The short answer
Pick one primary category that names what your business is, add only a few additional categories for real parts of the business, and leave everything else to your services list. Google Business Profile Help says the categories you select affect your local ranking on Google, and that categories help connect your business with customers who search for your products or services.
Google Business Profile categories are one of the few ranking inputs an Austin plumber, roofer or electrician controls completely. They are also easy to get wrong in a way that breaks Google's rules, so it is worth reading what Google actually says before adding a long list.
How does Google use Business Profile categories?
Google uses your categories to decide which searches your profile is relevant to. Google's local ranking page says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and popularity, and it defines relevance as how well a Business Profile matches what someone is searching for.
A category reaches past its exact wording. Google's own example is a business whose primary category is "Pizza restaurant," which Google says it might show for searches like Restaurants, Italian Restaurants or Pizza. Google also says your categories might be used to assign a label to your business, and that some categories unlock extra profile features, such as a booking button for health and beauty businesses.
How do you choose a primary category?
Choose the most specific category in Google's list that describes your main business. Google Business Profile Help says to select a primary category that best describes your business, and to pick a specific one, with "Nail salon" instead of "Salon" as its example. The guidelines for representing your business on Google say the same thing: choose categories that are as specific as possible, but representative of your main business.
Google gives a simple test. A category should complete the sentence "This business IS a," not "this business HAS a." A Cedar Park company that mostly repairs and installs air conditioners is an HVAC business that happens to sell thermostats, not the other way around.
You cannot invent a category. Google says that if the specific category you want isn't available, you should select a general category that describes your business, and that you can't create your own. If your company has more than one location, Google's Edit your Business Profile page says all locations of a business must share a primary category.
When should you add additional categories?
Add an additional category only when it names a real part of the business, not a single job you sometimes do. Google says additional categories are for special departments or services, and tells owners not to select a category for every product or service and to use a few categories instead. The guidelines put it more bluntly: use as few categories as possible to describe your overall core business.
Google's example is a grocery store with a bakery and a deli, which lists "Grocery store" as its primary category and adds "Bakery" and "Deli." For a Round Rock contractor the same logic applies: a remodeler with a crew that only builds decks has a real department, while a roofer who cleans the odd gutter does not.
You can also skip general categories. Google's guidelines say that when you select a specific category, Google implicitly includes more general ones behind the scenes, and that you can skip any category that seems redundant with a more specific one you already chose.
What category mistakes does Google rule out?
Google's guidelines name three category mistakes, and each one shows up on Austin-area profiles.
- Categories used as keywords. The guidelines say not to use categories solely as keywords or to describe attributes of your business.
- Categories for things you have, not things you are. Google's examples list a motel with a pool as "Motel," not "Hotel" or "Swimming Pool," and a gym chain as "Health Club," not "Gym" or "Swimming Pool."
- Categories that belong to another business. The guidelines say not to use categories that pertain to nearby or related businesses, including a business inside yours. Google Business Profile Help adds that an independently owned department in your location should have its own profile, and its categories should stay off yours.
Our local SEO audit checklist covers the rest of the profile, but a category list that breaks these rules is one of the first things we look for.
Should a service list replace extra categories?
Yes, for most trades the services list is where the detail belongs. Google's services page says businesses in certain categories, like service businesses, can showcase their offerings on the profile, and that a plumbing business might be offered suggested services such as "Install faucet" or "Repair toilet," plus custom ones.
Google says that when local customers search for an offering you provide, that service may be highlighted on your profile. Keep custom service names plain: Google says custom services that violate policy are automatically rejected, and tells owners to leave prices and phone numbers out of service names.
What happens when you change a category?
Google may ask you to verify the business again. Google Business Profile Help says that if you add or edit an existing category, you might be asked to verify your business again, so change categories on purpose, not as an experiment every few weeks. The steps are Edit profile, then Edit next to Business category, then the Primary category box, then Add another category for the rest, then Save.
If a category change is followed by your profile vanishing from Maps, read what to do when your business drops off Google Maps before changing anything else.
What categories will not do
Categories decide which searches you can show up for; they do not buy a position in them. Google's local ranking page says there's no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google. It lists what kind of business you are as one detail among your address, hours and attributes, and says businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up in local search results.
The right category gets an Austin business into the right searches. Reviews, an accurate profile and a website that backs up what the profile says are the ordinary local SEO work that decides where it lands.
Frequently asked questions
How many Google Business Profile categories should I use?
As few as describe the core business. Google's guidelines say to use as few categories as possible, and Google Business Profile Help says not to select a category for every product or service.
Can I create a custom Google Business Profile category?
No. Google says you can't create your own category. If the specific category you want isn't in the list, select a general category that describes your business.
Will changing my primary category trigger verification?
It can. Google Business Profile Help says that if you add or edit an existing category, you might be asked to verify your business again.
Do categories affect Google Maps ranking?
Yes. Google Business Profile Help says the categories you select affect your local ranking on Google, through how relevant your profile is to a search.