How to pick the primary category that decides most of the searches you show up for, which additional categories to add, and how to change them without causing problems.
Your Google Business Profile categories tell Google what kind of business you are. Google uses them to decide which searches your profile can show up for, and Google says the categories you choose affect your local ranking. Of everything on your profile, the primary category is one of the most important things to get right.
Every profile has one primary category, and you can add up to nine additional categories.
Pick the category that matches the service you most want calls for. For most trades the right one is easy to find:
Google recommends choosing the most specific category that fits. If you mainly do air conditioning work, "Air conditioning contractor" may be a better match than "HVAC contractor." If most of your work is mowing and upkeep, "Lawn care service" may fit better than "Landscaper." Categories are picked from Google's list, so you can't type in your own.
A good way to check your choice is to search for your main service in your town and look at the businesses in the map results. The category shows under each business name. If the top three all use the same one, that tells you what Google expects for that search.
Additional categories are for other services that are a real part of your business. A pressure washing company that also cleans gutters and windows might add "Gutter cleaning service" and "Window cleaning service." An HVAC company might add "Heating contractor" and "Air conditioning contractor."
Google's guidance is to pick a few categories that describe your business, and not one for every service you offer. A few good additional categories help more than nine loosely related ones. Only add a category for work you do and want more of.
Each category comes with its own list of preset services. The Pressure washing service category, for example, includes services like soft wash cleaning, roof cleaning and gutter cleaning. When you add or change a category, the services Google suggests change too.
After any category change, open the services section of your profile and check that everything you offer is still listed. Add any that are missing as custom services.
Google says you may be asked to verify your business again after adding or editing a category, so make the change when you have time to deal with that. If you run into trouble, our verification guide walks through the steps.
Rankings take some time to settle after a category change. Look at your Business Profile performance report and, if you have one, a rank grid of your service area about four weeks later. For the rest of the profile, our post on fixing your Google Business Profile covers the other settings that matter, and how to rank higher on Google Maps explains how the map results are chosen. If you'd like us to handle it, see our Google Business Profile service.
Start with a free audit of your site and your Google listing. It costs nothing and you aren't signing up for anything.