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Find your Google Business categories and check your listings

Your primary category is one of the strongest signals for where you appear on Google Maps, and most businesses pick a broad one. Type what you do to see the best primary category and the secondary ones worth adding, then check yourself against the UK directories Google and AI tools read.

Your best primary category
Secondary categories to add
A UK listings score

1Fill in a few boxes
2See your result straight away
3Unlock the full report, free

What do you do?

In your own words: emergency plumber, dog groomer, family solicitor.

Business name

Town

Your UK listings

Type your business name and town to check your listings.

–Listings

Google Business Profile The listing behind Google Maps and the local results. Nothing matters more.
Apple Maps (Business Connect) What every iPhone and Siri uses. Claim it at Apple Business Connect.
Bing Places Feeds Bing, Copilot and ChatGPT's search results.
Facebook page Many customers check it for hours, photos and replies.
Yell The best-known UK directory; AI answers often cite it.
Thomson Local A long-standing UK directory that other sites copy from.
FreeIndex Free UK listing with reviews.
Yelp UK Feeds Apple Maps reviews and some AI answers.
Trustpilot The review site UK buyers trust most for online businesses.

Rather have a person look at it? We will go through your numbers with you on a free 30-minute call.

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How do I choose the right Google Business Profile category?

Choose the primary category that describes your main service in the words people search, not simply the broadest one that fits. A dental practice is a "Dentist" first, with "Dental implants provider" and "Emergency dental service" as secondaries if it offers them.

Add secondary categories only for services you really offer. Categories that do not match the business can confuse Google about what you do, and a competitor can report them.

Look at the businesses already at the top of the map for your main search. The category shown under each name tells you what Google rewards there.

Type what you do into the finder to see the best primary category.
Check the category shown under the top three businesses on Google Maps.
Pick the exact category name in your profile, as Google renames some.
Add the secondary categories that match services you offer.

Can I change my Google Business Profile category?

Yes, at any time, from Edit profile in your Business Profile. A change of primary category can lead Google to review the profile or ask you to verify it again, so make the change once, carefully, rather than trying several.

Rankings can move for a few weeks after a primary category change while Google re-reads the profile. Note your positions for your main searches before you change it, so you can tell whether it helped.

Which UK directories should my business be listed on?

Start with the three listings behind the maps on phones and computers: Google Business Profile, Apple Maps through Apple Business Connect, and Bing Places. All three are free, and Bing Places can import your Google details.

Then add the main UK directories and the review site that matters most in your trade. Search engines and AI tools read these to check that a business is real and where it is.

The UK listings the checker scores, by priority
Listing	Priority	Why it matters
Google Business Profile	Core	The listing behind Google Maps and the local results.
Apple Maps (Business Connect)	Core	What every iPhone and Siri use.
Bing Places	Core	Feeds Bing and Microsoft Copilot.
Facebook page	Important	Customers check it for hours, photos and replies.
Yell	Important	The best-known UK directory, read by search engines and AI tools.
Trustpilot	Important	The review site many UK buyers check for online businesses.
Thomson Local	Helpful	A long-standing UK directory that other sites copy from.
FreeIndex	Helpful	A free UK listing with reviews.
Yelp UK	Helpful	A review site some apps and AI answers read.

The checker counts core listings three times and important ones twice. Trade sites such as Checkatrade, Treatwell or Tripadvisor are added for the trades that use them.

Why do my business name, address and phone need to match everywhere?

Google and AI tools compare your details across the web to decide which facts to trust. If one listing has an old address or a different phone number, they become less sure which is right, and customers may ring a number that no longer works.

Use one exact form everywhere, down to "Road" or "Rd" and the way the phone number is written. When you move or change number, update Google first, then every other listing, then your website.

Business name: the real name, with no added keywords.
Address: the same wording and postcode everywhere.
Phone: one local number, written the same way.
Website: the same address, with or without www.

How the tool works

Type what you do, in your own words.
See the best primary category and the secondary categories that fit.
Type your business name and town; open each UK directory search to see if you are listed and correct.
Tick what you find for a listing score and the gaps to fix first.

How Scale Oxford helps

How Scale Oxford sets up your local listings

Categories and listings are where our local SEO work starts, because every later step builds on them. We check what the businesses above you on the map have done, then match or beat it.

Choose your primary and secondary categories from the searches your customers make.
Claim and correct your Google, Apple, Bing and main UK directory listings.
Keep your name, address and phone the same everywhere, and fix any listing that drifts.

Book a free call See our local SEO service

Case study · Quillbrook OpticiansScale Oxford grew calls from Google Maps by 163% for Quillbrook Opticians. Its Google Business Profile had been left alone for years, and several directories still carried an old phone number. We made every listing agree first, then finished the profile.↑ 163%More calls from Google Maps↑ 121%More direction requests↑ 287Google reviewsRead the case study →

Questions people ask

How many categories can I have on Google Business Profile?

One primary category and up to nine more. Pick the primary for the service most people search for, and add only secondaries that describe what you really do.

Does the primary category affect ranking?

Yes. It is one of the strongest factors for which searches you appear for on Google Maps. A specific category ("Emergency plumber") usually beats a broad one ("Plumber") for the searches it covers.

Which UK directories matter most?

Apple Business Connect, Bing Places, Yell, Thomson Local, Facebook and the main review site for your trade (Checkatrade, Trustpilot, TripAdvisor and so on). Your name, address and phone must match everywhere.

Where does the category list come from?

From the categories Google offers in Business Profile, written out for common UK trades. Google adds and renames categories, so check the exact name when you choose it in your profile.

Can I add keywords to my Google Business Profile name?

No. Google's guidelines say the name must be your real business name, as used on your signs and stationery. Adding a town or a service to the name can get the profile suspended, and competitors can report it.

Can I have a Google Business Profile without a shop or office?

Yes, as a service-area business. You verify your address but hide it, and set the towns or areas you serve instead. This suits trades, cleaners and mobile services that visit customers.

Do I need a separate Google profile for each location?

Yes, if each one has its own staffed address that customers can visit or that serves its own area. Each location needs its own profile and categories, and its own page on your website.

How long does a category change take to affect ranking?

Usually from a few days to a few weeks. Google needs to re-read the profile, and positions can swing before they settle. Change one thing at a time so you can tell what made the difference.

Are paid directory listings worth it?

Rarely for ranking. The free listings on Google, Apple, Bing and the main UK directories do most of the work. A paid listing is only worth it if the directory itself sends you customers, which you can check by asking where enquiries came from.

Should I list my business on Apple Maps?

Yes. Apple Maps is the default map on every iPhone and the one Siri uses. Claiming your listing through Apple Business Connect is free and lets you correct your hours, photos and category.

What else on my Google Business Profile helps ranking?

A complete profile: accurate hours, photos, the services you offer, a short description and a steady flow of reviews you reply to. Google says complete and accurate profiles are easier to match with the right searches.