Here at Bloomtools Durham, we focus on helping small and medium-sized businesses grow their online presence. Bloomtools websites are built with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind, each with an automatically updated XML sitemap, SEO-friendly URLs, and more. There are various free tools that we recommend our clients use on top of their websites, to help get website traffic. One key tool we ensure all our clients optimize is the Google Business Profile. Below we'd like to discuss how businesses can maximize their Google Business Profile.

A Google Business Profile is a great form of local SEO for several reasons. The main one is that the Google Business Profile and all the features are free to use! Every GBP has a call to action (CTA) buttons, such as Call, and you can link your website. Depending on the type of business you run, the overview section of GBP may be different. Most overview sections provide the following information; phone number, business hours, business address, website link, service/product offerings, and more. The GMB posts can help increase website traffic, improve search engine rankings, and drive more sales and revenue.

We've now established what a great tool the GBP is, now we need to make sure that businesses are maximizing their profiles to ensure they are fully benefitting. When you create a GBP you need to select a category. GBP categories are lists of common business types that can help identify your business in local search engine results pages (SERPs). When potential clients are searching on Google Maps, the category will act like a sign, guiding them directly to your business. Choosing the right category is very important. You will select one primary category and can select up to 9 additional specific categories, if applicable. 

Google has confirmed that the GBP categories will impact your business's rankings. If you carefully select your category, you will see better results. Neglecting this may cost you rankings and revenue with higher online visibility. Selecting the appropriate categories gives consumers an easier way to find you online and gives search engines the data they need to properly rank your company.

What is the best way to select the appropriate categories for your company? Simple: just remember your objectives.

Profitability:  Select categories that correspond with your highest-earning services.
Choose search volumes that people are truly looking for; the greater, the better.

Rivals: Look at the categories your local competitors are utilizing. (If you use Bloomtools, we can take care of this and provide you with some helpful suggestions.)

As always, less is usually more. Adhere to Google's guidelines to avoid any quality issues that can result in your suspension.

Don't worry if you're having trouble deciding which category is best for your company. We can help with that. Below is the complete alphabetized list of Google Business Profile categories for 2024.

Google My Business Categories

If you are still having a difficult time selecting the right category, we recommend that you focus on a broader category. 

And that's it. You're ready to build your Google profile and get the most out of it.

Please get in touch with Bloomtools Durham to talk about how we can support your search engine optimization and digital marketing efforts. Alternatively, if you'd like a free consultation for a brand-new website.