Comments on: Searchable Google LBC Category Preview Tool Beta Test

By: Local Search (SEO) Interview with Will Scott from SearchInfluence | The Expand2Web Blog

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 18:54:16 +0000

[...] Also, we talked about defining categories for your Google Places Page in the interview. Mike Blumenthal has a nice tool that helps you determine which categories best match your business, products and services here – Google LBC Category Preview Tool. [...]

By: Becky DeGrossa

Becky DeGrossa — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:37:54 +0000

Mike,

That clears it up. For some reason, I took Don’s comment in his video to mean that we should never use a category not in Google’s list, which is obviously not what you’re saying.

Thanks,

Becky

By: Mike Blumenthal

Mike Blumenthal — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:14:36 +0000

I am not sure I understand you question.

Google requires that you use at least ONE category from their list. Google does not have a category for “marriage therapy” or “”couples counseling”. So before you will be allowed to use your “long tail” category you need to provide Google with an overarching category. They will not let you proceed unless you do so.

If your client does only “marriage therapy” and “couples counseling”, you would then enter “Marriage Counselor” or “Family Counselor” (search: http://www.blumenthals.com/google-lbc-categories/search.php?q=counseling&val=hl-gl%3Den-US%26ottype%3D1) into the first category field and then “marriage therapy” and “couples counseling” into fields two and three. I would then try to find either a category or a phrase that works well for spot 4 and 5 based on your research.

The use of Google’s formal categories are neither good nor bad in slots 2-5. The measurement criteria as to whether you use their or your category is whether they get you properly qualified clientele.

By: Becky

Becky — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:52:36 +0000

Mike, this may be obvious to others, but I’m unclear about the advantage of using an existing category for a list.

In the video by Don Campbell, and presumably the basic driving force for this tool, you are suggesting that we not create categories that don’t exist in Google’s database.

If my client is a therapist that only does marriage therapy or couples counseling, why would I want to compete with all of those in the larger categories of counseling and therapy and not create my own category of couples counseling — for which a 7-pak shows — and for which there is much less competition enabling me to rank?

I apologize if this is a very remedial question that has already been thoroughly discussed, elsewhere, but it is a sticking point for me right now. You can point me elsewhere to save time, if needed!

Thanks,

Becky

By: Mike Blumenthal

Mike Blumenthal — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:28:54 +0000

@Mickey

No problem. You can put it in my paycheck.

By: Mickey

Mickey — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:59:50 +0000

@Mike – Thank you for taking the time to layout such a great step-by-step formula to choosing the correct categories.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:51:02 +0000

My approach
1)Pick 7 to 10 words/phrases that describe the category of thing that you do
2)Search on the 10 phrases + your city in google and see if they show a 7 pack
3)Of the ones that show a 7 pack, take those words and check them in the Adwords Keyword tool to determine the relative number of searches on those phrases
4)Then and only then use the keyword tool to find a primary category that properly describes your business. In your case you are, I assume, a home improvement contractor. Rather than search on home improvement, search on contractor ( http://www.blumenthals.com/google-lbc-categories/search.php?q=contractor&val=hl-gl%3Den-US%26ottype%3D1 ) . If “home improvement contractor” is not a formal category pick the category that is the most comprehensive of what of you do…ie “contractor” rather than “Sunroom Contractor”.
5)Regardless of whether they are categories or not, put your next 4 top phrases in order of volume.If there is a category that is very, very close to your phrasing, choose that over your phrasing if it does equally well in your Adwords research.
6)Test to see how well you rank for those 4 additional categories. If you are not showing up, pick a phrase further down the list for which you do show up….a less popular word that is less competitive is better than a more popular word for which you do not show up
7)Measure the value of the phrase that you chose and track the traffic from Google Maps
8)Determine if you need to go for more competitive or different words that generate more traffic/business.
9)Develop a plan to do so and then start over.

By: Mickey

Mickey — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:18:57 +0000

Mike – Thanks for creating such a great tool.

Let me make sure I understand your approach:
1) Use the Google LBC Category Preview tool.
2) In the Google LBC – Use the “Categories” that best matches the type of service/product I put in.

For instance, if I need a category for “Home Improvement” (for a home improvement contractor), I should choose the category “Sunroom Contractor” as I’m not a home improvement store? Is this correct?

Do the keyword phrases that are used most to find the site not work as well as the Pre-Existing Categories that Google already lists?

Or is it that the Pre-Existing Categories will actually alow our 7-box listing to show up for more terms? This woud be an awesome reason to use the pre-existing categories.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer these questions.

By: Best Practices for Your Google Local Business Centre Listing | SEO Global Network

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:40:07 +0000

[...] design expert Mike Blumenthal released the beta version of a Google LBC Category Preview tool that allows you to search [...]

By: SE-Man

SE-Man — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:00:16 +0000

Hi Mike,

Great tool. I have used it today when choosing categories for a business listing client.