Category selection is the highest-use setting in your Google Business Profile. Google uses your primary category to decide which searches your listing is eligible to appear for — and most HVAC companies get this wrong by picking too narrow a category or stacking too many secondary ones without a clear strategy.
Primary Category
For most HVAC companies, 'HVAC Contractor' is the correct primary category. It's the broadest signal that covers heating, cooling, and ventilation — which matches how the majority of your customers search. If your business is exclusively focused on one service (e.g., you only do commercial refrigeration), a more specific primary category may make sense. But for full-service residential and commercial HVAC, 'HVAC Contractor' is almost always the right anchor.
Secondary Categories
Secondary categories layer in additional eligibility signals. Relevant options for most HVAC companies include:
- Air Conditioning Repair Service
- Furnace Repair Service
- Heating Contractor
- Air Duct Cleaning Service (if you offer it)
- Plumber (only if you genuinely offer plumbing services)
Do not add categories for services you don't provide. Google cross-references your website content, reviews, and service entries against your categories — mismatches can suppress your visibility rather than expand it.
What to Avoid
Avoid the temptation to add every tangentially related category. More categories do not mean more visibility. Three to five well-matched categories with strong website and review signals behind them will outperform a bloated category list with weak supporting signals every time.
Check your competitors' categories by searching for your target keyword in Google Maps, clicking a top-ranked competitor, and using a browser extension like GMB Everywhere to see their category setup. This gives you a real benchmark, not a guess.