Categories on your Google Business Profile (GBP) are among the top factors for local search rankings.
It’s essential to choose the right primary and secondary categories to ensure your business appears in relevant searches.
If you’re unsure how to select the best categories for your GBP, this article will guide you through the process.
How to choose the best primary category for GBP
Choosing the right primary category for your business isn’t always straightforward.
The many relevant options in industries like dentistry or HVAC can make selecting the best fit challenging.
Since the primary category has the most impact on ranking your Google Business Profile for relevant searches, it’s essential to identify the optimal choice.
This process becomes much easier if you have access to Places Scout – a local rank-tracking tool with a GBP category selection feature.
Run a report for your top keywords, go to the Leads section, create a LeadGen Report, and click on Category Analysis to view the primary categories competitors are using successfully.
Now, you can see a list of all the categories the competitors ranking for your top keywords are using on their listings.
Alternatively, you can download a free extension from PlePer. When you click on a GBP listing, the extension will pop up a ton of info about the listing, including all the categories they use.
The first category on the list is the primary category. Look at all the top competing listings in your area and note the primary categories they are using.
Once you know the primary categories the competition uses most often, you can decide which primary category is best for your listing.
Test different primary categories to see which provides the best ranking boosts for your top keywords. Just don’t change the categories too often.
Wait a few weeks after a category change to assess rankings and change the category again if necessary.
Dig deeper: 6 Google Business Profile questions asked and answered
GBP secondary category optimization
Although the primary category may be the most important in terms of the ranking value it provides, your listing can have nine secondary category spots.
I typically recommend filling all nine secondary slots with relevant categories whenever possible.
You can use the same tools I mentioned above to find the most relevant secondary categories. You can also try Jepto’s Google Business Profile Discovery tool to help you find more relevant categories.
Google constantly changes, removes and adds new categories to GBP. Make sure to check monthly or quarterly for additional relevant categories you may want to add to your listing.
Also, keep in mind that categories can have different names depending on where in the world you are located.
For example, in Australia they have a category for “tradesmen” that is not offered in the U.S. or Canada.
If you are working with a global business, it’s important to ensure you add the most relevant categories based on the region.
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Predefined services
Another major benefit to adding secondary categories is that under each category, there is an option to select pre-defined services.