● The short answer
Choose the most specific primary category that completes the sentence "this business is a," based on what most customers come to you for. Add secondary categories only for real departments or core services, and as few as possible. Google says categories affect local ranking and decide which searches can show you, so check competitors' categories and revisit yours when your business changes.
Key takeaways
- Google says categories affect local ranking and decide which searches can show you.
- Pick the most specific primary category that completes "this business is a."
- Use as few secondary categories as possible, only for real departments or core services.
Why categories matter so much
Google says plainly that the categories you select affect your local ranking. They also decide which searches your profile can appear for (a pizza restaurant can appear for "pizza" and "restaurants") and can unlock category-specific features such as menus, bookings or service lists. Of all the fields on a Business Profile, the primary category is one of the few that clearly changes where you show up.
The how is where we come in.
What we walk through with you, for your business:
- Google's rules, in short
- How to choose, step by step
- Examples
- Mistakes to avoid
Every business is different, so the plan is too. Tell us where you want to show up and we will show you what it takes.
Talk to usMore questions
How many categories can I add to my Google Business Profile?
Google's current help page does not state a maximum and instead tells you to use as few as possible to describe your core business. Historically the interface has allowed one primary plus several additional categories. In practice most businesses need one primary and two to four secondaries at most.
How do I see a competitor's categories?
Google shows only the primary category publicly on the profile. Additional categories can be seen with third-party tools and browser extensions that read the page data. Look at the businesses ranking in the local pack for your main search to see which primary category Google seems to reward.
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help: Business categories
- Google Business Profile Help: Guidelines for representing your business on Google
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