Your Google Business Profile description is one of the few places on your listing where you control the words, the order and the message. Google pulls your categories, hours and reviews automatically. The description is yours. And yet most local businesses either leave it blank or fill it with a paragraph that reads like a 2011 press release.
This guide breaks down the 750-character field the way Google actually renders it: the first ~250 characters that appear before the More link, the middle block where your services belong, and the closing lines that push someone to call or book. You also get six rewritten descriptions for plumbers, salons, dental clinics and other local service businesses, plus the exact content rules Google will reject you for.
Quick answer: what makes a good Google Business Profile description
- Length: 750 characters maximum, including spaces. Aim for 600 to 740.
- Visible preview: roughly the first 250 characters (about 2 to 4 lines) before Google truncates with More.
- Opening line: business name + what you do + the area you serve, written as a sentence a human would say out loud.
- Keywords: your real services, named the way customers name them, used once each. No lists, no city stuffing.
- Forbidden: URLs, links, phone numbers, prices, sales and promotions, ALL CAPS, special characters, misleading claims.
- Goal: answer “are these the right people for my problem?” in under eight seconds.
Where the description actually appears (and where it does not)
Knowing the render location changes how you write the first sentence. As of 2026, the description surfaces in these places:
| Surface | How it displays | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps app (mobile) | Short preview under the business name, cut off with More | The first 250 characters carry almost all the weight |
| Business Profile panel on desktop Search | Below photos and attributes, often collapsed | Front-load the differentiator, do not bury it |
| About tab on the mobile profile | Full 750 characters | This is where the detail pays off |
| Local pack (3-pack) results | Usually not shown | Do not expect it to win the click in the pack itself |
| AI summaries and assistant answers | Used as context about your services | Write in clear, factual, parseable sentences |
Important: the description is not the same as the editorial summary Google sometimes writes itself (the italic line like “Casual chain serving wood-fired pizza”). You cannot edit that one. You can only control the business description field. Much the same conclusion turns up on victorious.com.
The 750-character field, split into three working zones
Stop thinking of it as a paragraph. Think of it as three blocks with three different jobs.
| Zone | Characters | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1: The preview | 0 to 250 | Who you are, what you do, where you do it, for whom |
| Zone 2: The proof | 250 to 600 | Services named properly, credentials, how the work happens |
| Zone 3: The nudge | 600 to 750 | Practical detail (parking, hours, access) + a soft next step |
Zone 1: the first 250 characters
This is the only part most people on mobile will ever read. It has to survive truncation. Three rules:
- Lead with the business name and the category. “Northgate Plumbing is a family-run plumbing company serving Leeds” tells Google and the reader the same thing in one move.
- Name the geography specifically. City plus two or three neighbourhoods, districts or postcode zones beats a vague “the greater metro area”.
- Do not open with filler. Delete “Welcome to”, “We are proud to”, “Established with a passion for”, “In today’s fast-paced world”. Every one of those wastes preview space.
Test it: paste your first 250 characters alone into a note on your phone. If a stranger could not say what you sell and where, rewrite it.
Zone 2: characters 250 to 600
This is the service block, and it is where your keywords live naturally. Write services as a short, readable sentence rather than a comma bomb:
- Weak: “Services: plumbing, emergency plumbing, drain plumbing, boiler plumbing, Leeds plumbing, plumber near me.”
- Strong: “Our Gas Safe registered engineers handle burst pipes, blocked drains, boiler repairs and bathroom installations, with 24-hour emergency callouts across LS1 to LS29.”
The strong version contains more usable keyword variants and reads like a person wrote it. Add one credibility signal here: licence or certification, years in business, insurer or manufacturer accreditation, team size.
Zone 3: the last 150 characters
Close with the detail that removes friction. Parking, step-free access, evening appointments, language spoken, free estimates, how quickly you reply. Then a soft action: “Book online”, “Request a measured quote”, “New patient exams can be booked online”. Avoid hard sales language, because Google’s guidelines frown on promotional content in this field.
Where to place service keywords without tripping a filter
The description is not a confirmed local ranking factor on its own. Google ranks local results primarily on relevance, distance and prominence, and it reads your categories, services, reviews and website far more heavily. But the description still does real work: it reinforces topical relevance, it feeds AI-generated summaries, and it converts the person who already found you.
So place keywords like this:
- Primary service + city: once, in Zone 1, in a natural sentence.
- Secondary services: once each, in Zone 2, grouped in one or two sentences.
- Neighbourhoods or suburbs: two or three maximum, and only ones you genuinely serve.
- Brand or equipment names: if customers search them (Invisalign, Subaru, Wella, heat pumps), name them.
- “Near me”: never. Nobody writes it, Google does not need it.
A useful ratio: if your description contains your city name more than twice, or the same service word more than twice, you have crossed from writing into stuffing.
What Google’s content policy forbids in the description
Google’s guidelines for representing your business are specific about this field. Edits that break them get rejected, and repeat offences can get the profile suspended. Do not include:
| Not allowed | Example of what gets rejected |
|---|---|
| URLs, links, HTML | “Visit www.example.com to book” |
| Phone numbers and emails | “Call 0113 496 0000 today” |
| Prices, discounts, offers, sales | “20% off your first service”, “From $49” |
| Promotional or sales language | “Act now”, “Limited time only”, “Best deal in town” |
| Misleading or unverifiable claims | “Number 1 rated plumber in the country” |
| ALL CAPS, symbols, emoji spam | “BEST SALON!!! ***” |
| Low quality or irrelevant content | Repeated keyword lists, unrelated brands, competitor names |
| Offensive, adult, violent or hateful content | Automatic rejection, possible suspension |
Allowed and encouraged: services and products offered, your mission, your history, what makes the business distinctive, practical operational detail.
6 before and after Google Business Profile descriptions
Each rewrite below respects the 750-character limit, places the hook in the first 250 characters, and strips anything that violates policy. The topic gets a thorough treatment elsewhere.
1. Emergency plumber (Leeds, UK)
Before (157 characters, three policy violations):
“We are the BEST plumber in Leeds! Cheap prices, call 0113 496 0000 or visit www.example.com for 20% OFF your first job!!! Plumber Leeds, plumber near me, Leeds plumbers.”
After (~615 characters):
“Northgate Plumbing is a family-run plumbing company serving Leeds and the surrounding villages since 2009. Our Gas Safe registered engineers handle burst pipes, blocked drains, boiler repairs and bathroom installations, with 24-hour emergency callouts across LS1 to LS29. Every job starts with a fixed quote before work begins, so you know the cost upfront. We carry common parts on the van, which means most leaks and breakdowns are fixed on the first visit. Weekend and bank holiday cover is available. Book a same-day appointment online or request a free estimate for larger bathroom and pipework projects.”
Why it works: the first 250 characters already deliver name, category, city, service radius and the five searched services.
2. Hair salon (Austin, TX)
Before (92 characters):
“Welcome to our salon! We love hair and we love our clients. Come see us, you won’t regret it!”
After (~630 characters):
“Rowan and Co is a hair studio in East Austin specializing in precision cuts, balayage and color correction for every hair texture. Our stylists complete advanced color training twice a year, and each appointment opens with a consultation so you leave with a cut you can actually style at home. Services include vivid color, keratin smoothing, bridal styling and curly cuts. The studio sits on East 6th Street with free parking behind the building and step-free entry. New clients can book a 15-minute color consultation before committing to a full appointment. Walk-ins are welcome Tuesday through Saturday when a chair is free.”
Why it works: replaces sentiment with searchable services (balayage, color correction, keratin, curly cuts) and removes the risk of sounding like every other salon.
3. Dental clinic (Columbus, OH)
Before (134 characters):
“Our dental office provides quality dental care for the whole family in a comfortable environment. Your smile is our top priority.”
After (~660 characters):
“Meadowbrook Family Dental is a family and cosmetic dental practice in Clintonville, Columbus, treating patients from age two upward. Our team provides check-ups, hygiene visits, white fillings, crowns, Invisalign clear aligners and same-day emergency appointments for toothache or a broken tooth. Treatment rooms use digital x-rays and intraoral cameras, so you can see what we see before anything is agreed. We are in network with most major insurance plans and offer monthly payment options on larger treatment plans. Evening appointments are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. New patient exams can be booked online or by request.”
Why it works: “emergency dentist”, “Invisalign” and “family dentist” are high-intent searches, and the insurance line answers the single biggest objection in dental.
4. HVAC contractor (Raleigh, NC)
Before (118 characters):
“HVAC Raleigh, AC repair Raleigh, heating repair Raleigh, furnace Raleigh, air conditioning service Raleigh NC.”
After (~650 characters):
“Cardinal Heating and Air is an HVAC contractor serving Raleigh, Cary and Wake Forest. We install, service and repair air conditioning systems, heat pumps, gas furnaces and ductwork for homes and small commercial sites, with round-the-clock emergency response for no-cool and no-heat calls. Our NATE-certified technicians arrive in stocked vans and provide written pricing before work starts. Annual maintenance plans include two tune-ups a year, filter changes and priority scheduling during heat waves. We also carry out duct sealing and indoor air quality assessments. Free replacement estimates are available for systems over ten years old.”
Why it works: the before version is textbook keyword stuffing and is likely to be rejected. The after version contains more keyword variants while reading like English.
5. Lawn care and landscaping (Nashville, TN)
Before (101 characters):
“Lawn care company. We mow lawns and do landscaping. Free quotes. Serving the Nashville area.”
After (~620 characters):
“Hollis Lawn and Landscape has maintained yards across Brentwood, Green Hills and South Nashville since 2014. We handle weekly mowing, hedge and tree trimming, mulch installation, leaf removal, irrigation repair and seasonal fertilization programs for Bermuda and fescue lawns. Our crews are licensed and insured, and the same team returns to your property each visit so nothing gets missed. Schedules and invoices are managed online, with a text reminder the day before each service. We also design and build patios, retaining walls and planting beds. Request a measured quote for a one-off clean-up or a full-season plan.”
Why it works: grass types and specific tasks make the profile relevant to dozens of long-tail queries the generic version misses entirely.
6. Independent auto repair shop (Portland, OR)
Before (88 characters):
“Honest mechanics you can trust. Family owned since forever. Come in today and see why!”
After (~610 characters):
“Kessler Auto Works is an independent auto repair shop in Southeast Portland servicing most Japanese and European makes, including Subaru, Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen and Volvo. We handle oil and fluid changes, brakes, timing belts, clutch replacement, suspension work, emissions test failures and check engine diagnostics. Every repair is explained with photos sent to your phone before you approve the work, and parts and labor carry a 24-month warranty. Loaner bikes and a free shuttle within three miles are available while your car is in the shop. Drop-off starts at 7am, with evening key return by appointment.”
Why it works: naming the makes you service is the single highest-value thing an auto shop can do in this field.
A fill-in-the-blank template you can adapt
Copy this, replace the brackets, then cut until you are under 750 characters:
[Business name] is a [category] in [city], serving [neighbourhood 1], [neighbourhood 2] and [neighbourhood 3] since [year]. We provide [service 1], [service 2], [service 3] and [service 4], including [urgency or specialty detail]. Our [licence, certification or team credential] means [concrete benefit to the customer]. [How the work happens: quoting, timing, warranty, communication]. [Practical access detail: parking, hours, languages, accessibility]. [Soft next step].
Three checks before you paste it in:
- Does sentence one still make sense if Google cuts everything after character 250?
- Could a competitor paste their own name into this text and have it still be true? If yes, it is too generic.
- Does it contain a URL, a phone number, a price or a promotion? Remove them.
How to add or edit your Google Business Profile description
Profile management happens directly in Google Search and Maps now, not in a separate app:
- Sign in to the Google account that manages the profile.
- Search your business name on Google, or open your profile in Google Maps.
- Click Edit profile in the business controls panel.
- Open the About tab, then select Business description.
- Paste your text, watch the character counter, and click Save.
- Wait for review. Most edits go live within minutes to a few days. If it stays pending or disappears, the text likely broke a content rule.
If you manage several locations, use the Business Profile Manager and avoid pasting the identical description across all of them. Change the neighbourhoods, the team detail and the opening line for each location.
Common mistakes we see every week
- Leaving it blank. A sizeable share of local profiles still have no description at all, which hands free ground to the competitor who wrote one.
- Using only 150 characters. You paid nothing for 750. Use at least 600.
- Copying the website homepage intro. Homepage copy is usually brand-led and vague. This field needs to be service-led and specific.
- Writing in the third person then switching to “we”. Pick one and keep it.
- Listing cities you do not serve. It will not rank you there and it attracts the wrong calls.
- Never updating it. Review it when you add a service, a certification or a second location. Twice a year is a reasonable cadence.
- Repeating what is already structured data. Hours, address and payment methods have their own fields. Do not waste characters on them unless there is a nuance worth explaining.
FAQ
How many characters is a Google Business Profile description?
750 characters including spaces. Roughly the first 250 are visible before Google truncates the text with a More link on mobile, which is why the opening sentences matter most.
Does the Google Business Profile description help SEO?
Indirectly. It is not a confirmed ranking factor the way categories, proximity and review signals are, but it reinforces topical relevance, supports AI-generated summaries of your business, and improves conversion once someone lands on your profile. Treat it as a conversion asset with an SEO side benefit.
Can I put my website link or phone number in the description?
No. URLs, links and contact details are not permitted in this field and edits containing them are typically rejected. Your website and phone number already have dedicated fields on the profile.
Can I mention prices or special offers?
No. Pricing, discounts, sales and promotional language are prohibited in the business description. Use Google Posts or the Products and Services sections for offers and pricing instead.
Should every location of a multi-location business have the same description?
No. Duplicate text across locations is low quality and wastes a differentiation opportunity. Keep a shared core paragraph, then customise the neighbourhoods served, local team detail and location-specific services.
Why was my description rejected or not showing?
The usual causes are a URL, a phone number, a price, promotional wording, all-caps text, special characters or keyword stuffing. Remove the offending element, resubmit, and give it a few days. If the profile itself is suspended, the description will not display regardless of the text.
How often should I update it?
Review it every six months, and immediately after you add a new service line, open a new service area, gain a certification or change your positioning.
Final word
The Google Business Profile description is 750 characters of owned real estate sitting in front of people who are already searching for what you sell. Front-load the first 250, name your services the way customers name them, keep every policy-breaking element out, and close with the detail that removes hesitation. That is the whole job. There’s a good explainer over at hypetrix.com.
If you would rather have those 750 characters written for you, alongside the service pages and local content that actually move rankings, the team at King Content Agency does exactly that for local service businesses.