Learn how elite personal trainers use categories and services to fill their training schedules. GMB Everywhere reveals the exact optimization strategies your competitors are using.
Picture someone who just made a New Year's resolution to get fit. They open their phone and search "personal trainer near me" on Google. Instantly, a list of personal trainers appears—some at the top of the results, others nowhere to be found.
Ever wonder why certain personal trainers show up first while others get buried in search results? That's exactly what we're going to explain. And don't worry—we'll keep it simple.
Your Google Business Profile (or GBP for short) is basically your personal training business's online business card on Google. It shows your name, location, phone number, hours, photos, and client reviews. When someone searches for personal training, Google decides which profiles to show based on a few key factors.
Google wants to show people the best, most relevant results. So it checks three main things about your business. Think of these as the "three pillars" that hold up your local ranking.
Many personal trainers have inconsistent contact information scattered across the web. Google checks if your name, location, and phone number match everywhere online—your website, Mindbody, Instagram, and here on Google. If they don't align, Google gets confused and won't show your profile to potential clients.
Quick check: Is your business name spelled consistently on your website, social media pages, and Google profile?
When someone searches "HIIT training near me" or "strength training sessions," Google checks your profile to see if you offer those specific services. If you haven't listed them, you won't appear—even if you specialize in exactly what they're looking for.
This is where categories and services come in. We'll explain these in detail in the next section. For now, just know that telling Google your exact training specialties is imperative to getting found.
Google reads your reviews. Lots of good reviews tell Google that customers trust you. Replying to those reviews shows that you're active and you care. Both of these things help you rank higher.
Think about it: would you trust a personal trainer with 3 client reviews or one with 50+ positive reviews? Google thinks the same way.
Here's the good news: You don't need to be a tech expert to improve these things. Most of it just takes a few minutes to fix.
Now, let's dive deeper into the part that trips up most personal trainers: categories and services. Once you understand these, you'll be ahead of most trainers competing for clients in your area.
Remember when we said Google needs to know what you do? This is where you tell it. Let's break this down into two simple parts.
Why this matters: Of all the things you can control on your Google Business Profile, categories have one of the biggest impacts on your local rankings. Pick the wrong ones, and you won't show up when clients search. Pick the right ones, and you'll appear for the exact services you offer. Our case study proves that adding relevant categories doesn't hurt your rankings—it actually increases your visibility.
Think of categories like labels on a filing cabinet. Google uses them to sort businesses into groups. When someone searches "personal trainer near me," Google opens the "Personal Trainer" folder and shows what's inside.
If your profile isn't in that folder, you won't show up. It's that simple.
You get to pick one primary category (your main label) and a few secondary categories (extra labels for other things you do).
Here's what a personal trainer might choose:
Pro tip: Not sure which categories to pick? The checklist below will walk you through exactly how to find the best categories for your personal training business.
If categories are the folders, services are the specific items inside. They tell Google (and prospective clients) exactly what training specialties you offer.
Let's say someone searches "HIIT workouts near me." Google will check if you have "HIIT workouts" listed as a service. If you do, great—you'll show up. If you don't, Google assumes you don't specialize in it.
Think of it like a service menu. If a training style isn't listed, potential clients won't know to book you for it.
Services a landscaper might list:
The more services you list, the more searches you can show up for. Just make sure you actually offer what you list!
Here's your action plan for your personal training business:
Not sure where to start? The checklist below will guide you through the categories and services in just 20 to 25 minutes.
Work through each item below. By the end, your personal trainer profile will be optimized for better local rankings and more client bookings.
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How to use:
Open any business on Google Maps - primary and secondary categories display automatically beside the profile
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Search for any term on Google Maps - click the Local Scan button to compare all GBPs
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Open any business on Google Maps - click the 'AI' button beside the GBP to use AI features
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Open any business on Google Maps - click the 'Find more' button beside categories
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How to use:
Open any business on Google Maps - click the 'Basic Audit' button beside the GBP
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How to use:
Open any business on Google Maps - click the 'Review Audit' button beside the GBP
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How to use:
Open any business on Google Maps - click the 'Teleport' button beside the GBP
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How to use:
Open any business on Google Maps - click the 'Post Audit' button beside the GBP
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