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 Photographer?
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 Photographer.
Category list for Photographer:
Photographer
Wedding Photographer
Portrait Studio
Commercial Photographer
Aerial Photographer
Photo Restoration Service
Photo Lab
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 Photographer:
Wedding photographer:
Bridal Portraits, Engagement Photoshoot, Pre-Wedding Consultation, Destination Wedding Photography, Wedding Ceremony Photography, Wedding Reception Photography, First Look Photography, Candid Wedding Photography, Traditional Wedding Photography, Wedding Party Portraits, Couple Portraits, Family Portraits, Documentary Wedding Photography, Black and White Wedding Photos, Drone Wedding Photography, Wedding Photo Retouching, Custom Wedding Albums, Wedding Photo Prints, Online Wedding Gallery, Wedding Slideshow, Same Day Wedding Photo Editing, Post-Wedding Photoshoot, Trash the Dress Photoshoot, Anniversary Photoshoot, Boudoir Photography, Rehearsal Dinner Photography, Proposal Photography, Elopement Photography, Second Shooter Services, Wedding Videography, Save the Date Photos, Wedding Photo Booth, Wedding Timeline Planning, High-Resolution Digital Images, Social Media Wedding Photography, Styled Wedding Shoot, Wedding Hashtag Creation, Wedding Photography Workshops, LGBTQ+ Wedding Photography, Multicultural Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography Packages, Wedding Photography Gift Certificates, Wedding Photography Consultations, Wedding Day Timeline Assistance, Backup Photographer Services, Unplugged Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography Insurance, Wedding Photography Editing Tutorials, Wedding Photographer Referral Program, Photography Studio Rental, Maternity & Newborn Photography
Portrait studio:
Family Portraits, Graduation Portraits, Professional Headshots, Newborn Photography, Maternity Photography, Children's Portraits, Couple's Portraits, Pet Portraits, Senior Portraits, Fashion Photography, Corporate Headshots, Model Portfolio Photography, Engagement Photos, Wedding Photography, Anniversary Portraits, Event Photography, Holiday Portraits, Boudoir Photography, Sports Team Portraits, Dance Photography, School Portraits, Black and White Portraits, Lifestyle Photography, Business Branding Photography, Editorial Photography, Glamour Portraits, Fine Art Portraits, Actor Headshots, Musician Portraits, Real Estate Photography, Product Photography, Outdoor Portraits, Themed Portraits, Environmental Portraits, Travel Photography, Group Portraits, Photo Restoration, Custom Framing, Canvas Prints, Photo Editing, Retouching Services, Digital Photo Albums, Photography Workshops, Photography Classes, Gift Certificates, Passport Photos, Visa Photos, ID Photos, Commercial Photography, Advertising Photography, Drone Photography
Commercial photographer:
Product Photography, Architectural Photography, Corporate Headshots, Food Photography, Fashion Photography, Event Photography, Industrial Photography, Aerial Photography, Advertising Photography, E-commerce Photography, Portrait Photography, Real Estate Photography, Sports Photography, Lifestyle Photography, Automotive Photography, Jewelry Photography, Wedding Photography, Editorial Photography, Documentary Photography, Street Photography, Drone Photography, Travel Photography, Black and White Photography, Interior Photography, Panoramic Photography, Time-lapse Photography, Virtual Tours, Candid Photography, 360-degree Photography, Fine Art Photography, Night Photography, Long Exposure Photography, Macro Photography, Wildlife Photography, Underwater Photography, Concert Photography, Photo Retouching, Photo Editing, Image Manipulation, Color Grading, Custom Framing, Digital Asset Management, Photography Workshops, Photography Consultations, On-location Photography, Studio Photography, Commercial Video Production, Motion Graphics, Storyboarding, Video Editing, Color Correction
Digital Photo Restoration, Vintage Photo Restoration, Physical Photo Repair, Color Correction Services, Black and White Photo Restoration, Torn Photo Repair, Water Damaged Photo Restoration, Photo Enhancement Services, Old Photo Retouching, Faded Photo Repair, Stain and Spot Removal, Image Recoloring Services, Photo Manipulation Services, Scratch Removal Services, Missing Parts Reconstruction, Glass Glare Removal, Family Photo Restoration, Historical Photo Restoration, Military Photo Restoration, Wedding Photo Restoration, Portrait Restoration Services, Album and Scrapbook Restoration, Custom Photo Framing, High-Resolution Scanning, Photo Archiving Services, Slide and Negative Restoration, Digital Image Recovery, Photo Collage Restoration, Photo Merging Services, Photo Aging Effects, VHS to Digital Conversion, Photo to Digital Transfer, Poster and Large Format Restoration, Image Cropping and Resizing, Film Photography Restoration, Photo Noise Reduction, Image Sharpening Services, Object Removal Services, Background Replacement, Photo Cloning Services, Photo Retouching Services, Real Estate Photo Editing, Product Photo Editing, Jewelry Photo Restoration, Automotive Photo Editing, Aerial Photo Restoration, Drone Photo Editing, Photo Art Transformations, Pet Photo Restoration, Photo Restoration Classes, Photo Editing Workshops
Photo lab:
Film Processing, Digital Photo Printing, Photo Scanning, Film Scanning, Photo Restoration, Passport Photos, Custom Photo Framing, Canvas Printing, Large Format Printing, Photo Enlargements, Photo Retouching, Photo Collages, Photo Mounting, Black and White Film Processing, Slide Scanning, Photo ID Services, Greeting Cards, Photo Books, Photo Calendars, Custom Photo Gifts, Poster Printing, Photo Mugs, Photo T-Shirts, Photo Pillows, Photo Coasters, Photo Keychains, Photo Magnets, Photo Stickers, Photo Ornaments, Photo Albums, Photo Puzzles, Photo Tote Bags, Photo Mousepads, Photo Phone Cases, Photo Invitations, Photo Announcements, Photo Thank You Cards, Photo Save the Dates, Photo Business Cards, Photo Water Bottles, Photo Wine Labels, Photo Birth Announcements, Photo Graduation Announcements, Photo Wedding Invitations, Photo Engagement Announcements, Photo Banners, Photo Buttons, Photo Wall Decals, Photo Wall Art, Photo Gallery Wraps, Photography Workshops
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.
