2022's Complete List of Google Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) Categories
One of the first things you do when setting up your Google My Business listing is to go through your new profile and fill in all the empty spaces. One of which is the category section. What the heck goes here? Well, you have almost 4000 options to choose from when filling this in. As you start to type, Google will auto-fill and offer suggestions. But with so many to auto-fill, Google may miss some and we want to make sure you know what all 4000 options are as well as where to place each option.
Why are we making such a big deal out of categories? Because only about 60% of businesses use their Google My Business listing. Properly? That’s questionable.
Setting it up and including the correct categories gives your business a massive boost to show up when it really counts – for relevant searches in Google My Business and Google Maps. We are huge proponents of SEO, especially when there are FREE ways to do it.
Get the best results when selecting a category by following these guidelines:
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Use the most relevant category as your primary category. It receives the most recognition in Google’s algorithm.
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The more specific a category you chose, the fewer business will compete for that same group of customers.
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Don’t go too crazy when adding secondary categories. The more categories you list, the weaker each individual category becomes in potential searches.
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When choosing categories, describe only your business, not its amenities. For example, if you start a sushi restaurant but it has a lounge, you should list it as a restaurant; sushi restaurant secondary, but not a lounge. A lounge is an amenity of the restaurant, not the actual business. Write about your lounge in the description, services or labels instead.
NOTE: Google allows a selection of up to 10 categories for your business but only 1 primary category.
This is an extensive list. You may want to use the keyboard lookup feature and search for your business type; CMD + “F” on a Mac or CTRL + “F” on a PC.
View and Download List HERE.
If you require set up or guidance in your new or current Google My Business listing, please do not hesitate to reach out. Our consultants love talking GMB, ad nauseam, and are here to help you!