When someone near you searches Google for the work you do, Google can show them local businesses on Search and Maps, each with its Business Profile. It is easy to fill in your name, phone number and opening hours and stop there, without listing the services you offer or saying what each one involves.
That part is worth an hour of your time. Search for your trade and town, open a few of the profiles that come up and look at their services. You may find them left blank, or listed as bare names with nothing underneath. A full list, with a short and honest description of each service, is one of the simplest ways to look more complete than the business next door.
This guide covers where to add services, how many to list, how to word each description, examples for four kinds of business, and why your categories and reviews still matter. Every fact about Google here comes from Google's own help pages, linked as we go.
What the services section is
Google says businesses in certain categories, such as service businesses, may be able to show their services on their Business Profile. When a customer nearby searches for something you offer, that service may be highlighted on your profile, and in the Google Maps app customers can see your full list under Services. (Google: manage your services)
There are two kinds of service:
- Suggested services, which Google offers for your type of business. Google's own example is a plumbing business being offered services such as installing a tap or repairing a toilet.
- Custom services, which you name yourself, for anything Google does not suggest.
Each service can have a description and a price, and you can group services into categories if you offer different types of work.
Why it is worth filling in
Google says local results are mainly based on three things (Google: tips to improve your local ranking):
| Factor | What Google says it means |
|---|---|
| Relevance | How well a profile matches what someone is searching for. Google says complete and detailed business information helps it match you to relevant searches. |
| Distance | How far each business is from the person searching. |
| Prominence | How well known a business is, including how many websites link to it and how many reviews it has. |
Google does not say how much weight your services carry, and it keeps the details of its ranking private. It also says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. What is clear is that services are part of the complete and detailed information Google asks for, and that they tell customers exactly what you do before they pick up the phone.
Where to add services
You need to be signed in to the Google Account linked to your Business Profile. You can edit the profile on Google Search, or in the Google Maps app by tapping Business at the bottom right (Google: edit your Business Profile). These are the steps on Google's help page for services:
- Go to your Business Profile.
- Select Edit services.
- Select the suggested services you offer.
- For anything that is not listed, select Add more services, then Add custom service.
- Select a service to add its details, such as a description and a price.
- Select Save.
A few things to know before you start:
- No Edit services button? Services depend on your business category, so check that your category describes your business (more on categories below).
- Custom service names have rules. Google says custom services that break its policy are rejected automatically, and that names should not include profanity, gibberish, personal information, prices or phone numbers. If you want to show a price, use the price field, not the name.
- Changes are checked first. Google says it reviews changes before they go live on your profile, and that some businesses may need to verify their profile before they can make any changes.
How many services to list
Write down every separate job you do, then list each one that you genuinely offer. A plumber who also does heating can easily reach 15, as the example below shows. A specialist might have five. The right number is however many you actually do.
Two things to avoid:
- Padding. A service you do not offer brings enquiries you have to turn down. Google's guidelines start with representing your business accurately (Google: guidelines for representing your business).
- Repeats. List boiler repair once, not once for each town. Your service area is set separately (see below).
Do split broad work into the jobs customers ask for. "Heating" tells a customer very little. "Boiler repair", "Boiler servicing" and "Radiator replacement" each answer a question someone is likely to search for.
How to write each description
Two or three plain sentences per service is enough. Google's services help page does not give a word count, and short descriptions are easier to read on a phone. For each one, cover:
- What it is, in the words your customers use, not trade jargon.
- Who it suits, or when they need it, such as homeowners, landlords or someone with no hot water.
- What is included, or how the job usually goes, if that helps.
- The area you cover, if it is different for this service.
And keep to a few rules:
- Write it the way you would explain it on the phone. No strings of keywords, and no list of town names.
- Only claim what is true. Mention Gas Safe registration, NICEIC or NAPIT membership, insurance or a warranty only if you have them.
- Leave out phone numbers and links. Google's rules for the separate business description field allow no links of any kind, and say it should not focus on special offers and prices. Keeping service descriptions the same way keeps them clear.
Here is the difference:
| Keyword stuffed | Natural |
|---|---|
| Boiler repair Chester, boiler repair Wrexham, cheap boiler repair, emergency boiler repair, best boiler engineer near me | Repairs to gas boilers, from no heating or hot water to leaks and fault codes. We are Gas Safe registered and carry common parts, so many repairs are done on the first visit. |
The first tells a customer nothing. The second answers the questions they would have asked you.
Examples for four kinds of business
Use these as a starting point and change them to fit what you actually do. Leave out anything you do not offer, and only keep a claim if it is true for you.
A plumber and heating engineer
Services: boiler repair, boiler servicing, new boiler installation, central heating repairs, radiator installation and replacement, power flushing, leak detection and repair, burst pipe repair, tap and toilet repairs, blocked sinks and toilets, shower installation and repair, bathroom installation, hot water cylinder servicing, outside tap installation, and landlord gas safety checks.
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Boiler servicing | A yearly service to keep your gas boiler safe and running well. We check the burner, controls and flue, test for gas leaks and tell you about anything that needs attention. |
| Landlord gas safety checks | The yearly gas safety check landlords need, carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, with a copy of the record for you to give your tenants. |
| Leak detection and repair | For drips under sinks, stains on ceilings and pressure that keeps dropping. We find where the water is coming from and fix it, with as little damage to floors and walls as we can. |
An electrician
Services: fault finding, consumer unit upgrades, full and partial rewires, electrical installation condition reports (EICRs), extra sockets and switches, indoor lighting, outdoor and security lighting, electric shower installation, smoke and heat alarms, EV charger installation, garden power, kitchen and bathroom electrics, and PAT testing.
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Fault finding | When a circuit keeps tripping, sockets stop working or lights flicker, we trace the fault and fix it, explaining what went wrong before we start. |
| EICR | An electrical installation condition report checks the wiring in a home or rented property and lists anything that needs putting right. Useful for landlords, buyers and anyone in an older house. |
| EV charger installation | A home charger fitted on an outside wall or a post by your drive, with a check that your supply and fuse board can take it first. |
A garage
Services: MOTs, full services, interim services, diagnostics and warning lights, brakes and discs, clutch replacement, cambelt replacement, tyres, wheel alignment, exhaust repairs, air conditioning regas, suspension and steering, batteries, pre-MOT checks, and collection and delivery.
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Diagnostics and warning lights | If a warning light has come on, we read the fault codes and test the part they point to, then tell you what it means and what a repair would cost before we do any work. |
| Interim service | A smaller service between full services, with an oil and filter change and checks on brakes, tyres, lights and fluids. Suits cars that do a lot of miles in a year. |
| Collection and delivery | We collect your car from home or work and bring it back when the job is done. Ask us whether your postcode is in our area. |
A hair and beauty salon
Services: women's cut and finish, men's cuts, children's cuts, blow dry, full head colour, root colour, highlights, balayage, toner and gloss, keratin smoothing, bridal and occasion hair, brows, lashes, manicures and gel nails.
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Balayage | Hand-painted colour for a soft, natural-looking grow out. Your stylist talks through the look you want first, and a skin test is needed at least 48 hours before your first colour with us. |
| Bridal and occasion hair | Hair for your wedding or event, with a trial beforehand so there are no surprises on the day. We can come to you on the morning. |
| Gel nails | A gel polish manicure that lasts longer than ordinary polish, with removal of your old gel included. |
Notice what the descriptions do: each says what the service is, who it is for and what happens. None repeats the business name, lists towns or makes a claim the business could not back up.
Categories still matter
Services sit underneath your categories, and the categories come first. Google says the categories you choose affect your local ranking (Google: manage your business category).
- Pick the most specific primary category that fits. Google's example is choosing "Nail salon" instead of "Salon". You cannot create your own category.
- Add a few more only for real parts of your business. Google says not to add a category for every product or service, and its guidelines ask for the fewest categories it takes to describe your core business. You can add up to nine more.
- Use the test Google gives. Categories should complete the sentence "This business IS a", not "This business HAS a". A plumber IS a plumber. The things a plumber does, such as boiler repairs and bathroom fitting, belong in services.
- Expect a check if you change it. Google says adding or editing a category may mean verifying your business again.
Your category also decides which features you get. For example, Google says health and beauty businesses can add a booking button and update their list of services.
Reviews still matter
Services help Google and customers understand what you do. Reviews help show that you do it well. Google says the number of reviews you have is part of prominence, and that more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking.
- Ask every customer, not just the happy ones. Google lets you make a review link or QR code from your Business Profile: select Read reviews, then Get more reviews. Google says QR codes can only be made on a computer, not on a phone (Google: request reviews with a link or QR code).
- Never offer anything in return. Google treats discounts, freebies or payment for reviews as fake engagement, and it is strictly prohibited (Google: tips to get more reviews).
- Do not tell customers what to write. Google's contribution policy says businesses must not selectively ask for positive reviews, and should not ask for specific content to be included in a review (Google Maps: prohibited and restricted content). So ask for an honest review, not one that mentions "boiler repair" and your town.
- Reply, briefly. Google suggests short, polite replies, and never sharing a reviewer's private information.
The rest of your profile
- Service area. If you go to your customers, set the towns or postcodes you cover. Google allows up to 20 service areas, does not allow a radius, and says your overall area should not be more than about two hours' drive from where you are based (Google: manage your service areas). If you work from home and customers do not visit, Google's guidelines say to hide your address.
- Business name. Use your real business name, as it appears on your van, signs and invoices. Google's guidelines do not allow extra information such as the services you offer or your location in the name, and say it could lead to your profile being suspended.
- Phone number. Google's guidelines say the number should connect to your business, be under your direct control, and be a local number rather than a central call centre number where possible.
When the profile brings calls
A complete profile is there to make the phone ring, and for a trade or a salon it often rings when your hands are full. Keep the number customers know on your profile, and divert the calls you miss to someone who will always answer.
Tilly is an AI receptionist that answers those calls in your business name. The service list you have just written does double duty: add the same services and descriptions to Tilly in plain English, and she answers callers' questions about what you do in your words, takes their details and sends you a summary. She never says anything about your business that you have not told her. See how she works for plumbers, electricians, garages, mobile mechanics and salons, or hear a demo call.
You keep your own number and divert to Tilly when you want her to answer. Plans start at £29 + VAT a month, with a 14-day free trial.
A short checklist
- Sign in to the Google Account linked to your Business Profile.
- Check your primary category is the most specific one that fits.
- Add every service you genuinely offer, and no more.
- Give each service two or three plain sentences: what it is, who it suits, what happens.
- Keep prices, phone numbers and links out of service names.
- Set your service area by town or postcode.
- Ask every customer for an honest review, with your review link or QR code.
Checked against Google Business Profile Help pages and the Google Maps contribution policy on 20 October 2026. Google moves its buttons from time to time, so if a step looks different, its help pages have the current one.