How to write your Google Business Profile description

When a homeowner finds you on Google, they look at your reviews, your photos and your hours, and many of them read the short paragraph you wrote about your business. That paragraph is your Business Profile description. It can't fix a thin profile on its own, but a clear, specific description helps the right customers decide to call you. Here's how to write one, the rules to stay inside and examples for eight trades that you can adapt.

What the description is, and the rules

The description is the "from the business" text on your profile. Google allows up to 750 characters. Where it appears, and how much shows before someone taps to read more, changes as Google updates its layouts, so put the most important information in the first sentence or two.

It sits alongside separate fields for your name, categories, services, service area, hours, phone number and website. Don't spend your 750 characters repeating those. Use the description for what the other fields can't say: what kind of work you focus on, who you serve and why they can trust you.

Google's guidelines limit what you can include. At the time of writing they say to avoid:

• Links and web addresses
• Content that focuses on prices, sales, specials or promotions
• Misleading or irrelevant information, or claims about other businesses
• Gimmicks like ALL CAPS, strings of emoji or unusual characters
• Offensive or inappropriate content

Google can reject or remove a description that breaks the rules, so check the current Business Profile guidelines before you publish. Write for the person reading, not for the ranking algorithm. A paragraph stuffed with "plumber near me" doesn't help a homeowner decide, and it can get your edit rejected.

A five-part formula

A good description answers the questions a homeowner has in the order they have them:

1. Who you are and what you do. Your trade and your main services, in the words customers use. People search for "AC repair" and "clogged drain," not "HVAC solutions" or "drain obstruction remediation."
2. Where you work. The main towns or the county you serve. Name a few, not every town in the state.
3. Who you serve. Homeowners, landlords, property managers, older homes, new builds, particular equipment.
4. Why they can trust you. Specific and true: licensed, insured, years in business, family-owned, background-checked staff, written warranties, certifications you actually hold, languages you speak.
5. How to get started. What to do next and what happens when they do. No links, no discounts.

Gather your facts first

Before you write, collect these so you're not guessing:

• Your top five to eight services, by revenue or by the work you want more of
• The towns you serve and your farthest drive
• License type and number, if you want to show it or your state requires it in advertising
• Insurance status
• The year you started
• Emergency or after-hours availability, only if it's real
• Certifications, manufacturer programs and warranties you actually hold or offer
• Anything that makes you different and can be checked: same crew every visit, photos with every estimate, owner on every job

Example descriptions for eight trades

Replace everything in brackets, and cut any claim that isn't true for your business. Each example is under the limit as written, but check the final character count after you fill in your own names and towns.

Plumbing

"[Business name] is a licensed plumbing company serving homes in [Town], [Town] and [Town]. We fix leaks, clear clogged drains, repair and replace water heaters, install fixtures and inspect sewer lines with a camera. Our plumbers arrive in marked trucks, wear shoe covers and explain what they found and the price before any work starts. [Owner name], a licensed master plumber, has run the company since [year]. We answer [24 hours a day] for emergencies like burst pipes and sewer backups. Call us or request a visit on our website, and we'll confirm your arrival window [the same day]."

HVAC

"[Business name] keeps homes in [Town], [Town] and [Town] comfortable in every season. We repair, maintain and install furnaces, heat pumps, central air conditioners and ductless mini-splits, and we service [most major brands]. Our technicians are [NATE-certified and] background-checked, and they explain your options in plain English before you decide anything. We offer spring and fall tune-ups and a maintenance plan with priority scheduling during heat waves and cold snaps. Locally owned since [year]. When you call, [a real person answers] and books a time that works for you."

Electrical

"[Business name] is a licensed electrical contractor ([License number]) serving homeowners in [Town] and nearby communities. We handle panel upgrades, EV charger installation, whole-home surge protection, generator hookups, lighting, new circuits, and troubleshooting for outlets and breakers that keep tripping. We also fix items flagged in home inspections for buyers and sellers. Every job is done to code, with permits pulled when required, and we explain what we're doing and why. [Owner name] has been a licensed electrician for [X] years. Call to schedule a visit, or text us photos of the problem and we'll tell you what to expect."

Roofing

"[Business name] repairs and replaces roofs for homeowners in [County] and surrounding areas. We work on asphalt shingle and [metal] roofs and also fix leaks, flashing, skylights and gutters. After a storm, we inspect for wind and hail damage and document what we find with photos you can share with your insurance company. If your roof only needs a repair, we'll tell you. We're [licensed and insured], have been roofing in [Town] since [year] and put a written workmanship warranty on every replacement. Call to book an inspection, and you'll get photos of your roof and a clear written estimate."

Landscaping

"[Business name] keeps lawns and landscapes in [Town] and [Town] looking cared for all season. We offer weekly mowing, spring and fall cleanups, mulching, shrub and hedge trimming, planting, and irrigation startups and repairs. Weekly maintenance customers get the same crew every visit, so the people on your property know your yard, your gate and your pets. We also design and build small patios, walkways and garden beds. Family-owned since [year] and [fully insured]. Call or message us to set up a walk-through, and we'll give you a written quote for the season."

Cleaning

"[Business name] provides residential cleaning in [Town], [Town] and [Town]. We offer weekly, every-other-week and monthly house cleaning, one-time deep cleans, and move-in and move-out cleaning for renters, homeowners and property managers. Our cleaners are background-checked, insured and trained on a written checklist for every room, and we send the same team each visit whenever we can. We bring our own supplies and equipment and are happy to use your preferred products. Tell us about your home, and we'll give you a clear quote and a regular day and time that fits your week."

Pest control

"[Business name] is a locally owned pest control company serving [Town] and [County]. We treat ants, spiders, cockroaches, wasps, mice and rats, and we offer termite inspections [and treatment]. Our quarterly service covers the outside of your home, with inside treatment when you need it. Our [state-licensed] technicians explain what they're treating, the products they use and how to prepare your home, kids and pets. [If pests come back between scheduled visits, so do we.] Call us for an inspection and a straightforward plan."

Garage doors

"[Business name] repairs and installs garage doors and openers for homes in [Town] and nearby communities. We replace broken springs and cables, fix doors that are off track or noisy, repair and install openers, and help you choose and install a new door. Our trucks carry common springs and parts, so many repairs are finished on the first visit. [Same-day service is available for doors stuck open or shut.] Locally owned since [year], [licensed and insured], with written warranties on parts and labor. Call and tell us what the door is doing, and we'll give you an arrival window and a clear price before we start."

Painters, handymen and other trades can use the same pattern: what you do, where, for whom, why to trust you and what happens when they call.

Mistakes to avoid

• Keyword stuffing. "Plumber plumbing plumbers best plumber near me" reads as spam to people and breaks Google's guidelines.
• Listing every town you've ever driven through. Name your core area. Your service area field covers the rest.
• Empty words. "Quality, integrity, excellence" says nothing. "We show you photos of the problem before we quote" says a lot.
• Prices, coupons and seasonal deals. Those belong in Google posts and on your website, not in the description.
• Claims you can't prove. "#1 in town," "best in the state" and "cheapest around" don't build trust, and "licensed" had better be true.
• Copying a competitor. Customers compare profiles side by side. If yours reads like everyone else's, it gives them no reason to choose you.
• Set and forget. Update it when you add a service, expand your area, earn a certification or change your hours.

How to add or update it

1. Sign in to the Google account that manages your Business Profile.
2. Search for your business name on Google, or open Google Maps, and choose the option to edit your profile.
3. Find the business information or About section and open the Description field.
4. Paste your text, check the character count and save.

Google moves these menus around from time to time. If you can't find the field, search Google's Business Profile help for "edit description." Edits can take a while to be reviewed, and Google may reject one that breaks the guidelines.

The description is one piece of the profile

A good description helps a homeowner decide, but it works alongside everything else on your profile: the right primary category, a complete services list, an accurate service area, current hours, regular photos of real work, and reviews with thoughtful replies. For the rest of the profile, see the Google Business Profile tips guide and the Google Business Profile checklist.

• Gather your services, towns, license, insurance, founding year and warranties
• Lead with what you do and where in the first sentence or two
• Use the words customers use for your services
• Include specific, true reasons to trust you
• End with what to do next and what happens then
• Leave out links, prices, promotions and keyword lists
• Check the final length is 750 characters or fewer
• Review and update it whenever your services or area change

If you'd like a second opinion on your whole profile, Zome's free AI report looks at your Google profile, website and reviews the way a homeowner would and shows what to fix first.