54.2% of US local businesses list only one category on their Google Business Profile and never add the secondary categories Google allows. Claimed profiles average 2.9 categories, more than twice the 1.4 of unclaimed profiles.
Analysis of 23,164 Google Business Profiles across 54 business categories · Google Business Profiles, September 2026
Key Findings
- 1.54.2% of US Google Business Profiles list only one business category.
- 2.The average Google Business Profile lists 2.5 business categories, and 16.5% list five or more.
- 3.Claimed Google Business Profiles average 2.9 business categories, against 1.4 for unclaimed profiles.
- 4.74.1% of Google Business Profiles with no reviews list one category, against 29.2% of profiles with 100 or more reviews.
- 5.80.8% of church Google Business Profiles list only one category, the highest rate, while 17.1% of electronics stores do.
Summary
A homeowner searches Google for "water heater repair". A plumber down the street does exactly that work, but its Google listing says only "Plumber". Another plumber a few miles away lists "Plumber", "Water heater supplier" and "Drainage service", and that is the business Google has more reason to show.
Google lets every business choose one primary category, the main label for what it does, and add secondary categories for its other services. Those categories help Google decide which searches a business is relevant for. Leaving them out narrows the list of searches a business can appear in, and it costs nothing to fix.
54.2% of local businesses use only their primary category. The average profile lists 2.5, so the businesses that do add categories add several. The single-category profiles are mostly the neglected ones: unclaimed, with few or no reviews.
What we measured
On September 23, 2026 we collected 23,164 US Google Business Profiles across 54 business categories, from churches and barber shops to HVAC companies and electronics stores. For each profile we counted the primary category plus any secondary categories listed.
A Google Business Profile is the free listing that shows a business's details in Google Search and Maps. The primary category is the one main label, such as "Plumber" or "Dentist"; secondary categories are the additional labels a business can add, such as "Emergency dental service". A profile is claimed when the owner has verified it with Google and can edit it. We report the share of profiles with exactly one category, the average number and the share with five or more, by business type, claim status and number of reviews.
Most businesses leave the extra categories empty
The rest make up for it. The average profile lists 2.5 categories and 16.5% list five or more, so local businesses split into two groups: a majority that stops at the primary category and a minority that describes the full range of what they do.
For a business with one service, one category is enough. But most local businesses offer several services people search for separately: a dentist who does implants and emergency visits, an HVAC company that repairs furnaces and installs air conditioning. A single category tells Google only part of that story.
Managed profiles list more categories
Claimed profiles average 2.9 categories, against 1.4 for unclaimed profiles. The number also rises steadily with reviews: 74.1% of profiles with no reviews list one category, against 51% of profiles with 10 to 49 reviews and 29.2% of profiles with 100 or more.
Source: Suff Digital analysis of 23,164 Google Business Profiles across 54 business categories · Google Business Profiles, September 2026
| Lifetime Google reviews | Only one category | Average categories |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 74.1% | 1.5 |
| 1 to 9 | 67.1% | 1.9 |
| 10 to 49 | 51% | 2.5 |
| 50 to 99 | 39.1% | 3 |
| 100 or more | 29.2% | 3.8 |
A profile with no reviews averages 1.5 categories; one with 100 or more averages 3.8. Both patterns point to the same thing: owners who manage their profiles, ask for reviews and keep their details current also add categories. A single category is usually a sign that nobody has looked at the profile, not a deliberate choice.
Stores list the most categories, churches and barbers the fewest
Stores that sell a wide range of products list the most categories. Electronics stores average 5.2 and jewelry stores 5.1, and only 17.1% of electronics stores list a single category. At the other end, 80.8% of churches and 80.2% of barber shops list just one.
Source: Suff Digital analysis of 23,164 Google Business Profiles across 54 business categories · Google Business Profiles, September 2026
| Category | Only one category | Average categories |
|---|---|---|
| Church | 80.8% | 1.4 |
| Barber shop | 80.2% | 1.6 |
| SaaS | 75.2% | 1.6 |
| Tattoo shop | 73.9% | 1.6 |
| Pest control | 72.5% | 1.6 |
| Electrician | 70.3% | 2.1 |
| Dentist | 65.4% | 2 |
| Plumber | 58.9% | 2.6 |
| HVAC | 33.3% | 3.6 |
| Wedding venue | 25.9% | 3.6 |
| Beauty store | 24.2% | 4.9 |
| Mattress store | 23.7% | 4.1 |
| Jewelry store | 23% | 5.1 |
| Electronics store | 17.1% | 5.2 |
Similar businesses make very different choices. 70.3% of electricians list one category, but only 33.3% of HVAC companies do; HVAC companies average 3.6 categories, enough to cover heating, air conditioning and furnace repair separately. Locksmiths (41%), movers (37.4%) and med spas (37.3%) add categories far more often than barber shops (80.2%) or pet groomers (71.5%). Among professional services, 52.6% of insurance agencies and 53% of accountants list one category, against 28.8% of financial advisors. When businesses in the same line of work differ this much, the difference is owner habit, and habit is easy to change.
What this means for local business owners
Review your categories today. Keep the primary category as the closest match to your main service, then add a secondary category for each other service you actually provide. Look at the categories used by the businesses that appear next to you on Google Maps for ideas.
Only add what is true. Irrelevant categories confuse customers and can put your listing in front of people you cannot help. If you are an electrician, dentist or plumber, the gap is widest: most of your competitors list one category, so adding the right secondary ones sets you apart.
If your profile is unclaimed, claim it first, since only a verified owner can change categories. Then revisit them once or twice a year as your services change. Our local seo packages include a full review of Google Business Profile categories for every location.
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<p style="font:14px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif">Source: <a href="https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/google-business-profile-categories">54.2% of Local Businesses Use Only One Google Business Category - Suff Digital</a></p>
Cite this study
Suff Digital. (2026). 54.2% of Local Businesses Use Only One Google Business Category. https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/google-business-profile-categories
54.2% of Local Businesses Use Only One Google Business Category - Suff Digital - https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/google-business-profile-categories
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