Google My Business Locations Update - Re Primary Categories

[Linda Buquet]

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Before I even got the word from Google yesterday about this minor update, some of the smart local search consultants at our Local Search Pros G+ Community were discussing a new feature in GMB Locations.

For some time now, in the regular GMB dashboard, you've had the ability to designate a primary category. Now in "Locations" you do too.

I believe this update is designed to help pull everything in line with the new guidelines.

1st up here's the post at the Local Search Pros G+ Community where this update was 1st discovered by Bryan Heckler, who is a member here at the forum as well. So check out the discussion we had there before this update was officially announced.

Bryan said: Anyone else seeing category quality changes in the bulk GMB tool being enforced? #primarycategory We're starting to see accounts flagged without a 'primary category' set.

Here is Jade's brief post at the Google and your Business Forum:

<a href="https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/business/UZGU1eh5fOw/OQrGKRW9E0gJ">Google My Business Locations - you can now set a primary category</a>

Quick update -- you can now set a primary category for your locations if you are using Google My Business Locations. Please note that all locations of a business must share the one category that best represents the business. If you have multiple types of locations (e.g. sub-brands, departments, etc), this rule only applies within each of these sub-groups.

And here are the official help docs about it.


I've heard one report that they can see the update, but it does not work yet.
Anyone else having that problem???

If so I'd just wait a couple days, since this is just starting to roll out.

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[cdawg2610]

I'm seeing it on my bulk dashboard, but the "apply to all locations" doesn't seem to work (and they are all in the same cat)

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks for letting us know Colleen. Let's give it another day since it may be still rolling out/settling in. If it does not resolve, let me know here and I'll escalate to Google.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Some other issues being reported at the Pro Community...

Brian Barwig asked:
Anyone else having trouble getting the primary location to save in bulk feeds today? They aren't sticking for me

Bryan Heckler said:
+Brian Barwig it's likely a bug, we reached out to Google and they stated the following:

"Your locations won't go into Disabled or Pending Review if you don't choose a primary category. Instead, the updates you make on the location won't save until you designate a primary category.

There is a limit of 9 additional categories, so a location can have a total of 10 categories counting the primary one.

The two issues of not being able to set the primary category unless you've deleted all the additional categories and our system auto-updating to a blank primary category, should be a one-time thing and shouldn't happen in the future.

If you do see either of these issues going forward, please don't correct them, but instead leave it in the error state and contact us so we can further investigate."