) because I wanted my address to be the same across the board even inside my Google Ads account. (Personal preference).
I did this because when time came and I had to verify my Google Ads account; I cannot verify my billing info with a PO box address. Has to be a real address or a suite number address which is considered a real address.
This information is private and not shared publicly by Google even if I had used my personal information I would be perfectly fine. But again; I personally wanted everything under the corporation name including billing address.
Step #2: I went and got my corporation "Bashi Marketing Inc" registered; using that same Suite number address.
Step #3: Went to a bank; opened up a business account under the corporation name and of course using that same address. Then I applied for a credit card under the corporation name and YES that same exact suite address.
Step #4: I opened up my Google Ads account using all that same information.
AGAIN; I personally chose to do it this way so now all my information is the same across the board and everything adds up to the same address whether it is billing OR otherwise.
However; these steps I did are not required to get verified on Google Ads.
Google Ads when verifying your account; they are not verifying your address on a website; with their information. They are only verifying your billing information and that has to all add up and be accurate.
In addition; when they check your website to verify you as well; If they see you have a business name or a corporation name on your footer for example; and that name has an address under it; which would be your PO box for example; which anyone would assume that your company operates under than given address since they are next to each other.
Then when Google checks your Google Ads account where you used that same business name with a different address you provided to them; then you may potentially have an issue because your information is now considered not accurate.
Meaning; unless your address on your website is the same as your corporation name; do not place it next to each other. In this case just do not place a company name or place your domain name instead.
Google mainly focuses on your billing information. So your name; address, billing information and billing address all needs to add up. You cannot use a credit card with a different billing address than the address you place in the billing section when Google Ads asks for that information.
You cannot have different billing address in your account settings than the address of your credit card. It will work until Google asks to verify your account. And the timing on that is random and up to Google.
Here is an article from Google explaining how they verify your Ads account: