The best Google Business Profile categories for contractors
Your primary category is one of the strongest signals Google uses to decide which searches you appear for. Getting it wrong can keep you off the map for the very jobs you want. Here is how to choose, with suggestions for common trades.
How categories work
You get one primary category and can add secondary categories. The primary carries the most weight: it tells Google what your business mainly is, and it strongly affects which searches you appear for. Secondary categories widen the net for your other main services.
How to choose your primary category
- Be specific. "Roofing contractor" beats "Contractor" for roofing searches.
- Match the work you want most. The job you want more of matters more than the job you do most often.
- Look at the businesses ranking top for your main search and note their primary categories. That shows you what Google rewards in your area.
- Only claim what is true.
Suggestions by trade
Category names on Google change over time, so treat these as a guide and pick the closest match in the list you see.
| Trade | Primary category | Possible secondary categories |
|---|---|---|
| Roofing | Roofing contractor | Gutter cleaning service, siding contractor, roof repair (if offered as a category) |
| HVAC | HVAC contractor | Air conditioning repair service, heating contractor, furnace repair service |
| Plumbing | Plumber | Drainage service, water heater installation service, emergency plumber (if listed) |
| Electrical | Electrician | Electrical installation service, lighting contractor, generator shop |
| Garage doors | Garage door supplier or garage door repair service | Garage door installation |
| Pest control | Pest control service | Termite control service |
| Landscaping | Landscaper | Lawn care service, landscape designer, irrigation equipment supplier |
| Water damage | Water damage restoration service | Fire damage restoration service, mold remediation (if listed) |
Categories are only part of it
Categories tell Google what you are. Services tell it exactly what you do. List every service in the services section, in the words customers search with, and describe your main ones. Then make sure your website has pages for the same services.
A quick check
- Search your main service plus your town.
- Note the primary categories of the top three businesses.
- Compare with yours.
- Adjust if yours is broader or less relevant.
For the rest of your profile, work through the Google Business Profile checklist. If you would like us to check your categories against the businesses beating you, get your free Maps audit.
Questions owners ask
How many categories can I add?
One primary category and several secondary ones. Add only categories that genuinely describe what you do; stuffing in loosely related ones does not help and can confuse Google.
Can changing my category hurt my rankings?
It can cause rankings to shift while Google reassesses your profile, and big changes can trigger a review. Change categories deliberately, not often.
My exact trade is not a category. What do I do?
Pick the closest specific category, then describe the exact work in your services and business description. Google's category list changes over time, so check again occasionally.
Find out who is getting your calls
The free Maps audit shows where you rank across your service area, which competitors are taking the calls you are missing, and exactly what it would take to become the first call. The findings are yours to keep.
Get your free Maps audit