Content & Social

Customers don't get what you do? How to write a business description that tells them.

A customer lands on your page and reads “Welcome to our website, your one-stop shop for all your needs.” They learn nothing and go back to searching. My take: your business description is often what people skim before they decide to call, and it's also what search tools and AI assistants have to go on when they describe you. Here's the formula, and Google's rules for the profile version.

The formula: four answers in plain words

A strong business description answers four things fast. What you do, in the words a customer would use, not your industry's. Who it's for. Where you work. And why you: one honest, specific thing that makes you the pick. A made-up example: “Bilingual auto repair in Napa. We photograph the worn part and explain the fix before we charge you” beats three paragraphs of “commitment to excellence,” because every word is specific and a customer can check it. Write it once and use the same facts everywhere: website, Google profile, directories, social bios. My take: when your name and services match everywhere, it's easier for people and search tools to know it's the same business.

Google's actual rules for the profile description

Google's guidelines for the Business Profile description are short. Be upfront and honest. Keep it relevant and useful to customers. No links of any type. Don't focus it on promotions, prices or sales. Google's own examples of what's not allowed include “Everything on sale, -50%” and “Best bagels in town for $5!” Misspellings, gimmicky characters and gibberish are out too. What Google says belongs there: the services and products you offer, plus the mission and history of your business. Keep it to 750 characters or less (Google Business Profile Help). A plain, honest paragraph built on the four answers fits all of it.

The mistakes that make descriptions invisible

Watch for three mistakes. The mirror problem: it's written about you, not for the reader (“founded in 2009, we pride ourselves on…”). Nobody searched for your pride. The everything problem: you list every service you've ever done until nothing stands out. A description that claims everything says nothing. The jargon problem: your industry's words instead of your customer's (“multi-channel fenestration solutions” for a window company). The test for all three: read it out loud and ask if a stranger could repeat back what you do, for whom, where and why you. My take: if they can't, an AI assistant summarizing you probably can't either.

Quick answers

What should a business description include?

Four answers: what you do in your customer's words, who you serve, where, and one specific, honest reason to pick you. Skip slogans, awards nobody's heard of and adjectives you can't prove. My take: specific details are what people remember.

How long should a business description be?

Google caps the Business Profile description at 750 characters (Google Business Profile Help). My take: one tight paragraph is plenty. Put your strongest sentence first, because a skimmer may stop there. Say the four answers, then stop.

Can I put my prices or website link in my Google description?

No. Google's guidelines say no links of any type are allowed in the description, and it shouldn't focus on promotions, prices or sales (Google Business Profile Help). Put prices on your website and in your services list. The description is for what you do, who you serve and why you.

Should my description be the same everywhere?

The facts, yes. Use the same name, services and area everywhere. My take: matching facts make it easier for people and search tools to trust they found the right business. The length can change from one platform to the next. The story shouldn't.