GMB Categories is one of the topmost ranking factors. Getting this correct will make a big difference for your ranking and traffic. In this article we go through how you can go about selecting the most relevant categories and services for your business.
It is very important you have more relevent and many categories. Google allow 1 primary category and 9 secondary categories. Here are some of the reasons you should do this:
Adding all relevant categories can help Google identify what your business is about. This way Google can get your GBP to a wider audience.
You will rank better with search terms that matches those particular categories.
There is a strong positive correlation between having more categories and ranking better.
All categories don't have the equal traffic. So finding the categories with good traffic and using that can greatly improve your traffic.
Some primary categories allows you add add services, so having those will help you provide additional information to Google.
Updating categories is one of those things where a fixed amount of work initially can provide a big increase in traffic during the life time of the GBP.
In this article, we help you with finding the best GMB Categories for your business and provide you data to make this informed decision. We also go through services you can add if your business is allowed to have services.
What are the best categories if you are a Grill?
These are two methods by which you can find the best GMB Categories and Services for your business.
Please note that Method 1 provides raw data while Method 2 shown below provides very interactive and precise data. Click here to go directly to Method 2: Go to Method 2.
Method 1:
In method one, just use the data provided here to find the best GMB Categories and Services for your business.
Here are list of other catgeories you can add if you are a Grill.
Category list for Grill:
Grill
Barbecue Restaurant
Restaurant
American Restaurant
Seafood Restaurant
Sports Bar
Pub
Sandwich Shop
Fast Food Restaurant
Chicken Restaurant
Mexican Restaurant
Salad Shop
Breakfast Restaurant
Vegetarian Restaurant
Asian Restaurant
Italian Restaurant
Caterer
Use these criteria to decide if one or more of the above can be added to your GMB. Please go through the above list with these criteria:
Relevance: Ensure the category closely matches your products or services.
Specificity: Choose a category that is as specific as possible to your core business.
Search Volume: Look at how often users are searching for that specific category or related keywords.
Competition: Analyze the competition within that category. If it’s highly competitive, ensure you have a robust strategy to stand out.
Compliance: Be mindful of Google’s guidelines, as selecting an irrelevant category may lead to penalties.
Customer Expectation: Think from a customer's point of view. Does the category define what they would be looking for?
All categories mentioned above is not available in every country, so I would suggest manually trying out these categories in your countries.
Similarly, these are the services you can add to the services for the category mentioned above.
Here are the services available for each categories mentioned above:
Service list for Grill:
Barbecue restaurant:
BBQ Platters, Smoked Brisket, Pulled Pork, Grilled Chicken, Baby Back Ribs, Beef Ribs, St. Louis Style Ribs, Smoked Turkey, Smoked Sausage, Burnt Ends, Smokehouse Burger, BBQ Sandwiches, BBQ Salads, BBQ Tacos, BBQ Nachos, Grilled Vegetables, Loaded Baked Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, Coleslaw, Potato Salad, Cornbread, Baked Beans, Green Beans, Collard Greens, Fried Okra, Peach Cobbler, Pecan Pie, Banana Pudding, Brownie Sundae, Soft Drinks, Iced Tea, Lemonade, Alcoholic Beverages, Beer, Wine, Cocktails, Kids Menu, Catering Services, Takeout, Curbside Pickup, Delivery, Outdoor Seating, Buffet, All You Can Eat, Lunch Specials, Family Packs, Gift Cards, Online Ordering, Daily Specials, Happy Hour, Live Music, Event Hosting, Sports Bar, TV Screens
Restaurant:
Dine-in Service, Takeout Service, Delivery Service, Curbside Pickup, Online Ordering, Catering Service, Outdoor Seating, Private Events, Business Lunches, Happy Hour Specials, Buffet Service, Vegetarian Options, Vegan Options, Gluten-Free Options, Kid-Friendly Menu, Group Reservations, Live Music Nights, Wine Tastings, Local Craft Beers, Signature Cocktails, Daily Specials, Weekend Brunch, Breakfast Menu, Lunch Menu, Dinner Menu, Dessert Menu, Seafood Options, Steakhouse Selections, Gourmet Burgers, Pizza Selections, Pasta Dishes, Asian Cuisine, Mexican Cuisine, Middle Eastern Cuisine, Indian Cuisine, Healthy Salad Options, Soup of the Day, Appetizer Selections, Family Style Meals, Gift Cards Available, Loyalty Program, Online Reservations, Food Allergy Accommodations, Seasonal Menu, Chef's Specials, Farm-to-Table Ingredients, Locally Sourced Produce, Sustainable Seafood, Wine Pairing Recommendations, Cooking Classes, Themed Nights
Fresh Seafood Platter, Grilled Fish Tacos, Lobster Roll, Shrimp Cocktail, Fish and Chips, Crab Cakes, Seafood Paella, Oysters on the Half Shell, Clam Chowder, Calamari Appetizer, Grilled Salmon, Seafood Gumbo, Fisherman's Stew, Seared Scallops, Steamed Mussels, Shrimp Scampi, Baked Stuffed Shrimp, Cajun Seafood Boil, Seafood Risotto, Fish Fillet Sandwich, Crab Legs, Lobster Bisque, Fried Clam Strips, Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl, Shrimp and Grits, Seafood Pasta, Ceviche, Grilled Octopus, Seafood Jambalaya, King Crab Salad, Seaweed Salad, Oyster Rockefeller, Fish Carpaccio, Seafood Curry, Shrimp Po' Boy, Lobster Mac and Cheese, Seafood Fried Rice, Sushi Platter, Grilled Swordfish, Stuffed Calamari, Seafood Fra Diavolo, Fish Tostadas, Seafood Fajitas, Shrimp Tempura, Seafood Chow Mein, Clams Casino, Seafood Pho, Soft Shell Crab, Oyster Po' Boy, Seafood Bouillabaisse
Sports bar:
Live Sports Streaming, Happy Hour Specials, Beer on Tap, Craft Beers, Private Party Booking, Indoor and Outdoor Seating, Pool Tables, Darts, Foosball, Trivia Nights, Karaoke Nights, Sports Memorabilia, Local Team Support, Family Friendly, Cocktails, Signature Drinks, Whiskey Selection, Wine List, Sports Themed Decor, Big Screen TVs, Projector Screens, Surround Sound, Tailgate Parties, Game Day Specials, Appetizers and Snacks, Burgers and Sandwiches, Salads and Wraps, Wings and Sliders, Nachos and Quesadillas, Tacos and Burritos, Pizza and Flatbreads, Grilled Entrees, Vegan and Vegetarian Options, Gluten-Free Options, Kids Menu, Desserts, Soft Drinks, Coffee and Tea, Juices and Smoothies, Takeout and Delivery, Online Ordering, Gift Cards, Loyalty Program, Catering, Hosted Events, Themed Nights, Local Bands and DJs, Reservations, Sports Bar Merchandise, Sports Betting, Weekly Specials, Seasonal Events
Authentic Asian Cuisine, Sushi Bar, Ramen Noodle Soup, Dim Sum, Chinese Stir Fry, Japanese Teppanyaki, Thai Curry, Bento Box Lunch Specials, Vegetarian Asian Dishes, Gluten-Free Options, All-You-Can-Eat Sushi, Korean BBQ, Vietnamese Pho, Asian Fusion, Bubble Tea, Mongolian Hot Pot, Indian Curry, Malaysian Laksa, Indonesian Rendang, Filipino Adobo, Spicy Szechuan Dishes, Korean Bibimbap, Steamed Bao Buns, Japanese Yakitori, Thai Papaya Salad, Chinese Dumplings, Pad Thai, Vietnamese Banh Mi, Korean Kimchi, Japanese Tempura, Shrimp Fried Rice, Asian Seafood Dishes, Chinese Peking Duck, Singaporean Chili Crab, Japanese Teriyaki, Thai Tom Yum Soup, Asian Noodle Dishes, Vegetable Stir Fry, Asian Appetizer Sampler, Korean Japchae, Chinese Egg Rolls, Japanese Miso Soup, Thai Basil Chicken, Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Indian Tandoori Chicken, Japanese Gyoza, Korean Galbi, Asian Desserts, Chinese Lo Mein, Japanese Udon Noodles, Thai Green Curry
Italian restaurant:
Pasta Carbonara, Pasta Bolognese, Pasta Alfredo, Pasta Primavera, Pasta Puttanesca, Pasta Pomodoro, Pasta Arrabbiata, Pasta Aglio e Olio, Pasta Pesto, Pasta alla Norma, Lasagna, Eggplant Parmigiana, Veal Parmigiana, Chicken Parmigiana, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Fettuccine Alfredo, Tortellini, Ravioli, Gnocchi, Risotto, Osso Buco, Saltimbocca, Tiramisu, Cannoli, Panna Cotta, Gelato, Caprese Salad, Bruschetta, Antipasto Platter, Arancini, Calamari, Minestrone Soup, Panzanella, Polenta, Prosciutto e Melone, Grilled Vegetables, Clam Linguine, Shrimp Scampi, Seafood Fra Diavolo, Mussels Marinara, Zuppa di Pesce, Baked Ziti, Stuffed Shells, Manicotti, Penne alla Vodka, Pizza Margherita, Pizza Bianca, Pizza Quattro Stagioni, Pizza Quattro Formaggi, Calzone, Stromboli
Caterer:
Wedding Catering, Corporate Event Catering, Birthday Party Catering, Private Party Catering, Outdoor Event Catering, Themed Catering, Buffet Catering, Business Lunch Catering, Cocktail Party Catering, BBQ Catering, Breakfast Catering, Lunch Catering, Dinner Catering, Beverage Catering, Dessert Catering, Brunch Catering, Holiday Party Catering, Graduation Party Catering, Bridal Shower Catering, Baby Shower Catering, Funeral Catering, Vegan Catering, Vegetarian Catering, Gluten-Free Catering, Kosher Catering, Halal Catering, Food Truck Catering, Mobile Catering, Banquet Catering, Boxed Lunch Catering, Picnic Catering, Bespoke Catering, Catering Consultation, Custom Menu Planning, Event Catering Coordination, Full-Service Catering, Catering Equipment Rental, Catering Staff Services, Catering Setup and Teardown, Food Preparation and Cooking, Food Delivery and Pickup, Ethnic Catering, Health Conscious Catering, Farm-to-Table Catering, Organic Catering, Seasonal Catering, Sustainable Catering, Gourmet Catering, Appetizer Catering, Hors d'Oeuvres Catering, Finger Food Catering, International Cuisine Catering, Seafood Catering, Catering for Dietary Restrictions
All categories dont have the option to add services, so if you have this option only then add these services mentioned above. Also make sure first that these are services you offer before adding them. Add the one you think is relevant one after the other.
Method 2
The second and more easy way is to use our Category Finder Tool. The tool allows 5 free usages a month, so you can do this with the free plan.
The above is an interactive application which helps you find the following:
Find related categories.
Find search volume for these categories.
Find services inside these categories.
Easily compare trends on categories on Google Trends.
You can use the free version of the category Finder Tool to find this. Signup here: Category Finder Tool
The screenshot below shows how you can use this.
How to use the tool?
Here are the steps you need to follow to most effectively use the tool.
Screenshot shows the category finder tool.
Step 1: Navigate to the Category Finder Tool, where you'll be redirected to the signup page to create an account.
Step 2: Upon signing up, you'll land on the Category Finder Tool homepage. Here, enter the main category for your business, designated as '1' in the image above.
Step 3: After completing step 2, numerous categories will appear in section 2. Click on any to uncover more relevant categories, with the dark bubble displaying the keyword search count.
Step 4: At the category page's bottom, you'll find related services, or additional categories to include. By clicking the 'Compare on Google Trends' button, you can contrast these categories to analyze category comparisons and seasonal variations in keyword searches.
How to choose a Primary Category from a list of Categories.
Selecting the right primary category for your business in Google My Business is a crucial step in improving your local SEO performance. The primary category you choose should accurately represent the core service or product you offer. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you make the best choice:
Understand Your Business: Identify the central service or product your business offers. This will guide you towards the most fitting category.
Explore the GMB Categories: Explore the categories we provide you in Method 1 and Method 2. See which one of them is the most relevant for your business.
Check Keyword Search Volume: The number we provide in the dark bubble in Method 2 is the average monthly search volume. Make sure that the primary category you selected has enough search volume.
Seasonal changes: There are seasonal changes in search volume for some categories. For example an A/C mechanic won't have enough demand in winter and on the other hand a snow plough operator won't have much search traffic in Summer. So, that is why in method 2 you can search on Google trends to see how search changes with time.
Analyze Competitors: Look at what primary categories your successful competitors are using. This can give you insights into what might work for your business too.
Consider Customer Perspective: Think about the terms your customers might use to search for your services or products. Selecting a category that aligns with customer search behavior can enhance visibility.
Monitor and Adjust if Necessary: SEO is a constantly evolving field. Regularly review the performance of your selected category and be prepared to make adjustments if you find that it's not providing the expected results.
Conclusion:
Selecting the right categories in Google My Business (GMB) is crucial for your online success. Your choices in primary and secondary categories directly impact how your business ranks and who finds you.
In this article, we've shown you how to choose relevant categories and why they matter. Whether manually selecting from a provided list or using the Category Finder Tool, the aim is to align with your business's core offerings and customer needs.
Remember, the right categories help Google understand your business better, connecting you with a wider audience. Regularly review and adjust your selections to keep up with trends and demands. With careful planning and insight, your GMB profile can be a powerful tool in growing your business.
