Choosing an industry: How do I choose the right industry?

You do not need to be overly critical when choosing an industry

Choosing a particular industry does not prevent you from invoicing for work that falls outside that industry. You can also change your industry later if the focus of your business changes.

For example, a cleaner can also invoice for marketing services. However, your company’s main industry should describe what your business primarily does. If you mainly provide cleaning services and only occasionally do marketing work, you should choose cleaning services as your main industry.
 

How to choose a suitable industry

When choosing a suitable industry for your business, you can look at which industries entrepreneurs and companies providing similar services have selected. You can find this information by using the YTJ Business Information System.

For example, search for companies whose services are similar to those you plan to offer. Then check which industry those companies have selected.

You can also find below a list of industries frequently used by private traders, together with examples of related tasks and professions.

You can find all the industries and choose the one that best describes your business in the TOL 2025 classification.

Please note: Some industries are divided into several categories in the TOL 2025 classification. Choose the industry that best describes your company’s main business activity.

Industries frequently used by private traders

Beauty and healthcare

96220 Beauty treatment services

• Beauty therapists
• Beauty treatment service providers
• Manicure and pedicure service providers

86930 Psychologist and psychotherapist services, excluding physicians’ services

• Psychologists and psychotherapists

86950 Physiotherapy services

• Physiotherapists
• Healthcare professionals providing medical massage

86960 Services based on traditional, complementary and alternative medicine

• Providers of alternative and complementary treatments

86990 Other health service activities not elsewhere classified

• For example, speech therapists, podiatrists and nutrition therapists when their services are classified as healthcare services

96230 Spa, sauna and steam bath services

• Massage therapists whose services are not healthcare services
• Spa and sauna service providers

96210 Hairdressing and barber services

• Barbers, hairdressers and hairdressers providing both barber and hairdressing services

The appropriate industry for healthcare services depends on the service you provide and your professional training. If you are unsure which industry best describes your business, check the alternatives in the TOL 2025 classification.
 

Construction and property services

41000 Construction of buildings

• Construction professionals
• Services related to building construction

81210 Building cleaning services

• Cleaning indoor spaces, such as business premises and homes
• Small-scale cleaning of yards when it is connected to property cleaning

81100 Property maintenance

• Property maintenance workers and cottage caretakers
• Small-scale property renovation and maintenance work
• Yard and snow removal services
• Services related to property management and maintenance

Choose your industry based on whether your main activity is construction, cleaning or property maintenance.
 

Business services, such as consultants and trainers

70200 Management consultancy

• Communications consultants
• Planning and preparation of marketing and other business strategies
• Business development consulting

85599 Other miscellaneous education not elsewhere classified

• Organizing courses and training, including preparatory courses for students
• Training provided for companies
• Other education that does not belong to a more specific education category

If your main activity is training or coaching, choose an industry that describes education or training. If you provide expert services related to business development, management consultancy may describe your business more accurately.
 

Media, art and content production

This category includes, for example, bloggers, YouTubers, social media influencers, photographers, graphic designers and artists. The suitable industry depends on the type of content you produce and the nature of your services.

74200 Photographic activities

• Photographers and services related to photography

59110 Motion picture, video and television programme production

• Videographers
• Producers of videos, video content and social media videos
• Video and other audiovisual content production

60100 Production and distribution of radio programmes and audio content

• Producers of podcasts and other audio content
• Production and distribution of radio and audio content

90120 Creation of visual art

• Visual artists, illustrators, comic artists and art photographers

90130 Other artistic creation

• For example, choreographers
• Other artists whose work does not belong to literary creation, composing or visual arts

74121 Graphic design

• Graphic designers

74122 Visual communication

• Visual communication design
• Planning of brand identities and visual concepts

73112 Other advertising agency activities

• Planning and implementation of marketing and advertising, as well as content production
• Production of advertising materials
• Marketing consultancy services

If your business combines influencer marketing, video production and advertising, choose the industry based on the activity that makes up the main part of your business.
 

Personal trainers and sports

85510 Sports and recreation education

• Exercise instructors, yoga instructors, personal trainers, sports coaches, and riding instructors and coaches

93191 Sports federations and professional athletes

• Professional athletes, sports federations and other similar operators

93199 Other sports activities not elsewhere classified

• Producing and promoting sporting events
• Other sports and recreational activities that do not belong to a more specific category

The appropriate industry depends on whether you provide training and coaching, work as a professional athlete or provide other sports and recreational services.
 

Automotive services and taxis

95312 Other motor vehicle maintenance and repair

• Vehicle mechanics
• Car service and repair shops
• Car washing, cleaning and painting
• Other motor vehicle maintenance and repair services

49330 Passenger transport available on demand

• Taxi drivers
• Other passenger transport arranged on demand

Taxi dispatching and brokerage services belong to a different industry from actual taxi transport. If you arrange transport but do not transport passengers yourself, check the TOL 2025 classification for the appropriate industry.
 

Animal care professionals

96991 Pet care services

• Dog walking and other animal exercise services, grooming and training
• Pet care
• Other pet care services

Tattooing and piercing do not belong to the pet care industry. They are generally classified under:

96999 Other miscellaneous personal service activities

• Tattooing and piercing services
• Other personal services that do not belong to a more specific category
   

Online retail

There is no single general industry code for online retail in the TOL 2025 classification.

Choose the industry based on the products you mainly sell. For example, online shops selling clothing, cosmetics, food or electronics may belong to different industries.

If you act as an intermediary between buyers and sellers and do not sell the products yourself, you may need an industry for intermediation services:

47910 Intermediation services for non-specialised retail

• Intermediation services for the retail sale of a wide range of products

47920 Intermediation services for specialised retail

• Intermediation services for the retail sale of a specific product category

When choosing an industry for online retail, the decisive factors are what products you sell and whether you act as the seller or as an intermediary.
 

Information technology and programming

62100 Software design and development

• Designing the structure and content of software
• Writing software code
• Testing software
• Software maintenance and support services

Read more

You can find more information about choosing an industry in the UKKO Entrepreneurship School article “Choosing the right industry” in Finnish.