The Ideal GBP Categories for Clinics: What to Use (and What to Avoid)

OnJune 28, 2025
InClinics, Conversion

Choosing the right primary and secondary categories in your Google Business Profile is one of the most underrated ranking factors for local clinics.

Whether you run a dental office, physiotherapy clinic, foot care practice, massage therapy clinic, or medical spa, your category selection can mean the difference between showing up in the Google Maps 3-Pack—or not showing up at all.

Yet most clinics choose categories blindly or just copy competitors—often missing huge visibility opportunities.

This guide will walk you through:

The most effective GBP categories for different types of clinics
What categories to avoid
How to choose the best ones for your services

🔑 How GBP Categories Affect Rankings

Google uses your primary category to decide:

What type of searches you should show up for
How relevant your clinic is to certain keywords
Which competitors to rank you against

Your secondary categories tell Google about additional services—without diluting your core identity.

✅ Best GBP Categories by Clinic Type

Here are the top-performing primary categories for each clinic type:

🦷 Dental Clinics

Primary Category:

Dental Clinic (most common and versatile)

Useful Secondary Categories:

Cosmetic Dentist
Pediatric Dentist
Emergency Dental Service
Dental Implants Periodontist
Teeth Whitening Service

🏃‍♂️ Physiotherapy Clinics

Primary Category:

Physical Therapy Clinic

Useful Secondary Categories:

Sports Medicine Clinic
Rehabilitation Center
Chiropractor (only if offered in-house)
Orthopedic Clinic (if treating MSK issues)

🦶 Foot Care Clinics / Chiropodists / Orthotic Providers

Primary Category:

Podiatrist (for regulated foot health clinics)
Foot Care Clinic (may not appear as an official GBP category, but use if available)

Useful Secondary Categories:

Orthotics & Prosthetics Service
Medical Clinic
Diabetes Center (if relevant)

💆‍♀️ Med Spas / Skin Clinics

Primary Category:

Medical Spa (most common)
Skin Care Clinic (if dermatology or advanced skin treatments are the focus)

Useful Secondary Categories:

Laser Hair Removal Service
Facial Spa
Weight Loss Service
Cosmetic Dentist (if offering injectables or teeth whitening)

💆‍♂️ Massage Therapy Clinics

Primary Category:

Massage Therapist

Useful Secondary Categories:

Sports Massage Therapist
Alternative Medicine Practitioner
Wellness Center (use with caution—can be too generic)

🏥 Multidisciplinary Clinics

Primary Category:

Medical Clinic (if general health services are the core offering)
Wellness Center (only if offering multiple holistic services)

Secondary Examples:

Chiropractor
Acupuncturist
Mental Health Clinic
Physiotherapist
Family Practice Physician

🚫 Categories to Avoid (or Use Carefully)

❌ Too Generic:

Health Consultant
Wellness Program
Health and Beauty Shop

These don’t signal any specific service—and won’t help you rank.

❌ Misleading:

Hospital (unless you’re legally registered as one)
Urgent Care Center (unless you meet medical requirements)
Dermatologist (unless your clinic employs licensed MDs in dermatology)

Mislabeling can get your profile suspended or flagged by competitors.

❌ Keyword-Stuffed Categories

Google chooses from a set list of categories. You cannot create your own or include multiple services in one.

Bad:

“Botox, Filler, Laser Clinic”

Correct:

Use Medical Spa as primary, with Laser Hair Removal Service, Skin Care Clinic as secondary.

🧠 Pro Tips for Category Selection

✅ Your primary category should match your core service

Ask: What service do 70% of our patients come for?

✅ Update secondary categories based on services you actually offer

Only add categories that:

Reflect real services
Show up on your website
Are mentioned in your reviews or posts

✅ Revisit your categories at least twice a year

Google adds new categories regularly. What wasn’t available in January may exist in June.

📈 Final Thoughts

The categories you select in your Google Business Profile do more than describe your clinic—they determine your visibility.

Choose wisely, and you’ll:

Rank higher for local, high-intent searches
Reach more of the right patients
Strengthen your GBP authority across Google Maps

📞 Not Sure If Your GBP Categories Are Hurting You?

At GBP Support, we help Canadian clinics:

Audit and correct outdated or weak GBP categories
Match your services to the best-performing categories for your area
Optimize your listing for long-term Maps dominance

👉 [Book a Free 15-Min Discovery Call]
Let’s make sure your GBP categories are helping—not hiding—your clinic.