Check the main category on your Google Business Profile

When someone near you searches "plumber" or "dog groomer," Google has to decide which businesses to show on the map. One thing it looks at is the category you picked on your Google Business Profile.

A lot of owners set that category years ago and never looked at it again. If it's too broad, or a little off, you might not show up for the searches that actually bring in work. It takes about ten minutes to check and fix.

Find your categories

Search your business name on Google while you're signed in to the account that manages your profile. Your profile tools show up right there. Choose to edit the profile, then look for the business category.

You'll see one main category, also called the primary category. You may also see a few additional ones under it.

Pick the main category that matches your main job

The main category matters most. It should name the work you most want to be found for, in the words a customer would use.

Some examples of the difference:

• "Contractor" is broad. "Roofing contractor" tells Google exactly what you do.
• "Cleaning service" is broad. "Carpet cleaning service" is more specific.
• "Store" is broad. "Bicycle shop" is what people search for.

Start typing your trade into the category box and look at the list Google suggests. You can only pick from that list, so choose the closest match to the job that pays your bills.

Add the other work as additional categories

If you do more than one kind of work, add the others as additional categories. A roofer who also does gutters can add a gutter cleaning category. An auto shop that does tires can add a tire shop category.

Only add work you actually do and want more of. Every category you add tells Google to show you for those searches. If you add work you don't take, you'll get calls you have to turn down.

Look at who shows up first

Search your main service and your town, the way a customer would. Something like "water heater repair Clovis."

Click on a few of the businesses near the top of the map. Their main category usually shows right under their name. That gives you a sense of which categories Google connects to that search. It doesn't mean you should copy anyone. It just shows you options you might not have thought of.

Make your website say the same thing

Google looks at your website as well as your profile. If your profile says "electrician" but your homepage talks about "home solutions," the two don't line up.

Give your main service its own page, and use the same plain name you picked for your category. Put your town on that page too. When your profile and your site describe the same work, it's easier for Google to trust both.

Check it twice a year

Google sometimes adds new categories, and your business changes too. Put a reminder on your calendar to look at your categories every six months. If you've started or stopped offering a service, update the profile the same week.

If you want a website that matches what your Google Business Profile says you do, talk with Hexacomb. You run the business. We take care of your website.