Last year, I had a client move their operations from a downtown tower to a shared workspace on the edge of the city. Same business. Same staff. But suddenly, their digital marketing stopped performing.
Why?
Turns out, their hyperlocal SEO, paid ads, and even email targeting were still optimized for their old location.
In a world where work is increasingly flexible, remote, and mobile, your business’s physical location still matters—but not in the way it used to.
Let’s talk about why.
The Rise of Flexible Workspaces—and What Marketers Keep Missing
Coworking isn’t new. But what we’re seeing now is more than just open-plan offices and coffee machines.
Today’s businesses are running operations from hybrid hubs, shared floors, and even rotating desks across multiple cities.
This shift changes how companies should approach:
- Local SEO
- Paid location targeting
- Geofenced social ads
- Google Business Profiles
- Even B2B outreach
But many marketing strategies are still stuck in the old model: one business, one HQ, one map pin.
Why Location Still Matters—Even If You’re Remote
It’s tempting to think, “We’re fully remote, location doesn’t apply to us anymore.”
Wrong.
Here’s the truth: People still search locally—even when the businesses they find aren’t local.
Think about:
- “Accountants near me”
- “Same-day courier Cardiff”
- “Flexible office space in South Wales”
If your team operates in that region—even part-time—you need to show up in those search results.
Even global companies benefit from local marketing. Visibility where clients live builds trust, especially for high-touch services.
Rethinking Google Business for Shared or Rotating Offices
Here’s where things get tricky.
If you’re using a shared workspace or hot desk setup, claiming a Google Business Profile isn’t always straightforward. You can’t just drop a pin and forget it.
Google wants businesses to:
- Have permanent signage
- Be staffed during business hours
- Not share space with similar businesses
That’s a problem if you’re using a space like OmniOffice Cardiff, where dozens of companies may operate under the same roof.
Still, there are workarounds. You can:
- Use Suite numbers to distinguish your business
- Set your service area radius instead of a physical address
- Clearly communicate your appointment-only or remote-first model
And if you’re using multiple flexible locations? You may be eligible for multiple listings, as long as each space meets Google’s requirements.
Geo-Focused Ad Strategies for Mobile Teams
Let’s say your team works across Bristol, Cardiff, and Newport. Your customers don’t know that. They just want to work with someone nearby.
How do you tell them you’re local enough?
Try this:
- Use radius-based Google Ads targeting around each coworking hub
- Create dynamic landing pages for each city (no duplicated content!)
- Run LinkedIn Ads with location filters tied to coworking communities
- Partner with shared office providers to get listed on their directories
When someone searches for a solution in their city, they should see you—not a national competitor with no local presence.
Don’t Forget Local PR and Community Listings
Flexible offices give you access to a new kind of local ecosystem.
Take advantage by:
- Sponsoring or attending in-building events
- Getting featured in the coworking space’s newsletter
- Asking for backlinks from partner companies in the same space
- Being active in community platforms like Cardiff Start or Wales Tech
Marketing isn’t always about scale. It’s about connection.
Being “local” in the right circles—even just for a day—can drive more meaningful business than months of national campaigns.
What This Means for B2B Outreach
B2B marketers, listen up. Flexible workspaces change how companies find and vet each other.
In the past, we might check a company’s office address on their site and use that to understand their size, scope, or reliability. Today? That logic breaks down.
So instead, we now look at:
- Where they host events
- What city is tagged on LinkedIn
- Whether they appear to be part of our region or industry
If your brand isn’t clearly linked to your current workspace—or worse, still tethered to an old address—it may be missing valuable business relationships.
A Quick Note on Messaging
If your website still says “Headquartered in London” when half your team works remotely across Wales, you’re sending mixed signals.
Be honest, but strategic:
“With team hubs in Cardiff, Newport, and Bristol, we’re proudly regional and fully remote.”
You don’t need to pretend to be hyperlocal. You just need to show that you’re present—and available—where it counts.
One Last Thought
In the age of mobility, location is more flexible than ever. But marketing? It still runs on geography.
The companies that will win the next phase of digital growth won’t be the ones with the most office space. They’ll be the ones who adapt—who show up where their customers live, work, and search.
Whether your team operates from a single office or shares desks at a service office, make your digital presence reflect your real-world footprint.
Not just for Google. For the people behind the search bar.
