How to Use Google Maps Categories to Build Hyper-Targeted Prospect Lists

Most prospecting lists fail for one simple reason: they rely on generic industry labels and outdated databases. If you have ever purchased a lead list based on broad SIC or NAICS codes, you know the frustration of reaching out to a "Marketing Company" only to find out they are a print shop that closed two years ago.

To build a pipeline that actually converts, you need data that reflects the real world. Google Maps categories represent the most accurate, real-time classification of businesses available today. Unlike static databases, these categories are self-selected by business owners to describe exactly what they do and who they serve.

This article outlines a strategy-first framework for turning these category signals into accurate, scalable lead lists. At NotiQ, we have spent years refining the art of using Maps categorization for vertical targeting, helping businesses move beyond "spray and pray" tactics toward precision prospecting.

Why Google Maps Categories Outperform Traditional Industry Databases

Traditional lead generation relies heavily on government classification systems like NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) or SIC codes. While useful for census data, these codes often lack the granularity required for modern sales targeting.

For example, a generic NAICS code might classify a business simply as "Specialized Design Services." In contrast, Google Business Profile categories allow that same business to identify specifically as a "Web Designer," "Graphic Designer," or "Interior Designer." This distinction is critical when tailoring your outreach message.

Furthermore, traditional databases are often static, updated annually or even less frequently. Google Maps data is dynamic. Businesses update their profiles in real-time to capture local traffic, meaning the data reflects current operational status.

According to the official NAICS classification overview (U.S. Census Bureau), these codes are reviewed only every five years. In the fast-moving world of B2B sales, five-year-old definitions are obsolete. Relying on such outdated prospecting methods often leads to high bounce rates and wasted ad spend. For a deeper dive into why traditional methods fall short, explore our guide on outdated prospecting methods.

The Structure of Google Maps Categories

To leverage this data, you must understand how Google structures it. A Google Business Profile (GBP) consists of a Primary Category and multiple Secondary Categories.

The Primary Category is the main label that impacts local SEO the most (e.g., "Dentist"). However, the Secondary Categories reveal the true depth of the business (e.g., "Cosmetic Dentist," "Dental Implants Periodontist," or "Pediatric Dentist").

This hierarchical structure allows for micro-niche targeting. Instead of targeting every "Lawyer" in a city, you can specifically filter for "Divorce Lawyer" or "Personal Injury Attorney." For technical specifications on how these labels function, refer to the Google place types guidelines (Google Developers).

Why Category Data Reflects Real-World Buyer Intent

Google Maps categories are high-signal identifiers because they are chosen with intent. A business selects "Vegan Restaurant" rather than just "Restaurant" because they want to attract a specific type of customer.

When you use these categories for lead list building, you are aligning your prospecting with the business's own self-definition.

• Medical: Distinguish between a "General Practitioner" and a "Holistic Medicine Practitioner."
• Home Services: Separate a "General Contractor" from a "Kitchen Remodeler."
• Beauty: Target a "Hair Extension Technician" specifically, rather than a generic "Beauty Salon."

This alignment ensures your offer lands with relevance, drastically improving response rates in google maps lead generation campaigns.

How to Segment and Stack Categories for Precise Lead Targeting

The secret to building hyper-targeted prospect lists lies in "Category Stacking."

Most automated tools scrape businesses based on a single keyword. Category stacking involves filtering leads that possess a specific combination of Primary and Secondary categories. This technique reduces false positives and ensures the prospect fits your ideal customer profile (ICP).

Building Micro-Segments Using Category Combinations

Stacking transforms broad verticals into niche prospecting lists. Here is how you can apply this across different industries:

• Marketing Agencies: If you sell white-label SEO services, targeting "Marketing Agency" is too broad. Instead, stack categories:
  • Must have: "Marketing Agency" OR "Advertising Agency"
  • Must also have: "Internet Marketing Service"
  • Exclude: "Print Shop" or "Sign Shop"
• Home Improvement: To sell high-ticket roofing software:
  • Primary: "Roofing Contractor"
  • Secondary: "Siding Contractor" (indicates a larger scope of work)
• Healthcare: To target private practices rather than hospitals:
  • Primary: "Dermatologist"
  • Exclude: "Hospital" or "Medical Center"

By using category stacking, you filter out irrelevant businesses before they ever enter your CRM, saving hours of manual qualification.

When to Use Single Categories vs Stacks

Single Category Targeting is effective when the profession is highly specialized and protected by licensure. For example, "Orthodontist" or "Chiropractor" are distinct enough that a single category usually suffices for accurate local business segmentation.

Category Stacking is essential in broad, unregulated, or competitive industries. "Consultant" is a useless category on its own. However, "Business Management Consultant" stacked with "Human Resource Consulting" creates a precise target for HR software vendors. Stacks are the most effective way to refine your google maps categories strategy for complex B2B sales.

Real Workflows for Extracting and Filtering Google Maps Categories

Understanding categories is the strategy; extracting them is the execution. Below are three workflows ranging from manual testing to fully automated scaling.

It is vital to note that data quality varies significantly based on the method used. Research on POI data conflation (arXiv) highlights how automated systems can sometimes merge distinct business entities if not properly filtered, underscoring the need for sophisticated extraction logic.

If you are ready to move straight to an automated solution that handles this complexity, check out the NotiQ demo.

Manual Workflow (For Small Tests)

If you are testing a new niche, do not invest in software yet. Use a manual workflow to validate the market.

1. Go to Google Maps.
2. Search your target category (e.g., "Plumbers in Austin").
3. Click on individual business profiles.
4. Manually copy the business name, website, and phone number into a spreadsheet.
5. Crucial Step: Note the category listed right under the business name.

Limitations: This method is extremely slow, prone to human error, and makes it difficult to see secondary categories, which are often hidden from the main view.

Semi-Automated Workflow Using Common Tools

Intermediate users often utilize generic scraping tools. Keywords like "phantombuster google maps scraping" or "clay google maps category extraction" are common in this space.

These tools can export lists of businesses into a CSV file. However, they often treat all data fields equally. They might capture the Primary Category but fail to extract the Secondary Categories or specific attributes (like "Women-led" or "Wheelchair accessible"). Without the full category context, you are still left with a list that requires significant manual cleaning.

Fully Automated Workflow for Scale

For high-volume, high-accuracy google maps lead generation, you need a fully automated workflow that incorporates automated google maps category filtering.

A sophisticated workflow looks like this:

1. Broad Extraction: Identify all businesses in a geographic area within a vertical.
2. Category Filtering: Apply inclusion/exclusion logic (Category Stacking) to remove irrelevant results.
3. Enrichment: Append website data and email addresses.
4. Review Analysis: Filter out businesses with zero reviews or inactive profiles (a sign of a "ghost" listing).

This approach generates hyper targeted prospect lists that are ready for cold outreach, minimizing bounce rates and maximizing relevance.

Validating and Enriching Leads Using Category Signals and Reviews

Raw data from Google Maps is compliant and public, but it is also "noisy." A list of 1,000 leads might include duplicate listings, closed businesses, or spam profiles. Validation is the process of cleaning this data using secondary signals.

Using Reviews to Verify Real Operational Businesses

Review data is one of the strongest indicators of business activity. A profile with 50+ reviews, the most recent being from last week, is an active, operational business. A profile with 2 reviews from 2018 is likely defunct or ignored.

You can use these review signals to tier your leads:

• Tier 1 (High Value): 4.0+ rating, 20+ reviews, recent activity.
• Tier 2 (New/Low Volume): <10 reviews, but recent activity (good for selling reputation management services).
• Tier 3 (Avoid): No reviews, or "Permanently Closed" status.

For technical details on how review data is structured, refer to the Google Local Business structured data (Google Search Central) documentation.

Enriching Leads with Category Depth + Secondary Signals

Once validated, you can enrich your leads using business attributes found on Maps. These attributes provide excellent hooks for personalization.

• Identities: "Veteran-owned," "Women-led," "Black-owned."
• Operations: "Online appointments," "On-site services," "Open 24 hours."

Combining deep category data with these attributes allows for lead enrichment that makes your outreach feel researched and personal. For example: "I noticed you offer emergency services (Open 24 hours) but your website doesn't have an after-hours chat widget."

How NotiQ Elevates Category-Based Prospecting Beyond Scraping Tools

Many tools exist simply to "scrape" data. NotiQ is different. We provide a strategic segmentation framework designed for B2B revenue teams. We don't just give you a CSV; we give you actionable market intelligence.

While competitors offer raw exports, NotiQ focuses on category-based segmentation, ensuring that the leads you export are the leads you actually want to talk to.

Vertical Targeting Frameworks Built on Real Maps Data

We have pre-built frameworks for specific verticals that generic tools miss. Whether you are targeting the hospitality industry, legal services, or trades, NotiQ’s workflows are designed to navigate the complexities of google maps categories automatically.

We understand that a "Cafe" is different from a "Coffee Shop" in terms of average order value and tech stack requirements. Our platform helps you distinguish between them effortlessly to build hyper targeted prospect lists.

Automated Validation, Stacking, and Enrichment

NotiQ automates the manual grunt work. Our system handles automated google maps category filtering, stacking, and validation in the background. We check review recency and verify business status so you don't have to.

If you are tired of cleaning data and want to start closing deals, see how our automated workflow operates in real-time. Watch the NotiQ demo here.

Conclusion

Building a prospect list is not just about volume; it is about relevance. By leveraging google maps categories, you tap into a real-time, self-validated database of business intent.

Moving from generic industry codes to granular Maps data allows you to segment markets with surgical precision. Whether you use manual methods for testing or automated workflows for scale, the principles of category stacking and review validation will drastically improve your lead list building results.

Stop wasting time on bad data. Start using category-first prospecting to fuel your pipeline.

FAQ

Which Google Maps categories convert best for prospecting?

There is no single "best" category; it depends entirely on your offer. However, categories with high transaction values and urgent needs—such as "HVAC Contractor," "Personal Injury Attorney," and "Dental Clinic"—often yield the best ROI for B2B services. The best categories for lead generation are those where the business has a clear budget and a need for efficiency.

How granular can categories get?

Google Business Profile categories are incredibly granular, with over 4,000 distinct options. They go beyond "Restaurant" to "Authentic Japanese Restaurant" or "Gluten-Free Restaurant." Utilizing this depth allows you to target micro-niches that competitors using broad data sources will miss.

Do I need scraping tools or can I do this manually?

You can perform google maps lead generation manually for small batches (under 50 leads). However, for scalable outreach, manual extraction is inefficient and lacks the ability to capture hidden secondary categories. Automated workflows are recommended for any serious prospecting effort to ensure data accuracy and compliance.