The short answer
Pick one primary category that names your main trade, add only a few secondary categories for work you really do, and confirm each name in your own category selector, because Google does not publish the list. Google says the categories you select affect your local ranking. The examples below come from third-party guides for five trades, and each one is a starting point to check, not a rule.
Google's own instructions for picking categories
Google's help page on choosing a business category is short. It states that "The categories you select affect your local ranking on Google." It says to "Select a primary category that best describes your business," and adds, "You can’t create your own category."
For additional categories, the instruction is "Do not select a category for every product or service." Google gives no maximum number in that article, only the advice to use a few.
Google does not publish the category names as a list. That is why every example below is attributed to a guide, and why the selector inside your profile is the only authority on spelling.
Category examples by trade
These examples are one publisher's lists (ShiftFlow, checked October 2026). Treat the secondary column as candidates to test against what your company actually sells.
| Trade | Primary category in the guide | Secondary candidates in the guide |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC | HVAC contractor | Air conditioning contractor, Heating contractor, Furnace repair service |
| Plumbing | Plumber | Drainage service, Septic system service, Gas installation service |
| Electrical | Electrician | Electrical installation service, Electric vehicle charging station contractor, Lighting contractor |
| Roofing | Roofing contractor | Gutter service, Siding contractor, Skylight contractor |
| Landscaping | Landscaper or Lawn care service | Tree service, Landscaping supply store, Snow removal service |
Sources: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, and landscaping.
Other trades are not covered here, so use the category selector in your own profile to see what is offered. Confirm in your selector: the labels above are the guides' wording, and Google changes what the selector offers. If a name is missing or spelled differently in your account, use what the selector shows.
Telling a category from a service
A secondary category names a real, customer-facing part of the business, and specific jobs belong in the Services section of the profile. Google's instruction is "Do not select a category for every product or service." A short test follows. Would a customer searching for this category expect your company to appear? Can you name a recent job in it? If either answer is no, leave the category off and list the work as a service.
Trades Google handles differently in ads
Categories for the free profile and the eligible job types in Local Services Ads are different lists with different owners. Google's ads page names categories such as HVAC, Plumber, Electrician, Roofing, and Garage door, and does not list auto, wraps, trucking, or mold remediation, so companies in those trades should not expect a matching ads category. The page says "You only pay when potential customers get in touch through your ads on Local Services Ads." Our comparison of Local Services Ads, SEO, and PPC goes through the tradeoffs.
Where categories fit in the rest of the profile
Google bases local results mainly on relevance, distance, and popularity, and categories feed the first of those. Categories do not substitute for reviews, accurate hours, or pages that match each service. The field-by-field work is covered under Business Profile management, the primary category glossary entry defines the term, and the Business Profile glossary entry covers the profile as a whole. If your company serves customers at their homes rather than a storefront, read the service area business setup guide next. The free audit reads your business and trade markup and your map link, and a strategist then reviews the Business Profile by hand. All guides live in the resources library.
Questions about Business Profile categories
How many categories should a contractor choose?
- Google gives no maximum in its category article, only the instruction to use a few from the provided list. The plumbing, electrical, and roofing guides all stress restraint, adding a secondary only for work you genuinely perform. Start with the primary, and add a secondary only for work you can point to a recent job in.
Can I create my own category if mine is missing?
- No. Google states you cannot create your own category. If your exact trade is not in the selector, choose the closest general category that describes the business, and list the specific work under Services and in the business description instead.
Will changing my primary category hurt my map ranking?
- Google says the categories you select affect your local ranking, so a change can move how you appear. Change the primary only when the current one clearly misdescribes the business, and record the date so you can compare results afterward.