GBP Categories: Most Businesses Pick the Wrong One

By Tina Lively

Real talk: your category is probably too broad

“Contractor.” That’s what half the trades in Broward pick as their primary Google Business Profile category. Plumbers, electricians, roofers, all lumped into one generic bucket competing against each other and against general contractors who actually are contractors.

Google uses your primary category to decide which searches you show up for. Pick “Contractor” when you’re a plumber, and you’re invisible for “plumber near me,” the exact search your customer is typing.

How to pick the right one

Search what your customers actually search. If they look for “AC repair” not “HVAC contractor,” your category should be as close to “AC repair” as Google’s list allows. Specific beats broad, every time.

Secondary categories are real too

Google lets you add more than one. If you’re a plumber who also does water heater installation, add that as a secondary. Each one opens up another set of searches you can appear in.

Check it right now

Open your Google Business Profile dashboard, look at your primary category, and ask yourself honestly, is this what a customer would actually search for? If you picked the broadest option available, you’re probably losing to someone more specific.

Now go answer your phone.