Facebook offers businesses the ability to create Pages to connect with customers and promote their products or services. When setting up a Facebook Page, businesses need to select a category that best describes their business. The category options help Facebook understand the nature of the business and also helps users find Pages related to their interests. There are several main categories that businesses can choose from when creating a Facebook Page.
Retail and Ecommerce
Retail businesses that have a physical store location can select the “Retail Company” category. This is for any store selling products directly to customers. Examples would be clothing boutiques, book stores, pet supply shops, etc.
Ecommerce businesses that sell products strictly online can choose the “Ecommerce Website” category. This would apply to any business operating an online store without a physical retail location. Some examples are online clothing shops, specialty online retailers, or sites dropshipping products.
Food and Restaurant
Restaurants, cafes, bars, bakeries, and any other food-related business can select the “Restaurant” category. This covers establishments serving food and beverages on-site. For example, full-service restaurants, fast food chains, coffee shops, diners, pubs, and food trucks could all use this category.
Food-based businesses that don’t have a restaurant location, such as meal delivery services, caterers, homemade food sellers, and food trucks without a brick-and-mortar shop can choose the “Food Delivery Service” or “Food Truck” categories.
Services
Service-based businesses have several category options depending on their specific focus:
- “Consulting Agency” – Marketing, business, financial, HR consultants
- “Home Services” – Plumbers, electricians, lawn care, cleaning services
- “Legal Services” – Law firms, attorneys, mediation services
- “Real Estate” – Realtors, property managers, developers
- “Travel Agency” – Travel booking, lodging services, tours
Other services like health care, auto repair, pet services, events, education providers, and more can choose the general “Local Service” category.
Fitness and Beauty
Gyms, health clubs, yoga studios, and all fitness-related businesses can use the “Gym/Physical Fitness Center” category.
Beauty, cosmetics, hair, massage, nail, tanning, tattoo, and similar businesses can select “Beauty Salon” as their category.
Entertainment and Media
Entertainment venues like movie theaters, live performance theaters, concert halls, and more can use the “Movie Theater” or “Performance Venue” categories.
Media companies, publishers, radio, television, music and recording labels, and general entertainment companies can choose “Media/News Company.”
Nonprofit and Organizations
Nonprofit organizations like charities, foundations, social good organizations, and fundraising entities can select the “Nonprofit Organization” category.
Religious organizations like churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples can choose the “Church/Religious Organization” category.
Trade association, chambers of commerce, business leagues, and professional associations can use the “Community Organization” category.
Labor unions, political parties, social clubs, and similar member-based groups are best suited for the “Political Organization” category.
Education
Schools, colleges, universities, bootcamps, tutoring services, educational content creators, and other academic institutions or programs can select the “College & University” or “Education” categories.
Automotive
New and used car dealers can choose the “Car Dealership” category. Auto parts stores, mechanics, custom shops, detailers, and related automotive businesses can select “Auto Repair Shop.”
Pets and Animals
Veterinary offices, pet sitting services, dog walkers, animal shelters, pet stores, groomers, trainers, and other pet-related businesses can use the “Pet Services” category.
Farms, livestock suppliers, equine services, and other agricultural or animal organizations are best suited for the “Farm” category.
Professional Services
Accounting firms, bookkeepers, payroll services, tax prep, and financial advisors can select the “Accounting Service” category.
Banks, credit unions, lenders, insurance providers, and other financial service firms should use the “Bank/Financial Institution” category.
Law firms, attorneys, mediation services, and legal-related businesses can choose the “Lawyer & Law Firm” category.
Real Estate
Real estate agents, Realtors, brokers, property managers, apartments, storage facilities, corporate housing, timeshares, vacation rentals, and other real estate service providers can select the “Real Estate” category.
Home builders, contractors, landscapers, architects, interior designers, home inspectors, and similar home-related professionals can use the “Home Improvement” category.
Hotel and Lodging
Hotels, resorts, motels, hostels, inns, bed and breakfasts, and other lodging establishments can choose the “Hotel” category.
Vacation rental property management companies, Airbnbs, VRBOs, corporate housing, and other short term rental services can select “Vacation Home Rental.”
Event Services
Event venues, planners, rentals, catering, photographers, videographers, and all businesses related to events, meetings, conferences, weddings, and parties can use the “Event Planning & Services” category.
Shopping
Malls and shopping centers can select the “Shopping District” category to promote retail tenants.
Flea markets, craft fairs, farmers markets, and similar venues for multiple vendors to sell goods can use the “Market” category.
Professional Services
Staffing agencies, HR consulting firms, business coaching services, and office support providers can choose the “Professional Service” category.
IT services, web developers, cybersecurity firms, and general tech-focused businesses can select “Computer Software Company.”
Marketing, PR, advertising, graphic design, branding, and social media-related services should use the “Marketing Agency” category.
Manufacturing
Product and goods manufacturers, factories, industrial producers, warehouses, and storage facilities can select the “Manufacturer” category.
Sports and Recreation
Gyms, sports teams, leagues, fitness facilities, golf courses, amusement parks, bowling alleys, arcades, and other sports or recreation-focused businesses can choose the “Sports & Recreation” category.
Arts and Entertainment
Movie theaters, museums, zoos, aquariums, theaters, dance studios, music venues, escape rooms, and other arts/entertainment establishments can use the “Arts & Entertainment” category.
Casinos, bingo halls, racetracks, amusement arcades, adult entertainment clubs, and similar gaming/gambling businesses should select “Casino.”
Nightlife
Bars, lounges, nightclubs, breweries, wineries, distilleries, and adult entertainment clubs can choose the “Bar” category.
Transportation
Airlines, airports, heliports, bus lines, trains, subway systems, taxi companies, shuttle services, marinas, bike shares, parking facilities and other transport providers can select “Transportation Service.”
Personal Care and Services
Hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, tanning salons, spas, massage therapy, tattoo shops, and estheticians can choose the “Hair Salon” category.
Dry cleaners, laundromats, tailors, clothing repair shops, and laundry services can select “Dry Cleaning & Laundry.”
Home and Repair
Heating and air conditioning companies, electricians, plumbers, roofers, landscapers, cleaning services, pest control, appliance repair, handyman services, property inspectors, and other home repair/maintenance businesses can select the “Home Improvement” category.
Photography and Media
Photographers, videographers, graphics designers, production companies, recording studios, media publishers, journalists, news outlets, radio stations, podcast studios, and other media-creation businesses can choose “Photographer” or “Media Production Company” categories.
Adult Entertainment
Adult clubs, video production companies, content creators, models, actors, and related adult entertainment services can select the “Adult Entertainment” category.
Pets and Animals
Pet shelters, veterinary offices, groomers, walkers, sitters, trainers, pet stores, farm/ranch services and other animal care providers can choose the “Pet Services” category.
Consulting
Business consulting firms focused on management, HR, marketing, design, finance, strategy, technology, and more can select the “Consulting Agency” category.
Home Services
Cleaning services, pest control, plumbers, electricians, HVAC repair, lawn care, handymen, property inspectors, landscapers, contractors, and other home repair/maintenance providers can use the “Home Improvement” category.
Automotive
New/used car dealerships, mechanics, auto body shops, detailers, parts stores, customization shops, rental agencies, and other automotive businesses can choose the “Auto Repair Shop” category.
Legal Services
Law firms, attorneys, paralegals, mediation services, court reporters, process servers and other legal practices can select the “Lawyer & Law Firm” category.
Fitness and Wellness
Gyms, yoga studios, personal trainers, health coaches, physical therapists, salons/spas, martial arts, dance studios, and other fitness/wellness providers can use the “Gym/Physical Fitness Center” category.
Real Estate
Realtors, brokers, property managers, corporate housing, architects, home inspectors, staging services, landscapers, contractors, title companies, and other real estate professionals can choose the “Real Estate” category.
Food Service
Restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, bakeries, caterers, food trucks, meal delivery, grocery stores, butchers, food manufacturers, distributors, farms, vineyards, breweries, and other food-based businesses should select the “Restaurant” or related food category.
Travel and Hospitality
Hotels, resorts, hostels, vacation rentals, cruises, tours, travel agencies, airlines, airports, transportation providers, and similar travel/hospitality businesses can use the “Hotel” or “Travel Agency” categories.
Finance and Insurance
Banks, credit unions, accounting firms, payroll services, financial advisors, insurance providers, lenders, and other financial service-related businesses can choose the “Financial Service” category.
Arts and Entertainment
Performing arts venues, dance studios, musical instrument instructors, museum, galleries, movie theaters, playhouses, zoos, amusement parks, bowling alleys, and other arts/entertainment establishments can select the “Arts & Entertainment” category.
Top Facebook Business Page Categories
The most popular and commonly used Facebook business Page categories based on Facebook data are:
| Category | # of Pages |
|---|---|
| App Page | 64 million |
| Business & Utility Services | 63 million |
| Shopping & Retail | 47 million |
| Beauty, Personal Care & Health | 36 million |
| Food & Drink | 29 million |
| Marketing Agency | 29 million |
| Home & Garden Business | 28 million |
| Automobiles & Vehicles | 25 million |
| Media & Internet | 23 million |
| Community Organization | 22 million |
As shown above, app developers, local service businesses, retail stores, restaurants, beauty/health businesses, marketing agencies, home service providers, automotive companies, media firms, and nonprofits/community groups are among the most common types of businesses leveraging Facebook Pages.
Choosing the Right Facebook Business Category
When creating a Facebook Page, it’s important to select the category that most closely matches the core focus of your business. This helps optimize discoverability for your target audience. Here are some tips on choosing the right category:
- Review all the category options and choose the one that best describes what your business does
- Pick a specific category over a vague or generic one when possible
- Avoid selecting multiple categories that are too broad or unrelated
- You can change the category later if needed to better fit your business
- The category you choose also determines the templates available for customizing your Facebook Page
- It’s better to pick a more niche category that directly relates to your business over a popular generic one that doesn’t accurately reflect your products/services
Why the Facebook Business Category Matters
While it may seem minor, the category selection plays an important role for Facebook Pages in several ways:
- Discoverability – Choosing a category that properly depicts what your business offers makes it easier for your ideal audience to find your Page organically when searching on Facebook.
- Analytics – Facebook uses categories for aggregating analytics like top verticals, competitor benchmarking, and industry trends.
- Ad targeting – Categories help Facebook understand audience interests and demographics to optimize ads and recommendations.
- Page customization – The category determines what Page layouts, profile pictures, and design templates are available.
- User expectations – Visitors expect Pages to have a category reflecting the actual products or services offered by the business.
Conclusion
Facebook has an extensive list of business categories to choose from when creating a Page. Common types include retail, restaurants, service businesses, agencies, auto, pets, real estate, finance, and more. It’s important to pick the category that most accurately represents your core business offerings. The category affects discoverability, analytics, advertising, customization options, and user expectations. Taking the time to select the right category helps optimize your Facebook presence and ensure your Page best connects with your target audience.