How to choose your Google My Business categories?

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Google My Business listings are essential elements of your online visibility , especially when you know that 86% of consumers research online before going to a point of sale 1 . Among the essential information to include in your listings are the Google My Business categories . They are displayed relatively high on your listings and define your activity . They also have a great influence on your natural referencing and allow you to rise to the top of customer query results if they are well-informed.

It is very important to choose your categories carefully in order to be visible to your prospects and differentiate yourself from the competition , but also and above all to respect Google's rules. But, as you may hong kong mobile phone number list know, there are more than 3000 possibilities, so how do you choose them? We explain everything in this article.


1. The different types of Google My Business categories
2. How to choose your Google My Business categories?
Conclusion


different categories google my business

1. The different types of Google My Business categories
Before choosing your categories and diving into the deep end of Google My Business listings , it’s important to know how it works. There are two types of categories : the main one, which defines your flagship activity, and the secondary ones, which allow you to complete or specify it.

Namely, you cannot invent your categories and will be forced to choose from the Google list . In addition, depending on your categories, you will not have the same features and the same impact.


Main categories
Regarding the main categories, you are only allowed to choose one. It defines your main activity and reason for being in the eyes of the consumer. So you should not neglect its choice.

This category will be the one that will allow you to appear on a maximum of requests. The opportunity to be visible to your prospects.

queries main category google my business

Examples of query results with the main categories appearing

It is mandatory to choose a main category when creating a Google Business Profile, without it, you will not be able to create it. However, it is still possible to change it later.

In addition, as briefly mentioned earlier, the main category can determine the options and features of your profile, which we will detail later.


Secondary categories
Secondary categories allow you to supplement the main category and provide details . You can choose up to 9 secondary categories, making a total of 10 categories.

For example, if you work for an insurance agency that specializes in home and auto insurance, you could list “Insurance Agency” as the primary category and “Auto Insurance Agency” as the secondary categories, and “Home Insurance Agency” as the secondary categories.

Secondary categories are not mandatory , but highly recommended for various reasons:

You will appear on more queries
You give more information about your establishment
Your online visibility will be increased
It is also not necessary to fill in all 9 categories. Depending on the size of your network, you can choose 1 or 2 or not. If your brand is less well-known, do not hesitate to indicate several in order to move up in the results .



Specific categories
Depending on your choice of categories, Google will not offer you the same options for your profile. You may have additional features or, on the contrary, be restricted.

Establishments in the catering sector, for example, have the possibility of adding a button for making appointments and a tab for writing their menu.

However, some sectors are more closely monitored , such as businesses selling alcohol, tobacco, gambling, fireworks, etc. These establishments will not be able to publish Google Posts , for example, in order to comply with the legislation of many countries.



how to choose categories google my business

2. How to choose your Google My Business categories?
It is sometimes not easy to choose your categories: you want to appear on the greatest number of requests possible without drowning your activity . We offer you two ways to choose them best.


Analyze your competitors' categories
You can first look at what your competitors are offering on their side. To do this, you simply have to note your activity on Google as well as your catchment area . All your competitors will appear if they have well optimized their establishment profile. The main categories of each will then be displayed. Little extra, to see the secondary categories quickly and easily, do not hesitate to install the GMB Everywhere extension .

Main categories GMB listings

Example of results for the query "Tacos Dijon" and their main categories


In the example above, the majority of restaurants offering tacos indicated “Fast Food” as their main category. Only one of them chose “Restaurant” because it offers higher quality products that would not be classified as “fast food”. Depending on your positioning and that of your competitors, it will be easier to choose your category.

In addition, by choosing not to indicate “Fast food” in the main category, the Tacos House restaurant strengthens its positioning since it does not appear in the results of this query .



Select the categories that seem relevant to you
As a manager or marketing manager for example, you are able to choose what best suits your business : you know your company and the reasons why you want to be found by your potential customers. The purpose of Google My Business categories is to indicate information that Internet users are likely to search for. So you should not lie to be as visible as possible, this could disappoint your prospects.

Simply ask yourself the following question: “What services or products do I offer?” If you can’t define your activity in a few words, don’t hesitate to write down a few keywords and then search for the Google Business Profile categories that come closest to them.

For example, if you offer beauty and manicure services, you can list “Beauty Salon” as the main category and add “Manicure Salon” and “Beauty Salon” as secondary categories.

Also keep in mind that choosing your categories incorrectly can be risky . Indeed, if you provide false information, Internet users may realize it and decide to report you to Google , which can lower your local SEO . In addition, even if no one reports you, the Google algorithm checks the relevance between what is displayed on your profile and what you put online elsewhere (website, social networks). In this case, you even risk having your business profile suspended.