When setting up a Facebook page, one of the steps is to select a category that best represents your business or organization. This helps Facebook know what your page is about so they can recommend it to the right people. Choosing the right category can help get your Facebook page seen by more of your target audience.
Why does Facebook ask you to choose a category?
Facebook asks you to choose a category for your page so they can:
- Better understand what your business or organization is about
- Display your page when people search for pages in that category
- Suggest your page to users who have shown interest in similar pages
- Show your posts to more people who are likely to be interested in your content
In other words, picking a relevant category makes it easier for your ideal audience to discover your page and for Facebook to know who to show it to.
How does Facebook use categories?
Specifically, Facebook uses page categories for:
- Search rankings – Pages are ranked higher in search results for their chosen categories.
- Recommendations – Facebook suggests pages to users based on the categories they follow.
- Ad targeting – Advertisers can target ads to people who follow pages in specific categories.
- Analytics – Page owners can view analytics based on category followers.
- Page browsing – Users can browse Facebook for pages by category in the “Explore” section.
So picking the right category gives your page the best chance of being found and seen by people searching for or interested in pages like yours.
How to choose the right Facebook page category
Follow these tips when selecting a category for your Facebook page:
- Review the list of categories – Facebook provides a list of pre-defined categories to choose from when you create a page.
- Pick the most specific category – Choose the sub-category that most closely matches what your business or organization does.
- Avoid vague categories – Don’t pick broader parent categories if your page is about something more specific.
- Consider your target audience – Think about what categories your ideal customers would follow.
- Review competitor pages – See what categories similar businesses and organizations have chosen.
- Check back periodically – Facebook adds new categories over time, so revisit your selection every so often.
Aim to select 1-2 primary categories that accurately reflect your niche. You can leave secondary categories blank if none are a perfect fit.
Facebook page category examples
Here are some examples of choosing good Facebook page categories for different business types:
Local businesses
A cupcake bakery should choose “Bakery” rather than “Restaurant”.
A bookstore should select “Book Store” rather than “Shopping & Retail”.
Online businesses
An online shoe store should pick “Shoe Store” rather than “E-commerce Website”.
A parenting blog should choose “Parenting Website” over “Website”.
Brands and organizations
A university should select “College & University” over just “Education”.
A non-profit should pick “Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)” rather than “Organization”.
Community pages
A city page should choose “City” instead of “Community”.
A neighbourhood group should select “Neighbourhood” over “Community Organization”.
Common Facebook page category mistakes
Here are some things to avoid when picking a Facebook page category:
- Choosing too broad of a parent category
- Selecting multiple irrelevant categories in hopes of more reach
- Picking a misleading category that doesn’t describe your business
- Not updating your category as your business evolves over time
Stick to 1-2 clearly relevant categories focused on your target audience. Generic categories like “Product/Service” or “Organization” should be avoided when possible.
Can you change your Facebook page category?
Yes, you can change your Facebook page category at any time after creating your page. Here’s how:
- Go to your page and click “Settings” in the top menu
- Click “Edit Page Info” on the left sidebar
- Scroll down and click “Edit” next to “Categories”
- Select new category(ies) that fit your page
- Click “Save Changes” at the bottom
Be sure the new categories accurately reflect what your page is about. Changing categories can help broaden your reach if your page evolves over time.
Tips for changing your Facebook page category
When changing page categories, keep these tips in mind:
- Don’t switch categories too frequently or randomly
- Avoid misleading categories unrelated to your business
- Consider creating a new page if your focus has changed significantly
- Update your category if your business has expanded into new areas
- Pick categories your target audience would actually follow
In general, try to select long-term categories that accurately represent what your page is about. Don’t game the system by constantly changing between unrelated categories.
Should you choose multiple categories?
Facebook allows pages to select up to 3 categories. In most cases, 1-2 well-chosen categories are optimal. Reasons to limit categories:
- Highly-specific categories keep your page focused
- Too many categories can dilute your audience reach
- Generic secondary categories don’t provide much benefit
- Changing categories later is easy if needed
However, some pages can benefit from 2-3 properly selected categories, such as:
- Large universities with different schools
- Conglomerates or holding companies
- Pages transitioning focus to related new areas
So while multiple categories can be useful in some cases, resist the urge to over-optimize by picking every loosely related category.
Should you create multiple Facebook pages?
For businesses with diverse product or service offerings, having multiple Facebook pages targeted to specific audiences can make more sense than selecting multiple categories on one page.
Reasons to create multiple Facebook pages include:
- Your business operates in very different industries
- You want to target separate regional audiences
- Your brand has distinct products or services
- Your organization has unrelated divisions or programs
With distinct pages, you can tailor content, messaging, visuals and categories to each audience. Just ensure the relationship between the pages is clear.
Conclusion
Choosing the right Facebook page category is an important optimization step. Select 1-2 specific categories that your target audience would follow so your content reaches the people most likely to be interested. Avoid overly broad categories that could apply to many unrelated pages. Consider creating multiple Facebook pages if your business spans very different industries. Revisit your categories over time as your page evolves. Picking categories that best reflect what your page is about will help attract your ideal audience and grow your presence.