How to Choose the Right Google Categories for Business Profiles

Why Your GBP Category Is Costing You Leads

When someone searches for your service, Google turns to your Google Business Profile (GBP) to decide who shows up in the local results. One of the most important signals? Your primary category.

We’ve seen it again and again: the right category can instantly improve visibility, while the wrong one keeps great businesses hidden. The problem? Google offers thousands of categories, many of which are obvious, others oddly specific or confusing. That’s where strategy matters.

At Olly Olly, we help business owners get this right. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to choose the right Google Business Profile categories, avoid common mistakes, and improve your local SEO rankings.

What Are Google Business Profile Categories?

Google Business Profile categories help Google understand what your business does. They play a huge role in whether you show up in the Maps and local search results for relevant terms. Categories also affect the features available on your profile, like whether customers can book an appointment or browse the services listed on your Google Business Profile.

Here’s how the system works. You can select:

• 1 primary category, which is essentially your main service
• Up to 9 secondary categories, for related services or specialties

Your primary category is the most important. It’s what Google looks at first when deciding if you’re a match for a search. If you’re a plumber but your profile says “home improvement store,” you’ll be invisible in most plumbing-related searches.

Secondary categories matter as well, but they should be used strategically—not just to list every possible thing you might do.

Categories vs. Services: Understanding the Critical Difference

This is where most business owners get confused, and it’s the single most important concept to understand before choosing your categories.

Think of it this way:

Categories = What Google thinks your business fundamentally IS

• These tell Google’s algorithm what type of business you are at your core
• They determine what searches you can appear in
• They carry significant algorithmic weight in local rankings
• You can only choose from Google’s predefined list
• Limited to 10 maximum (1 primary + 9 secondary)

Services = What you specifically offer

• These are your detailed menu of offerings
• You can write these in your own words
• Can be very specific (e.g., “exterior commercial painting,” “warehouse floor coating,” “kitchen cabinet refinishing”)
• Help customers understand your full capabilities
• Don’t carry the same algorithmic ranking weight as categories

Why This Distinction Matters

When you choose categories, you’re telling Google’s algorithm: “I am a _____ business.” Each category you add is like declaring a primary identity.

If you’re a commercial painter and you add categories for:

• Painter
• Contractor
• Insulation Contractor
• Paint Stripping Service
• Powder Coating Service
• Property Maintenance

You’re essentially telling Google: “I am six different types of businesses.” This creates massive confusion in Google’s ranking algorithm.

The problem with too many unrelated categories:

1. Diluted relevance – When you try to be six different things, Google doesn’t know which one you’re best at. It’s like trying to win six different races simultaneously—you won’t excel at any of them.
2. Mixed algorithmic signals – When someone searches “commercial painter near me,” Google prioritizes businesses whose categories strongly indicate painting specialization. If you have five other unrelated categories, you appear less specialized than a competitor with focused painting categories.
3. Conflicting business types – Some categories don’t naturally go together. Powder coating is industrial metal finishing, while property maintenance is general upkeep. This makes Google uncertain about what searches should trigger your listing.
4. Lost authority – Google’s algorithm favors businesses that demonstrate clear specialization. A business attempting everything appears less authoritative than one with a focused expertise.

The smarter approach:

Use 1-3 focused categories that define your core business (e.g., “Commercial Painter,” “Painting”)

List everything else as Services:

• Interior commercial painting
• Exterior commercial painting
• Industrial coating
• Cabinet refinishing
• Epoxy floor coating
• Pressure washing and surface prep
• Whatever else you actually offer

The analogy that makes it click:

Categories are like your college major—they define who you fundamentally are. Services are like the skills on your resume—they show what you can do within your field. You wouldn’t declare six different college majors, but you can have many specialized skills within your profession.

How to Pick the Right Google Categories for Business Profiles

This is where a lot of small business owners get stuck. It seems straightforward, but between overlapping options and the pressure to show up for different services, many businesses end up choosing too broad, too vague, or too many categories.

We’ll walk you through how to avoid that.

1. If You’re a Specialist, Go Specific

If you specialize in something, use the most specific category available. “Lawyer” is vague. “Divorce Attorney” tells Google (and your customers) exactly what you do.

Example for trade/service-based business:

Instead of “Contractor,” go with “Roofing Contractor” or “Fence Contractor.”

Example for professional services:

Instead of “Lawyer,” choose “Family Law Attorney” or “Criminal Justice Attorney.”

Specific categories tend to rank better because they match exactly what people are searching for. When someone searches for “commercial painter,” Google gives ranking priority to businesses with “Commercial Painter” or “Painter” as their primary category—not businesses with “Contractor” and five other unrelated categories.

2. If You Offer Multiple Services, Prioritize What You Want More Of

Say you offer multiple services. What do you want more of? Your primary category should reflect the jobs you want to attract most, especially if that changes seasonally.

Example:

HVAC companies may use “Furnace Repair Service” in the winter and “Air Conditioning Contractor” in the summer.

You can update your categories at any time. You’re not locked in forever.

3. Don’t Try to Be Everything to Everyone

Yes, you can add up to 9 secondary categories. But more isn’t always better. Adding unrelated or barely related services can actually hurt your rankings by confusing Google about what you truly specialize in.

Here’s what happens when you add too many unrelated categories:

Imagine you’re a commercial painter trying to rank for painting jobs. You add these six categories:

• Painter
• Contractor
• Insulation Contractor
• Paint Stripping Service
• Powder Coating Service
• Property Maintenance

Google’s algorithm now sees your business as:

• 16% Painter
• 16% Contractor
• 16% Insulation Contractor
• 16% Paint Stripping
• 16% Powder Coating
• 16% Property Maintenance

Your competitor uses just two categories:

• Commercial Painter (primary)
• Painting (secondary)

Google sees them as:

• 50% Commercial Painter
• 50% Painting
• 100% focused on painting services

Who do you think Google ranks higher when someone searches “commercial painter near me”? The focused specialist every time.

Stick to what your business actually does and does well.

✅ Good example:

A landscaping company using:

• Landscaping Supply Store (primary)
• Lawn Care Service (secondary)
• Tree Service (secondary)

❌ Not so good example:

Same company adding:

• Pool Contractor
• Pest Control Service
• Fence Supply Store

Unless you truly offer those services as core competencies, leave them out. Add them to your Services section instead if they’re occasional offerings.

4. Use Your Services Section for Everything Else

This is the key strategy most businesses miss. Once you’ve selected your 1-3 core categories, use your Services section to showcase all your specific capabilities.

For that commercial painter, the right setup looks like:

Categories (what you ARE):

• Commercial Painter (primary)
• Painting (secondary)

Services (what you DO):

• Interior commercial painting
• Exterior commercial painting
• Industrial coatings
• Epoxy floor coating
• Cabinet refinishing
• Pressure washing
• Surface preparation
• Color consultation
• Maintenance programs

This approach gives you the best of both worlds: strong algorithmic signals to Google about your core business, plus comprehensive information for potential customers about everything you can do.

Special Case: Businesses with Multiple Profiles (Practice + Practitioner)

Some industries—like law, real estate, dentistry, or financial services—allow for both the business and individual professionals to have their own GBP listings.

If you’re in this boat, category strategy gets a little more nuanced.

Example:

A law firm might use “Divorce Attorney” as its primary category, while one partner uses “Family Law Attorney” and another uses “Lawyer.” This:

• Increases your coverage across category variations
• Minimizes internal competition
• Can improve total local visibility

The key here is testing. In some markets, using the same category for both the firm and the individual works well. In others, it’s better to vary them. What works in one city might not work in another.

Want a Leg Up? Spy on What’s Working for Competitors

Google doesn’t show you a competitor’s secondary categories, but tools like Local Search Grid or PlePer’s category tool can. If someone consistently outranks you in the map pack, there’s a good chance they’ve chosen more strategic categories.

Don’t copy blindly, though. Instead, take note of patterns. If every top competitor in your area is using “Real Estate Agency” over “Real Estate Consultant,” that’s worth testing on your own profile.

Pay attention to what they’re NOT doing too. If your competitors have bloated their profiles with 7-9 irrelevant categories and you’re still outranking them with 2-3 focused ones, that confirms you’re on the right track.

Real-World Example: The Wrong Category, Fixed

One of our clients was stuck using “Landscaper” as their primary category, even though tree services were their bread and butter—and also their most profitable offering, especially during storm and windy seasons when demand spikes.

We switched their primary to “Tree Service” and used “Landscaper” and “Arborist” as secondary categories. Within a few weeks, they saw a noticeable increase in profile views and started showing up in the Local Pack for high-intent tree-related searches.

That’s the power of choosing the right category—and not diluting it with unrelated ones.

Your Next Step: Audit Your Current Categories

Here’s what we recommend:

1. Search your top keywords in Google Maps

See which businesses come up first and what categories they use. Pay special attention to how many categories they have—you’ll often find the top performers use 1-3 focused categories, not 6-9 scattered ones.

2. Check your GBP

Are your categories aligned with what you actually want to rank for? Are you trying to be too many things at once?

3. Ask yourself: “What business am I fundamentally?”

If you can’t answer this in 1-2 categories, you’re probably confusing Google too.

4. Move extra offerings to Services

Take those 4-6 secondary categories that don’t directly support your core business and convert them into detailed Services instead. You’ll maintain the customer-facing information while strengthening your algorithmic focus.

5. Adjust based on season or priority services

Don’t be afraid to switch your primary category when your focus shifts. Just be strategic about it—frequent major changes can trigger verification issues.

6. Keep it accurate

Avoid overloading with irrelevant or marginally related services. Every category should answer “yes” to: “Is this a core part of my business that I want to be known for?”

Does this feel overwhelming? If you’re not sure what to pick, we’re here to help. We’ve chosen and tested GBP categories across hundreds of industries and cities. We know what works.

Choosing the Right Category Isn’t Just About Accuracy; It’s About Growth

When you pick the right primary (and supporting secondary) GBP categories, you’re telling Google exactly who you are and what kind of customers you want. It’s one of the simplest yet most powerful local SEO changes you can make.

By understanding the critical difference between Categories (what you are) and Services (what you do), you can optimize your profile for both Google’s algorithm and your potential customers—without the confusion and ranking dilution that comes from trying to be everything to everyone.

Stop Losing Customers to Competitors with Better-Optimized Profiles

Your categories might be costing you thousands in lost revenue every month. While you’re trying to rank for everything, focused competitors are dominating the searches that matter most.

Here’s what happens when you get this right:

• Show up in the Local Pack for your most profitable services
• Attract customers actively searching for exactly what you do best
• Stop wasting ad spend trying to compensate for poor organic visibility
• Build momentum that compounds over time as Google recognizes your authority

We’ve optimized Google Business Profiles for hundreds of businesses across every industry. We know which categories work, which combinations kill your rankings, and how to make your profile an unstoppable lead generation machine.

Stop Losing Customers to Competitors

Your categories might be costing you thousands in lost revenue. While you're trying to rank for everything, focused competitors are dominating the searches that matter. Not sure if your categories are helping or hurting you? We'll audit your profile against your top competitors and show you exactly where you're losing ground—and how to take it back.

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