Fill In Your Google Profile Services Section
The Services section of a Google Business Profile lets you list the specific jobs you do, in plain words, and Conqueror Capital fills it in as part of its local SEO work because it is one of the most often skipped parts of a profile. Many owners pick their categories and stop there. Here is what the section is, what Google allows in it, and how to fill it in so customers can tell at a glance whether you do what they need.
AT A GLANCE
By Conqueror Capital · Published
The short answer: If your category supports it, open your Business Profile, select Edit services, pick the suggested services that match what you actually do, add custom services for the rest, and give each one a short plain description. Google says a service may be highlighted on your profile when someone searches for it, and that custom service names with prices, phone numbers, personal information or gibberish are rejected automatically. Keep the list identical in meaning to the services on your website.
WHAT THE SERVICES SECTION IS
Google describes it simply: businesses in certain categories, like service businesses, "might have the option to showcase their offerings directly on their Business Profile."1 Whether you see the option depends on your category, which is one more reason to choose that category carefully. Our post on choosing your Business Profile categories covers that first step.
Google also explains why it is worth the effort: "When local customers search Google for an offering you provide, that service may be highlighted on your profile," and on the Google Maps app customers can view your full list under "Services."1 In other words, the list is something customers read, not a hidden setting.
It also fits what Google says about local ranking in general. Relevance is "how well a Business Profile matches what someone is searching for," and Google's advice is to "provide complete and detailed business info."2 A services list is one of the most direct ways to do that. Google does not say how much weight it carries, so treat it as completeness, not a ranking trick.
HOW TO ADD YOUR SERVICES
The steps from Google's help page are short:1
- Go to your Business Profile and select Edit services.
- Choose from the suggested services. Google tailors them to your business type; for a plumber it gives examples like "Install faucet" or "Repair toilet."
- Select Add custom service for anything you do that is not on the list.
- Open each service to add a description, and a price if you want to show one there.
- If you work across more than one category, group services under each category.
- Select Save.
One rule catches people out. Google says custom services that violate policy "will be automatically rejected," and tells you to avoid "profanity, gibberish, personal information, prices, or phone numbers in custom service names."1 Put the price in the price field, never in the name, and leave your phone number to the profile's own phone field.
HOW TO WRITE EACH SERVICE
A good services list reads like the answer you give on the phone when someone asks, "Do you do this?"
- Use the words customers use. "Water heater replacement" rather than an internal job code or a brand-heavy product name.
- One real service per line. Skip long lists of near-identical variations; they make the list harder to scan.
- Add one or two sentences to each. Say what the job includes and who it is for. Keep it factual and avoid sales lines.
- Remove what you no longer offer. An old service on the list leads to calls you have to turn away.
- Match your website. Google asks businesses to represent themselves as they are "consistently represented and recognized in the real world."3 If the profile lists a service, your website should explain it, ideally on its own page.
That last point is where the profile and the site work together. The listing tells a searcher you do the job; the service page answers the questions that decide whether they call. Our Business Profile optimization guide covers the rest of the profile.
SMALL, MID-SIZE AND ENTERPRISE
Small businesses: list your five to ten most common jobs first, with a sentence each. You can finish in one sitting and add more later.
Mid-size businesses: name one person as the owner of the list. When a service is added or dropped, the website page and the profile change on the same day, so the two never disagree.
Multi-location and enterprise brands: keep one master list of service names and descriptions, then switch services on or off per location based on what each site really offers. A location that does not offer a service should not list it. Our guide to Business Profiles for multiple locations covers how to manage profiles in groups, or see how we work with enterprise teams.
FAQ
Where is the Services section on a Google Business Profile?
Open your Business Profile and select Edit services. It is only offered for certain categories, such as service businesses, so if you do not see it, check your primary category first.
Can I add a service that is not in Google's suggestions?
Yes. Select Add custom service and type the service in plain words. Custom service names with prices, phone numbers, personal information, profanity or gibberish are rejected automatically.
Should I put prices in my Google services list?
Only in the price field, if you want to show them. Google rejects custom service names that contain prices.
Does the services list help my business show up on Google?
Google says a service may be highlighted on your profile when customers search for it, and advises complete, detailed business information. It does not say how much weight the list carries.
Should my Google services match my website?
Yes. Google asks businesses to represent themselves consistently with how they are known in the real world, and a matching service page answers the questions the short listing cannot.
SOURCES
- Google Business Profile Help, Manage your services on your Business Profile.
- Google Business Profile Help, Tips to improve your local ranking on Google.
- Google Business Profile Help, Guidelines for representing your business on Google.
Platforms change often. Check the sources for the current version before acting.
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Want your services list written and matched to your website? Book a 15-minute call, or ask for a free Google listing and website check and we will show you what is missing.