A one-hour checklist: fix your heating categories and services on Google before the cold
If your Google profile reads like an AC company, furnace searches go to someone else. A one-hour checklist for categories, services and posts before the cold.
Your Google profile was probably last updated in the spring, when every call was about air conditioning. Now the furnace calls are starting, and if your profile still reads like an AC company, Google may show someone else for "furnace repair near me."
This checklist fixes that in under an hour. Do it before the first cold snap, when heating searches jump and every company is fighting for the same three spots on the map.
Minutes 0 to 10: check your categories
Open your Google Business Profile and go to the business category section.
Your primary category matters most. For most residential HVAC companies, "HVAC contractor" is a solid choice. Then add secondary categories that match the heating work you actually do. Common ones include:
- Heating contractor
- Furnace repair service
- Air conditioning contractor
- Air conditioning repair service
Only add categories you really perform. If you do not install boilers, do not add a boiler category. Wrong categories lead to calls you cannot take and can confuse Google about what you do.
Write down your current categories first, so you can see what changed later.
Minutes 10 to 25: rebuild your services list
The services section lets you list specific jobs. Many HVAC profiles show only the default services Google suggests, or a list built entirely around cooling.
Add the heating work you want this winter, one service at a time:
- Furnace repair
- Furnace installation and replacement
- Furnace tune-up or maintenance
- Heat pump repair and installation
- Carbon monoxide testing
- Emergency no-heat service
- Thermostat installation
- Ductwork repair
Add a short description to each. One or two plain sentences, written like you would say it to a customer. For example: "Same-day furnace repair for all major brands. We carry common parts on the truck so most repairs finish in one visit."
If you offer a tune-up price or a service call fee, include it. Clear prices help callers decide, and the pricing and quoting guide covers how to present them.
Minutes 25 to 35: update the description and hours
Your business description should mention heating in the first line. Something like: "Furnace and heat pump repair, installation and maintenance for homes in Westfield and nearby towns. Call or text any time for no-heat emergencies."
Then check your hours. In our benchmark report, 28.1% of HVAC profiles list no hours at all, and only 29.3% show as open 24 hours. If you take night calls in winter, make sure your hours say so. If you do not, set accurate hours and add a missed-call text-back so night callers still hear from you.
Minutes 35 to 45: add heating photos
Most of your photos are probably condensers in the sun. Add five or six winter photos:
- A tech working on a furnace in a basement or utility room
- A new furnace install, finished and clean
- A heat pump outdoor unit in winter conditions
- Your truck in front of a home, with the company name visible
- A tech using a combustion analyzer or CO tester
Real photos from real jobs beat stock images. Name the files plainly before you upload, like "furnace-install-westfield.jpg." It does not hurt, and it keeps your photo library organized.
Minutes 45 to 55: post once about heating
Make a Google post about winter readiness. Keep it short:
"Furnace tune-up season is here. A tune-up checks the burners, flame sensor, filter and safety controls before the first cold night. Book online or text us to get on the schedule this week."
Add a photo and a button linking to your booking page or phone. Posts are not a magic ranking lever, but an active profile looks like a company that is open and paying attention.
Minutes 55 to 60: test it like a customer
On your phone, search "furnace repair" and your town. Find your listing. Check that:
- The services show heating work.
- The description mentions heating.
- The phone number and hours are correct.
- The booking or website button works.
Then search "emergency heating repair" and check again.
What to do next
This hour sets up the profile. Reviews are what keep it near the top. The median HVAC company in our data has 30 reviews, and the top tenth start at 511. Asking after every no-heat call is the fastest way to close that gap, because those customers are relieved and grateful. The Google reviews guide has scripts for after a furnace repair.
The Google Business Profile guide covers the rest of the profile, including questions, messaging and service areas.
If you want your profile updated and kept current through the season, any service is available as a free 14-day trial, no card. Text or call (385) 364-3875.
Steven has spent the last several years running growth campaigns for local service businesses, HVAC companies among them, and builds the benchmark datasets on this site from public Google listings. About the editor