How to choose the right Google Business Profile categories

If we could change only one thing on a Google Business Profile, it would usually be the categories. They tell Google what kind of business you are, and Google uses them to decide which searches you can show up for. Get them wrong and you can be invisible for your most important search, however good the rest of your profile is.

Primary and additional categories

Every profile has one primary category and can have up to nine additional categories. The primary category carries the most weight. It also shows under your business name on Google, so customers see it too.

Additional categories let you show up for other things you genuinely do. A plumber who also fits boilers, or a pub that also serves food, can cover both.

You can only choose from Google's fixed list. You can't type your own, so the skill is finding the closest match.

How to choose your primary category

1. Start with your main money-maker. Pick the category that matches the service you most want customers to find you for, not everything you do.
2. Be as specific as Google allows. If there's a category for exactly what you do, use it over a broad one. "Solar energy equipment supplier" and "Solar energy company" are not the same thing, and neither is the same as "Electrician".
3. Check what the top three use. Search for your main service in your town and look at the category under each of the businesses at the top of the map. If they all share one you don't have, that's a strong clue. Free browser extensions can show every category a competitor uses, not just the primary one.
4. Match the words people search. If customers search "electrician", a category called "Electrician" is usually the strongest match.

How to choose additional categories

Add a category for each other service you genuinely offer and want to be found for. Then stop. More isn't always better:

• Only add categories for things you actually do. Adding unrelated ones can confuse Google about what you are.
• Don't repeat your primary category in different words. Pick the closest match once.
• Back each category up. If you add "Battery storage installer", you should also have that service on your profile and a page about it on your website.

Mistakes we see all the time

Choosing a category that sounds impressive

A business picks "Consultant" or "Corporate office" because it sounds grander. Customers don't search for those, so the profile doesn't get found.

Using what was set up years ago

Google adds and changes categories over time. A category chosen when the profile was created may no longer be the best match. It's worth checking again.

Changing categories too often

Every change is a signal to Google. Changing your primary category can also prompt Google to ask you to verify again. Make a considered choice, then give it time.

Putting keywords in the business name instead

Adding "Best Electrician Cornwall" to your business name breaks Google's guidelines and can get the profile suspended. Use your real business name, and let the categories, services and website do the work.

After you've chosen

Categories get you into the running, but they're not the whole job. Once they're right, add every service under each category, write a clear description, add real photos and keep a steady flow of reviews coming in. Then check your rankings across your area over the following weeks, not just from your own postcode.

Competitors change their profiles too, so it's worth reviewing your categories against theirs every few months. If you're not sure which categories are costing you searches, our free video review checks yours against the businesses ranking above you. You can also read about our Google Business Profile optimisation, or see the other reasons a business doesn't show on Google Maps.