How to choose your Google Business Profile categories
Google makes you pick from its own catalogue, which holds 4,052 categories as counted on 13 October 2026. You cannot invent one. That is where the difficulty lies: Google's exact label rarely matches the word you use for your own trade.
A pizza maker does not find "pizzaiolo" in the list, they have to look for Pizza restaurant. A beautician looks for Beauty salon. The tool above does that translation for you.
Primary category: ranking factor number one
Google states three local ranking factors: relevance, distance and prominence. The primary category is the strongest relevance signal you control. It tells Google which searches your business belongs in.
A profile full of reviews but badly categorised will not show up on the right searches. Reviews do not make up for a wrong primary category.
Why three secondary categories, no more, no less
| Secondary categories | What happens |
|---|---|
| 0 to 2 | Your profile misses searches that directly concern it |
| 3 | The right balance: broad cover, clear signal |
| 4 to 9 | Google allows 9, but the signal dilutes and it no longer knows what to rank you on |
Google allows up to nine secondary categories. That is not a reason to fill them: a category is not a keyword to collect, it is a statement of what you actually do.
The risk nobody tells you about
Adding a category for a service you do not offer breaches Google's rules, and it is one of the most common reasons profiles get suspended. Changing the primary category can also trigger a fresh verification of your profile.
Change it once, to the right one, then let a few weeks pass before judging the effect.
The list of Google Business Profile categories, by family
Here are the primary Google categories of 132 local trades, grouped by family of activity. Every label in this list was checked one by one in the Google profile management interface on 13 October 2026, so you can copy it as it stands.
The three secondary categories for each trade are shown by the tool above.
Food service
Bar, Bistro, Caterer, Chinese restaurant, Cocktail bar, Coffee shop, Fast food restaurant, French restaurant, Hamburger restaurant, Hookah bar, Indian restaurant, Italian restaurant, Japanese restaurant, Kebab shop, Lebanese restaurant, Meal delivery, Mediterranean restaurant, Night club, Pizza restaurant, Pub, Restaurant, Sandwich shop, Seafood restaurant, Steak house, Sushi restaurant, Tea house, Thai restaurant, Vegan restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Vietnamese restaurant, Wine bar.
Food shops
Bakery, Butcher shop, Candy store, Cheese shop, Chocolate shop, Convenience store, Farm, Grocery store, Ice cream shop, Market, Patisserie, Seafood market, Supermarket, Tobacco shop, Wine store.
Retail
Baby store, Bicycle store, Book store, Cell phone store, Clothing store, Computer store, Department store, Dry cleaner, Electronics store, Florist, Furniture store, Garden center, Gift shop, Hardware store, Home goods store, Jewelry store, Kitchen furniture store, Lighting store, Pet store, Plant nursery, Shoe store, Sporting goods store, Tailor, Toy store.
Beauty and wellness
Barber shop, Beauty salon, Cosmetics store, Hair salon, Nail salon, Perfume store, Spa.
Trades and repairs
Bathroom remodeler, Carpenter, Chimney sweep, Electrician, Flooring store, Home improvement store, Interior designer, Locksmith, Paint store, Painter, Plumber, Roofing contractor.
Automotive
Auto body shop, Auto parts store, Car dealer, Car repair and maintenance service, Car wash, Gas station, Motorcycle dealer, Tire shop.
Health
Chiropractor, Dentist, Doctor, Nutritionist, Optician, Pharmacy, Psychologist.
Sports and leisure
Amusement center, Art gallery, Bowling alley, Event venue, Golf course, Gym, Movie theater, Museum, Swimming pool, Tennis court, Yoga studio.
Services and professions
Bank, Child care agency, Consultant, Courier service, Insurance agency, Lawyer, Library, Notary public, Post office, Real estate agency, School, Tutoring service, Wholesaler.
Accommodation and travel
Campground, Guest house, Hotel, Travel agency.
Where to paste your categories
- Open your profile, from Google Search or the Google Maps app.
- Click Edit profile, then the Business category section.
- Paste the primary category first, the one from the list above.
- Then add the three secondary ones, one by one, and save.
The change is not always instant: Google may require a fresh verification of the profile before applying it.
Your categories are set. What about the rest of your profile?
Up Review runs your Google Business Profile end to end: categories, description, services, photos, posts and local rankings.
What if my trade is not on the list?
The tool covers 132 trades, which account for the vast majority of local businesses, but Google's catalogue holds 4,052. If yours is missing, try a more common word first: "hairdresser" rather than "stylist", "garage" rather than "automotive technician".
If you still cannot find it, write to us. We look for your categories with you, rather than handing you random ones.
Categories are only one criterion of a well kept profile. Run our free Google Business Profile audit to see what else is missing, or see how Up Review manages your Google reviews.