Choosing the right category for your Google Business Profile is the cornerstone of an effective local SEO strategy. A properly selected category, combined with regular Profile optimization, will ensure your online visibility. In this article, you’ll learn how to select the right primary and additional categories and how to avoid common mistakes.
Choosing the right category for your Google Business Profile is crucial for your business’s visibility. The category determines where and in what position your Business Profile appears in local search results.
Categories act as signposts, guiding Google directly to your business. The more accurately you define what you do, the easier it will be for Google to understand your offer and display it to the right customers.
Example: If your primary category is “marketing agency,” Google may show your Profile to people searching for related phrases like “SEO agency.”
(Source: https://green-fields.pl/blog/jak-zalozyc-profil-firmy-w-google-od-podstaw-instrukcja-krok-po-kroku/)
The categories you select for your Google Business Profile can affect the availability of additional features. This is important because these features can help you stand out from the competition and make it easier for customers to connect with you.
Business profiles for hotels, for instance, include information about the hotel’s class and available amenities.
(Source: https://support.google.com/business/answer/6215588)
Restaurants can add URLs to their Profiles, allowing customers to place orders, make online reservations, and view menus. These businesses can also directly add dishes to the menu.
Health and beauty businesses can add a booking button to their profiles and update the list of services they offer.
By choosing the right primary categories and leveraging these additional features, you’ll make your Profile even more attractive and customer-friendly.
Selecting the primary category is the first and most important step when creating your Google Business Profile. However, the choice isn’t always easy, and the vast number of options can be surprising.
Dalton Luce calculated that, as of October 7, 2024, there were 4,098 Google Business Profile categories, with new ones constantly being added. Recent additions include categories such as Physical Rehabilitation Center, Psychosocial Therapist, Car Rental Return Location, Wire and Cable Supplier, and Mobility Center (source: https://daltonluka.com/blog/google-my-business-categories).
How do you choose the primary category that best describes your business?
First, create a list of keywords that precisely describe your offer. Start with general terms (e.g., “restaurant”) and then add increasingly specific ones (e.g., “Italian restaurant,” “Neapolitan pizza,” etc.). Keyword research tools will help you determine what phrases customers use when searching for businesses like yours. Choose categories that generate the most traffic.
Second, analyze the categories selected by your local competitors. Take inspiration from their choices, but don’t copy them blindly. Make sure the categories you choose are relevant to your business.
Remember, your choice should comply with Google’s guidelines.
Sometimes, none of the available categories accurately describe your business. What should you do in such a situation?
Unfortunately, Google doesn’t allow users to create their own categories. In this case, the best solution is to choose a category that most closely reflects the nature of your business, even if it’s not a perfect match. However, keep in mind that the category list is constantly updated. Regularly check to see if a new category better fits your offer.
Still unsure? Contact the experts at growAp. We’ll help you optimize your Google Business Profile and select categories that will increase your company’s visibility in search results.
Additional categories are a valuable tool for optimizing your Google Business Profile. Use them to better describe your business and reach a larger number of customers. With them, you’ll show users that you offer exactly what they’re looking for.
What should you keep in mind when choosing additional categories?
In some industries, additional categories are particularly important. For example, restaurants, in addition to the primary category (e.g., “Italian restaurant”), may add additional categories like “pizzeria,” “lunch bar,” and “catering.” A clothing store may use several categories – “women’s clothing,” “men’s clothing,” “children’s clothing,” “lingerie,” etc. A renovation company might add categories such as “painting,” “tile laying,” and “floor panel installation.”
Google allows you to add up to 10 categories, including the primary one. However, this doesn’t mean you have to use them all. Too many categories can make it difficult for Google to understand what your business actually does.
Example: If you run a sporting goods store, you can’t add a category for every possible sport. Instead, you can use broader labels, such as “Sporting Goods Store,” “Sports Apparel Store,” or “Outdoor Sports Equipment Store.”
Choosing the right categories for your Google Business Profile may seem simple, but it’s easy to fall into a trap. Here’s how to avoid common mistakes, as advised by our specialists.
Even if you’ve carefully chosen a category for your Google Business Profile, there may be times when an update is necessary. Here are four situations where a change could be beneficial:
Selecting the right categories is just the beginning. To fully leverage the potential of your Google Business Profile and achieve success in local SEO, a comprehensive optimization approach is necessary. The growAp team will ensure that your Business Profile is perfectly optimized in terms of categories.
What Do You Gain by Working with Us?
With comprehensive category optimization conducted by growAp specialists, your Business Profile will become even more visible on Google, helping you attract more customers.
Now that you know how important it is to choose the right categories for your Google Business Profile and how to avoid common mistakes, remember that Google constantly updates its algorithms and adds new categories. It’s essential to keep your Business Profile updated and optimized.
Need help selecting and optimizing categories? Contact the experts at growAp! We’ll help you succeed in local SEO and attract more customers.
