I get asked this regularly:
π Does the order of secondary categories affect rankings?
For example, does category #2 carry more weight than #5?
Hereβs my honest answer
β
The only category order that truly matters is your PRIMARY category.
β Iβve never seen credible evidence that the order of secondary categories has any impact on rankings.
β Adding more secondary categories doesnβt magically improve visibility either.
Where categories can hurt you is when theyβre inaccurate.
If you add categories that donβt genuinely describe your business, you risk:
- Confusing users
- Increasing poor engagement signals
- Creating trust issues with Google
And thatβs where rankings can slide
My rule of thumb:
β‘οΈ Be preciseβ‘οΈ Be honestβ‘οΈ Be customer-first
Quality always beats quantity.
How many secondary categories are you currently using on your GBP?