Google Allows a Custom List of Services to GMB Listings

[djbaxter]

Google Lets Businesses Add a Custom List of Services to GMB Listings
By Matt Southern, Search Engine Journal
Nov 29, 2019

An update to Google My Business will allow service-based businesses to specify the types of services they offer to customers.
Google My Business will provide a selection of suggested types of services to choose from, for example, plumbers may see “Install faucet” or “Repair toilet” as services to add.

Google believes having standardized job types will make it easier for customers to find the services they need. On the business side, Google says adding a list of service types will generate more relevant leads for those services.

If the service is not listed in Google’s suggestions, then businesses can add their own custom services by following the steps below:

• Sign in to Google My Business.
• Open the location you’d like to manage.
• From the menu, click Info.
• In the “Services” section, click ‘Edit.’
• Add your services.

Read more...

See also

Google My Business Adds Job Types For Services

Google launched yesterday, I believe, on Thanksgiving, a new feature in Google My Business for job types for services. This is where services businesses in the US can choose from suggested types of services. This includes things like "repair toilets" and/or "install faucets" for plumbers.

www.seroundtable.com

 

[Wirenut]

I have had these set for a while now. Where do they actually show up?

As people were discussing in another thread, the services we list here in GMB do not match the services offered when clicking Request A Quote on your company's KP.

 

[djbaxter]

• Sign in to Google My Business.
• Open the location you’d like to manage.
• From the menu, click Info.
• In the “Services” section, click ‘Edit.’
• Add your services.

What's new I think is the descriptions options where you can further specify what you offer.

 

[Wirenut]

I wasn’t very clear. I meant where do they show up outside of google my business, do you know?

 

[djbaxter]

In Google search results.

 

[AcmeMike]

I am genuinely excited about this new feature. I think it's great, and will really help get people to the right service providers. However, as a business owner, I am gonna hang back and wait to see if anyone has issues with this. I was surprised at all the problems not that long ago when the short name feature came out.

We benefit too much from GMB to risk making it better to the point of it no longer working.

 

[Wirenut]

In Google search results.

Where? I am not understanding where the services that I can list in GMB show up in Google Search Results.

The only place that I have seen the same services listed is in the "Request A Quote" on my company's KP. However, as others have also confirmed, it lists all the services and not just the ones that we picked in GMB.

So I am wondering where else these services get listed in google.

 

[djbaxter]

Google search uses / will use these to better select which sites are included in their search results. They won't be "listed" anywhere else.

That's my understanding anyway. It's so service business can better describe what they do and thus let Google better customize its search results for specific queries.

 

[Wirenut]

I understand now, thank you.

 

[Damian Rollison]

How is this different from the item Joy reported on back in August? New Services Options in the Google My Business Dashboard - Local Search Forum

 

[djbaxter]

Maybe it isn't different.

 

[Sherm]

When you make changes to these service categories and such, does it push your GMB down as if you are a new page? I mean is it considered a hard change if you add those?

 

[chadkimball]

have you actually seen this cause a GMB to rank for additional phrases?

Google search uses / will use these to better select which sites are included in their search results. They won't be "listed" anywhere else.

That's my understanding anyway. It's so service business can better describe what they do and thus let Google better customize its search results for specific queries.

 

[djbaxter]

I was talking about general Google Search, not ranking your GMB, but the answer to your question is I don't know. I was posting my understanding of the value of those settings.