Categories and services: say exactly what you do

Relevance is the part of Google's choice you control most, and it starts with your categories. Google uses them to decide which searches you can show up for at all.

Your primary category

Your primary category matters more than any other choice on your profile. Pick the most specific one for the work that brings in the most money: “HVAC contractor” rather than “Contractor”, “Personal injury attorney” rather than “Lawyer”.

Not sure which? Search your main service on Google Maps and look at the top three businesses: their primary category shows under their name. If they all use one category and you use another, that's often why you're missing.

Additional categories

You can add up to nine more. Add the ones that are true and that customers search for, like “Air conditioning contractor” and “Furnace repair service” for a heating company. Don't add categories for work you don't do: they put you in front of customers you'll disappoint.

Services

List every service you offer, each with a sentence or two about the job and where you do it: “Furnace repair: same-day repairs for all major brands across Des Moines and Ankeny, with the price agreed before we start.” These are the specifics customers, Google and AI look for.

Your description

You get up to 750 characters. Say what you do, who for, where, and what makes you different: years in business, guarantees, licences or financing. Keep it about the business, with no links, and save offers for posts. Start with the one-sentence description you use everywhere else.

Attributes

Depending on your category, Google offers attributes like “Online estimates”, “Identifies as women-owned” or “Wheelchair accessible entrance”. Tick the ones that are true. They're small details that customers filter by.