Best Category for Pilates SAB - rankings affected by main category?

[Jaimie S]

Hi All,

I have a new client that has her main category as pilates studio, however she is a SAB. She is not ranking locally at all for her primary category, however we can't find another category to suit her (she does online pilates and some outdoor pilates classes).
Could 'Pilates studio' being her primary category be negatively affecting her as she is an SAB? If businesses include a category that refers to having a shop and they are an SAB, apart from potential suspension can it affect rankings prior to it being noticed?

Thanks ahead!

 

[Colan Nielsen]

That seems like the correct category to me. Have you checked competitors to see what they are using as their primary category?

 

[Jaimie S]

Hi Colan,

All the competitiors are using pilates stuido as well, however all those businesses have a shopfront and address shown on their listing whereas my client does not.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

There are some really interesting discussions here on this topic. Here is a link to one of them and then within this thread there are some links to others Shown vs Hidden Address on Google Maps

One way to test your theory would be to add the address back but of course there are some risks there as you technically would be outside the guidelines.

 

[Yan Gilbert]

There's some anecdotal talk about rankings declining when hiding the address, but I would look at general website SEO factors before changing GMB fields that would take the listing out of compliance.

One limiting factor about SABs and wanting to hide the address is that listing owners who are using their home are reluctant to create directory citations which often require the address. This puts them at a disadvantage.