Google My Business Disables Some Categories for SABs
Joy Hawkins from Local U recently wrote a great article about how Google My Business disabled select categories for Service Area Businesses (SABs). Why? Partly to prevent spam and partly because some of these categories are typically known by consumers as storefront-type businesses. Because SABs are generally home-based businesses and/or do not allow customers to come into their physical location, it doesn’t make sense for a SAB to have some of these categories in their GMB listing (especially since SABs are not allowed to show their address in their GMB profiles.) Also, Google’s goal is to ensure that the categories businesses select represent their business accurately.
Since Google My Business has restricted Service Area Business (SABS) from using certain categories because those categories were determined to be relevant only to storefront businesses, it’s caused some SABs to go into a tailspin. Which other category should they select?
If you’re a SAB business and you’re running into issues selecting categories, here are some guidelines to select an alternative category. (Please keep in mind that Google can change guidelines at any time.)
List of Categories Impacted
- Auto dent removal service
- Google is working to make this category available to Service Area Businesses again. In the meantime, you can switch to a similar category like Auto painting.
- Auto repair
- Choose Car Repair
- Tire shop
- Choose Wheel Store
- Auto glass shop
- Google is working to make this category available to Service Area Businesses again. In the meantime, you can switch to a similar category like Glass repair service.
- RV Repair shop
- Choose Car repair
- Pilates studio
- Choose Body shaping class
- Cremation services
- Google is working to make this category available to Service Area Businesses again. In the meantime, you can switch to a similar category Pet funeral services or ritual service
- Window tinting service
- Choose Auto window tinting service
- Film and photograph library
- Choose Photography
- Photo agency
- If you are a SAB and receive an error when you select this category, please contact Google My Business support. Photo agency remains SAB eligible and has no address restriction.
If you discover any other categories that aren’t available for Service Area Businesses, we’d love to learn about them so we can keep this list going! Contact us and let us know.
And if you need help with SEO, Google My Business, Content Marketing, Reputation Marketing or any other services, we can help.