If you run a service area business of business model, you should look for categories that relate to your type of business. Fortunately, there are thousands of categories to choose from. You can narrow down the list by eliminating irrelevant ones. In this article, we’ll discuss how to choose a category that aligns with your type of business.
Service Area Businesses
If your business provides service areas, you should create a GMB listing. To create your listing, you’ll need the business name and address, as well as your website address. Make sure you enter the correct pin code, too. You can also select which regions your business serves. This is helpful if your business only provides services in a limited area.
Google has updated their guidelines and now allows Service Area Businesses to create multiple profiles. However, they must have unique service areas and employees. In addition, the service area should not be more than two hours away from your business base. If you’re located outside of these boundaries, you should add a “near-by” or “remote” location in your profile.
Service Area Businesses in GMB are important for local search visibility. These listings can help people find your business through local searches. According to Tom Pritchard, SMB Product Lead for GMB, Google updates have improved the visibility of service area businesses. Businesses can now specify a service area by adding a map in their GMB.
Multi-entity businesses
A multi-entity business account is a unique type of account on Google My Business, allowing businesses to manage multiple accounts. This allows a business that is legitimately operating two separate businesses to create separate listings on Google. Each listing must be unique, have a separate TAX ID, and have its own phone number. In addition, the businesses must both be registered with the federal government.
In some cases, there may be two separate entities sharing the same address, but with different names and phone numbers. This is common in large companies, where different departments operate independently. In these cases, make sure the name of the GMB listing clearly states which department it represents, and use a unique phone number for each one. You should also make sure the GMB listing does not already exist, or you may end up with two duplicate listings.
To avoid this problem, take advantage of the import feature in GMB. This feature enables businesses to import business location information into the Google My Business database in bulk. The spreadsheet can have columns for each business location and its attributes. This can help businesses avoid creating duplicate listings and to track their performance more effectively.
Hybrid businesses
A hybrid business is a business that offers a combination of storefront and service operations. While a storefront business has a more traditional storefront presence, hybrid businesses are more flexible. They may be based in a physical location or offer services remotely. Hybrid businesses can choose to serve a specific geographic area or serve a broader audience.
While hybrid businesses are not required to have a single location, they should not have two separate listings for their service areas. Instead, they should use the business address and service area field of the Business Profile Manager. They should also have one website, as opposed to two. Google will not help a listing that violates their guidelines.
While there are some advantages to a hybrid business listing, it is important to remember that it’s not for every company. It’s best for businesses that have both a physical location and a service area. It can provide additional local search benefits and feature your business on Google Maps. For example, restaurants that offer delivery should use a hybrid listing, as should home improvement professionals with showrooms. And tutoring agencies with office locations should use one as well.
Choosing a category that aligns with your business model
One of the most frequently asked questions on how to choose a GMB category is whether it is beneficial to list your website in multiple categories. The short answer is yes. However, there are some considerations you should consider when making this decision. First, make sure that the category you choose is related to your business model. For example, if you are a pool equipment supplier, you might want to list your website under the category “pool supplies”. But if your website specializes in fitness equipment or exercise equipment, you might want to add an additional category to your listing.
Choosing a category that aligns with the model you are promoting is essential for your Google My Business listing Optimization. It will determine the features you can add to your profile, like booking buttons and reviews. However, it can be overwhelming to decide which category to choose. This is why working with a local marketing expert can help you optimize your GMB listing.
