How Do You Add Services to Your Google Business Profile?

By Bill Stilwell · Last reviewed October 16, 2026

The short answer

List the services you actually sell today, using the plain names customers use, with a short honest description for each. On Google Business Profile (GBP), businesses in certain categories, especially service businesses, can pick from Google’s suggested services or add custom ones. Take a service off the moment you stop offering it, and keep your website’s list the same.

What this means

Your services list is your menu. It tells customers and search engines what you do before anyone picks up the phone.

Say a roofing company does roof replacement, roof repair, and gutter installation. They stopped doing siding last year. Their list should show the first three, and siding should come off. Each service gets a short description, such as: “Full tear off and replacement for asphalt shingle roofs. Free written estimate.”

On GBP, you can:

Choose services Google suggests for your type of business. A plumber might see options like “Install faucet” or “Repair toilet.”
Add a custom service when yours isn’t on the list
Add a description and a price to any service
Group services under your business categories

Google says custom services that break its policies are rejected automatically. Custom service names can’t include profanity, gibberish, personal information, prices, or phone numbers.

Products are a separate part of your profile. If you sell physical goods, see 14.9.2 Products on Your Profile.

Why it matters

Wrong calls. If you still list a service you dropped, you get calls you have to turn away.
Missed calls. If you leave off a service you do offer, people looking for it may not find you.
Clear signals. Search engines and artificial intelligence (AI) tools look at your services, website, and categories to understand what you do. When all three match, the picture is clearer.
Honest advertising. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says ads must be truthful, and the law requires proof before an ad runs. Treat your listings like ads. Don’t list services you can’t deliver or aren’t licensed for (see 11.3.1 Truthful Advertising Claims).

Who this applies to

Any business that sells services. On GBP, whether you see the services option depends on your category.

Pay extra attention if:

Your services change by season
Some services need a license, permit, or certification
You recently added or dropped a service
You hand some work to subcontractors

How to do it

Write down every service you sell today. Use the words customers use. “Water heater replacement” beats “thermal appliance solutions.”
Cross off anything you don’t offer anymore or don’t do well.
Check that you hold any license or permit each service needs (see 9.5.2 State Licenses and 14.1.10 Credentials).
Write one or two plain sentences for each service. Say what it is and who it’s for. Skip hype.
In GBP, select Edit services. Choose the suggested services that fit. Select Add more services, then Add custom service, for anything missing.
Add descriptions. Add prices only if you can keep them current (see 11.3.2 Pricing Disclosures).
Save. Then check your website. Each main service should have its own page with the same name (see 13.4.2 Service Pages).
Use the same service names on Bing Places, Facebook, and directories.
Review the list every few months and any time you change what you offer.

What proof to keep

Your approved list of services with the date it was last updated
A screenshot of the services on your GBP
Copies of any license or certificate needed for a listed service

Store these in your marketing records and your Master Business Record (see 5 Master Business Record).

Common mistakes

Stuffing the list with keywords. Adding “best plumber near me” as a service doesn’t describe a service, and custom names that break the rules get rejected.
Listing services you hand to someone else without saying so. Customers expect your crew.
Posting prices you don’t keep current. An old price turns into an argument at the door.
Copying a competitor’s list. Their services aren’t yours.
Forgetting the website. If GBP lists a service your website never mentions, it’s harder for people and search engines to trust it.
Writing descriptions like ads. “Best in town, guaranteed!” says nothing. Say what the service includes.

When to get help from a pro

State licensing board: if you aren’t sure whether a service needs a license where you work. Questions to ask:

Which of my services require a license here?
What do I have to show in ads for licensed work?

Attorney: if you plan to advertise guarantees or prices with conditions (see 11.3.2 Pricing Disclosures and 11.3.3 Guarantees).

A GBP specialist: if your services keep getting rejected or changed.

Bill’s note

[Bill: add a short story or lesson here. For example, how clear service descriptions changed the calls a client got, or a business still getting calls for a service they dropped years ago.]

If you’d rather have this done for you, SiteSmarty handles Google Business Profile setup.

How I did this for SiteSmarty

[Date I did this:]
[What I actually did, step by step: which services I listed for SiteSmarty and how I wrote the descriptions]
[What it cost and how long it took:]
[What surprised me or what I’d do differently:]
[Screenshot or photo to add, with private info blurred: the GBP services list and the website services menu]
[Result so far:]

Questions people ask

Why can’t I see the services option on my profile? Google offers services only for certain categories. If you don’t see it, your primary category may not support it (see 14.1.8 Categories).

Should I put prices on my services? Only if your prices are steady and you’ll keep them updated. A wrong price causes more trouble than no price.

Can I add a service that isn’t on Google’s list? Yes. Use Add custom service. Keep the name plain and leave out prices and phone numbers.

How many services should I list? List what you really sell. There’s no prize for a long list.

Audit check

Question: Does the services list on the Google Business Profile match what the business sells today, with plain names and honest descriptions that match the website?
Pass looks like: Only current services. Plain names customers use. Short, accurate descriptions. Prices current or left off. The same services on the website, each with its own page.
Fail looks like: Dropped services still listed. Keyword phrases posing as services. Old prices. Services that need a license the business doesn’t hold. A website that doesn’t mention services listed on GBP.
Evidence to collect: Screenshot of the GBP services list, the dated internal service list, the website services menu, and licenses for any licensed services.

Where this fits

Do this first: 7.1.2 Core Offer, 13.3.4 Service Architecture, 14.1.6 Hours

Do this next: 14.1.8 Categories

Sources

Google Business Profile Help, "Manage your services on your Business Profile" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Business Profile Help, "Manage your business category" (checked October 16, 2026)
Federal Trade Commission (FTC), "Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small Business" (checked October 16, 2026)

This page explains general rules and Bill's own experience. It is not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation.