Category is one of a set of approximately 2,000 default business types with which the local search engines try to associate each business in their index. Although each search engine and data aggregator has its own taxonomy, many categories are based on the North American Industry Classification System, or NAICS. The current Google Places for Business dashboard allows business owners to choose up to five categories, all of which must stem from Google?s pre-chosen category choices.
What is a Category?
In websites, blogs, e-commerce stores, or directories, categories group related pages, products, or posts (e.g. “Shoes,” “Blog,” “Services”). Categories create structure and organization—helping visitors find relevant content without digging manually.
From an SEO standpoint, categories help clarify your site’s thematic structure. When content is grouped under logical categories, internal linking can flow better, and search engines can see relationships among pages. Proper category use supports crawl efficiency and hierarchical organization.
However, overusing broad or vague categories can make navigation confusing. Too many categories or unwieldy ones dilute clarity. It’s best to define categories that match user intent and content types, keep them limited, and ensure each category has meaningful content.
Use a few well-defined categories that make sense to your audience. Too many dilute structure.
Yes. Especially if content genuinely spans topics. But avoid overcategorizing just to force inclusion.
They can, by aggregating related content and helping internal linking. But they must be well optimized and offer value.