Let's talk about niche businesses that don't have a great category fit

[Michael S. Doran]

Sometimes setting up a listing is easy, such as an auto repair shop. Such an easy fit for many categories. Other times a business doesn't even have one really good category for their Google listing, such as a Public Insurance Adjuster. So I was thinking we could discuss ideas for setting up those odd niche businesses.

Some things that I will do is look for hidden categories on Map Maker is enhance the listing. Also I will add basically a custom category/keyword in the business description and then link it to an appropriate page within the website.

Anyone else have any good ideas to add?

 

[Nyagoslav]

I believe you should be able to add custom categories through Map Maker. There is a list of recommended categories on Map Maker, but it is not necessary that you choose some of them.

Another way to get a non-listed category through might be by listing your business under relevant category on a tier 1/2 business directory(ies) that allows for such a category to be added. For instance, Acxiom features an enormous amount of business categories and they are direct business data provider for Google. If you add a listing with matching business information with certain category to Acxiom, over time that category should be added to the categories of the corresponding Google+ Local listing.

I hope this helps!
Nyagoslav

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Nyag, all great suggestions.

Sorry Michael. Have had Pneumonia for over 8 weeks so got behind on answering every post.

Nyag is right and I'm seeing Google add more and more scraped categories to listings. Someone I helped here the other day had 19 cats. When I asked for screenshot of the dash they only had 6 listed. I even had them call support thinking they must have a couple hidden merged dupes to have that many cats. But nope Google said they were pulled in from feeds or directories.

 

[Michael S. Doran]

Thanks Nyag, all great suggestions.

Sorry Michael. Have had Pneumonia for over 8 weeks so got behind on answering every post.

Nyag is right and I'm seeing Google add more and more scraped categories to listings. Someone I helped here the other day had 19 cats. When I asked for screenshot of the dash they only had 6 listed. I even had them call support thinking they must have a couple hidden merged dupes to have that many cats. But nope Google said they were pulled in from feeds or directories.

I hope you are feeling much better now.

I saw that thread with the 19 categories, super strange.

Acxiom is a bit of a pain because they want documentation, such as a business licence, but still it is a good tool to be used. I am going to do some new testing...

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks still sick, but gradually regaining my strength.

The other thing I forgot to mention which I'm sure you know but newer folks reading may not, is that with niche industries you need to do cat KW research specifically for the client's city, with your location set to that city. Because if niche and especially if small to medium sized city, many cats that you think you'd want won't even pull a pack so could be somewhat of a waste of effort on the G+ L page anyway.