Learn which categories and services successful janitorial companies use to secure commercial cleaning accounts. GMB Everywhere shows you exactly how competitors optimize their profiles and rank higher in local search.
Picture a property manager searching for a reliable cleaning service for their office building. They open Google and type "janitorial service near me." A list of cleaning companies appears—some rank at the top, others are nowhere to be found.
Ever wonder why certain janitorial companies dominate the search results while others stay invisible? That's exactly what we're going to explain. And don't worry—we'll keep it simple.
Your Google Business Profile (or GBP for short) is basically your janitorial service's online business card on Google. It shows your name, address, phone number, hours, photos, and reviews. When someone searches for commercial cleaning, Google decides which profiles to show based on a few key factors.
Google wants to show people the best, most relevant results. So it checks three main things about your business. Think of these as the "three pillars" that hold up your local ranking.
This sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many janitorial companies have inconsistent business information across the web. Google checks if your business name, address, and phone number are the same everywhere online. If they don't match, Google gets confused—and confused Google doesn't show your profile.
Quick check: Is your company name spelled exactly the same on your website, LinkedIn, and Google profile?
When someone searches "office cleaning service near me," Google looks at your profile to see if you offer that service. If you haven't listed it, you won't show up—even if you clean offices every single day.
This is where categories and services come in. We'll explain these in detail in the next section. For now, just know that telling Google exactly what types of cleaning you provide is really important.
Google reads your reviews. Lots of good reviews tell Google that customers trust you. Replying to those reviews shows that you're active and you care. Both of these things help you rank higher.
Think about it: would you hire a janitorial service with 5 reviews or one with 100+ reviews? Google thinks the same way.
Here's the good news: You don't need to be a tech expert to improve these things. Most of it just takes a few minutes to fix.
Now, let's dive deeper into the part that trips up most cleaning companies: categories and services. Once you understand these, you'll be ahead of most janitorial services competing for contracts.
Remember when we said Google needs to know what you do? This is where you tell it. Let's break this down into two simple parts.
Why this matters: Of all the things you can control on your Google Business Profile, categories have one of the biggest impacts on your local rankings. Pick the wrong ones, and you won't show up when clients search. Pick the right ones, and you'll appear for the exact services you offer. Our case study proves that adding relevant categories doesn't hurt your rankings—it actually increases your visibility.
Think of categories like labels on a filing cabinet. Google uses them to sort businesses into groups. When someone searches "janitorial service near me," Google opens the "Janitorial Service" folder and shows what's inside.
If your cleaning company isn't in that folder, you won't show up. It's that simple.
You get to pick one primary category (your main label) and a few secondary categories (extra labels for other repair types you offer).
Here's what a typical janitorial service might choose:
Pro tip: Not sure which categories to pick? The checklist below will walk you through exactly how to find the best categories for your janitorial service.
If categories are the folders, services are the specific items inside. They tell Google (and potential clients) exactly what types of cleaning you offer.
Let's say someone searches "medical office cleaning near me." Google will check if you have "Medical office cleaning" listed as a service. If you do, great—you might show up. If you don't, Google assumes you don't offer it.
Think of it like your service portfolio. If a cleaning type isn't showcased, potential clients won't know you handle it.
Services a janitorial company might list:
The more services you list, the more searches you can show up for. Just make sure you actually offer what you list!
Here's your simple action plan for your janitorial service:
Not sure where to start? The checklist below will guide you through the categories and services in just 20 to 25 minutes.
Work through each item below. By the end, your janitorial service profile will be optimized for better local rankings.
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How to use:
Open any business on Google Maps - primary and secondary categories display automatically beside the profile
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Search for any term on Google Maps - click the Local Scan button to compare all GBPs
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Open any business on Google Maps - click the 'AI' button beside the GBP to use AI features
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Open any business on Google Maps - click the 'Find more' button beside categories
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Open any business on Google Maps - click the 'Basic Audit' button beside the GBP
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How to use:
Open any business on Google Maps - click the 'Review Audit' button beside the GBP
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How to use:
Open any business on Google Maps - click the 'Teleport' button beside the GBP
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How to use:
Open any business on Google Maps - click the 'Post Audit' button beside the GBP
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