When setting up your Google My Business listing, you’ll want to choose a category that accurately reflects your company’s primary offerings. You can choose up to five additional categories that describe aspects of your business that aren’t covered by your primary category. Google will automatically choose the most relevant categories, but it’s helpful to choose a category that best represents your business, including your primary industry and main profit centers. Here are some tips for selecting a category:
Depending on the nature of your business, you might want to choose multiple categories to better categorize your company. For example, a sporting goods store wouldn’t add a category for each sport, but instead would create a generic business category. A grocery store, on the other hand, would have several categories, including one for groceries and another for delis. You could create a category for each of these, if you wanted.
Other categories to choose from include automotive dealerships, aerospace service providers, and beauty salons. These categories can include more niche businesses. You might also want to consider a business that offers beauty services, such as spas or tattoo parlors. Alternatively, you can choose a business that specializes in a particular type of food. However, if you’re selling baked goods or selling coffee, you should choose the appropriate category for your product or service.
If you’re a blogger and want to target a wide range of people, choose a creative niche. For example, a creative category might be a blog or a craft store. If you’re running an event venue or social club, you’ll want to select an appropriate category for your brand. A nonprofit category may also be a good fit. Nonprofits rally people around their mission and values, which is perfect for an online business.
When choosing a category for your Google My Business listing, research is vital. Choose a category based on the keywords that your audience is using to search for your products or services. It’s also helpful to list any sub-categories you have. For example, a high-end department store could be categorized as a clothing outlet, while a discount department store might be categorized as a specialty store. If you’re in a competitive niche, you may want to consider a business category that will distinguish your business from others.
While you can choose as many categories as you like, the more you add, the less likely you are to rank for important keywords. You may find it useful to check Google Maps and loot your competitors’ listings. You can visit their business in order to determine which categories are relevant. If you’re not sure which category to choose, try searching for their names in Google. If you’re in a competitive niche, you’ll be able to identify which categories are best for your business.
