10 Weirdest GBP Categories That Actually Exist in Google's Database — Is Your Business Affected?
Have you ever opened your Google Business Profile (GBP) and noticed a category that just felt… off? Maybe you run a modest eatery, but your GBP shows "Restaurant with Entertainment." Or perhaps you offer air-conditioning services, but there's no category that quite describes what you do. The truth is, Google has thousands of categories in its database — and some of them are incredibly specific, bizarre, or downright confusing.
What's more worrying is that choosing the wrong category can cause your business to disappear from Google Search without you even realising it. According to Moz (2023), GBP signals contribute up to 36% of local pack ranking factors on Google. This means an inaccurate category isn't just an aesthetic issue — it can cost you real visibility in local search. This article uncovers 10 of the weirdest GBP categories that actually exist, and why choosing the right one is among the most critical steps for your local SEO.
1. Amusement Machine Supplier — Supplying Entertainment Machines?
Most people probably never imagined this category exists in GBP. It refers to businesses that supply arcade machines, claw machines, or other entertainment machines to shopping malls or restaurants. In Malaysia, many small traders operating in this segment find themselves having to choose between categories that are either too broad or too specific. As a result, their profiles often appear for irrelevant searches.
Action Tip: If your business supplies amusement machines, choose the closest primary category, then add more specific secondary categories to capture a wider range of searches.
2. Batting Cage Center — A Pitching Practice Facility?
This category refers to a sports facility where customers practise hitting balls using an automatic pitching machine — popular in the United States and Japan. In Malaysia, such facilities are extremely limited, yet this category still exists in Google's database. Owners of golf driving ranges or general sports centres sometimes mistakenly select this category due to the similar concept of a "practice facility."
Action Tip: Always check the actual definition of each category before selecting it. Don't rely solely on the category name — read its full description in Google Business Profile Help.
3. Bento Restaurant — A Highly Specific Japanese Eatery Category
Even though Japanese cuisine is growing in popularity in Malaysia, the "Bento Restaurant" category is so specific that many restaurant owners who offer bento as one menu option (rather than their main focus) are tempted to use it. The problem is, an overly specific category can limit your search reach to a very small audience.
Action Tip: Use the category that best describes your overall business offering as your primary category, and save specific categories like "Bento Restaurant" as a secondary category only if necessary.
4. Chartered Surveyor — A Licensed Surveying Professional?
This category exists and is relevant for professional firms, but issues arise when small building contractors or individual property developers select it without understanding the professional qualifications involved. In Malaysia, a "Chartered Surveyor" refers to a specifically licensed professional — it is not the right category for a general contractor or ordinary property agent.
Action Tip: Make sure your GBP category reflects your business's actual qualifications and professional licences, not just the services you offer in general.
5. Coworking Space — Shared Working Space
This category seems straightforward enough, but many café owners who provide free WiFi and work tables also use this category to attract customers. This creates an uneven playing field and confuses Google's algorithm about the true identity of the business. According to Google (2024), complete and accurate GBP information directly improves rankings in local search.
Action Tip: If you're a café owner, set "Café" as your primary category. You can mention your work-friendly facilities in your profile's description section to attract that customer segment without compromising category accuracy.
6. Do-It-Yourself Shop — DIY Shop
This category sits somewhere between "Hardware Store" and "Craft Store," and many owners of spare parts shops, craft shops, or hobby shops are unsure which one suits them best. In Malaysia, shops selling home décor materials, paint, and hand tools often find themselves stuck in this dilemma. The wrong choice can cause your profile to appear in irrelevant searches — and worse, not appear at all in relevant ones.
Action Tip: Compare three or four categories closest to your business using a tool like PlePer Category Tool before making your final decision.
7. Gasfitter — Gas Pipe Specialist
This category is very specific to practitioners who install and maintain gas piping — different from a regular plumber. In Malaysia, many contractors who carry out both water and gas piping work select only this category, causing them to miss out on searches for water plumbing services that local customers may search for more frequently.
Action Tip: Use more than one category — Google allows up to 10 secondary categories. Make the most of this limit wisely to cover all the main services you offer.
8. Laser Tag Center — Laser Tag Gaming Centre
A laser tag centre is a very niche category and is only relevant to dedicated premises. However, owners of general entertainment centres, paintball centres, or even escape rooms sometimes mistakenly select this category, assuming it covers all types of high-intensity entertainment activities. This mistake can cause your business to not appear in searches for the actual activities you offer.
Action Tip: Don't choose a category because it "looks similar" — choose based on the primary service that your customers most frequently search for on Google.
9. Reflexology — Reflexology
This category exists separately from "Massage Therapist" or "Spa," and it is one of the best examples of a highly specific category in GBP. In Malaysia, the reflexology industry is extremely popular, yet many practitioners register under broader categories like "Health Spa" or "Massage Therapist" — causing them to miss out on the opportunity to dominate searches specifically for "reflexology near me."
Action Tip: If your service is highly specialised like reflexology, use that specific category as your primary category to stand out in related searches.
10. Youth Organization — Youth Organisation
This is perhaps the most confusing category for non-organisation businesses. Many people who run youth training programmes, tuition centres, or sports academies register their business under this category under the assumption that it describes their customer segment. In reality, this category is designed for non-profit organisations serving young people — not commercial businesses.
Action Tip: If you run an academy, training centre, or private school, categories like "Tutoring Service," "Sports Club," or "Training Centre" are far more accurate and effective for your local SEO.
Why This Matters for Your Business in Malaysia?
Data from GBPAuditLab shows that 100% of the 59 businesses audited over the past 90 days did not have a complete GBP description — and this is often closely tied to the problem of inaccurate category selection. When business owners don't understand their categories, they also tend to leave the description section blank because they're unsure how to accurately describe their business.
Even more concerning, a BrightLocal study (2024) revealed that 87% of consumers use Google to evaluate local businesses. This means every time a potential customer searches for something related to your business, your GBP is the first impression they see — and the wrong category can cause your business to not appear in those search results at all.
On top of that, our audit data also found that 23.73% of Malaysian local businesses have yet to claim their GBP profile — meaning they have absolutely no control over the information displayed to potential customers, including their business category.
Audit Your GBP Today — Free at GBPAuditLab
If you're not sure whether your business's GBP category is accurate, the best course of action is to run a thorough audit. GBPAuditLab provides a free GBP audit tool designed specifically for Malaysian businesses — helping you identify weaknesses in your GBP profile, including category selection issues, missing descriptions, insufficient photos, and much more.
Don't let a weird or inaccurate category rob you of customers who should rightfully be coming to your business. Try your free audit now at gbpauditlab.com and check whether your GBP category truly matches what local customers are searching for.