Choosing the Right Categories For Google Business Profile

Categories on your Google Business Profile (GBP) play a crucial role in determining your local search rankings. Selecting the appropriate primary and secondary categories is vital for ensuring that your business shows up in relevant searches.

Choosing the right categories not only enhances your visibility but also helps potential customers find you more easily. 

If you’re uncertain about how to select the best categories for your GBP, this article will provide you with a comprehensive guide to navigate the process effectively.

 

How to choose the best primary category for GBP

Choosing the right primary category for your business can be a complex task. This is especially true in industries such as dentistry or HVAC, where a wide range of relevant options makes it challenging to pinpoint the best fit. Since the primary category significantly influences your Google Business Profile’s ranking in relevant searches, identifying the optimal choice is essential.

Utilising tools like Places Scout can simplify this process considerably. This local rank-tracking tool includes a feature for selecting GBP categories, allowing you to run a report for your top keywords. By navigating to the Leads section, you can create a LeadGen Report and access Category Analysis, which shows the primary categories that competitors successfully utilise.

With Places Scout, you gain valuable insights into the categories used by competitors who rank for your top keywords. Alternatively, you can opt for a free extension from PlePer. When you click on a GBP listing, this extension provides a wealth of information, including all the categories employed by that listing.

The primary category will be the first on the list, so examine the top competing listings in your area to identify the primary categories they frequently use. Once you gather this information, you can make an informed decision on which primary category is best for your own listing.

It’s advisable to test different primary categories to see which one yields the best ranking improvements for your top keywords. However, it’s important not to change categories too frequently. After making a change, wait a few weeks to assess the impact on rankings before considering further adjustments.

 

GBP secondary category optimization

While the primary category holds significant importance for ranking value, your Google Business Profile (GBP) allows for nine secondary category spots. It is advisable to fill all nine of these secondary slots with relevant categories whenever possible. This enhances your profile’s visibility in searches and improves its relevance.

You can utilise the same tools previously mentioned to discover the most suitable secondary categories for your business. Additionally, Jepto’s Google Business Profile Discovery tool is another valuable resource for identifying relevant categories that may benefit your listing. 

It’s worth noting that Google frequently updates its list of categories, adding or removing options over time. To stay current, make it a habit to check for new or updated categories on a monthly or quarterly basis, ensuring that your listing remains as relevant as possible. Be aware that category names may differ depending on your geographical location. For instance, Australia offers a category for “tradesmen,” which is not available in the United States or Canada.

If your business operates globally, it’s crucial to select the most relevant categories based on the region in which you are working. This ensures that your profile is tailored to your target audience.

Another significant advantage of adding secondary categories is the option to select predefined services under each category. These predefined services can provide a boost to your rankings, so as you incorporate secondary categories, be sure to click on each one and select all applicable services. 

For instance, while the categories “Contractor” and “Handyman/Handywoman/Handyperson” are quite similar, they each include unique services that may be beneficial to your listing. Jepto’s Google Business Profile Discovery tool can also assist you by detailing all the services associated with each category, helping you make informed decisions about which categories to include.

 

Can you switch the primary category depending on the season? 

Certainly! Adjusting your Google Business Profile (GBP) category according to seasonal demand is a crucial strategy for businesses such as HVAC, lawn care, and farms. By aligning the primary category with seasonal needs, these businesses can enhance their visibility in relevant searches throughout the year.

For instance, if you operate in the HVAC sector, it is advisable to change your GBP category from “air conditioning repair service” to “furnace repair service” a few weeks before the cold weather arrives. This proactive approach allows Google sufficient time to reassess your business profile and rank it for relevant furnace and heating terms.

This strategy is beneficial across various industries. For example, a lawn care business that offers snow removal services during winter should switch its primary category from “lawn care” to “snow removal service” a few weeks prior to the first snowfall. This ensures that potential customers can easily find your services when they need them most.

Additionally, consider a business that operates a haunted house during the fall. There is a specific category for haunted houses, which can significantly enhance your profile’s relevance and give you a competitive edge in searches like “haunted house near me.” 

Once the Halloween season concludes, you can effortlessly transition to a more relevant category for the winter months. This flexibility helps maintain visibility for your core services while adapting to the changing seasonal landscape.

 

Avoid the local filter with strategic category tactics

When managing multiple verified listings at the same address, such as those for different practitioners or departments, it is vital to select categories carefully for each listing. If categories overlap, this can trigger Google’s local filter, which may result in reduced visibility for your business. To prevent this issue, make sure that each listing associated with the same address has distinct categories assigned to it.

For instance, in a dental clinic with both a main office listing and a practitioner listing, unique categories should be designated for each. The primary office could use “dentist” as its category, while the practitioner listing might be labelled as “emergency dentist” or “pediatric dentist.” This differentiation is essential to ensure that each listing can rank independently and attract its target audience.

It is also important to verify through local rank tracking grids that the listings are not filtering each other out. Even with separate categories, the local filter may still apply if the categories are perceived as too similar. If you notice unusual patterns, such as inverted pins on the map, it may indicate that the local filter is indeed affecting your listings.

If you find that your listing is being filtered due to nearby business listings that you cannot control, you can use category optimisation to help alleviate this issue. For example, real estate agents often experience significant challenges with the local filter, especially when multiple individual realtor listings are verified at the same broker’s address. 

In situations like this, consider changing your primary category to one that is not being utilised by any of the other listings. This strategy can improve your visibility and help your listing stand out in search results.