How to Write a Business Description That Gets Customers (With Examples)

A business description has one job: help a stranger decide to call you. Someone has typed "emergency plumber Ipswich" into Google or a directory at 9pm, they have four listings open, and they are picking one. Your description either gives them a reason to pick you or it gets skimmed past on the way to the next tab. Most descriptions fail this test because they talk about the business's attitude (passionate, dedicated, customer-focused) instead of the business's work. The version that works is shorter and easier to write than what most owners have on their Google Business Profile right now.

TL;DR

Say what you do and where in the first sentence. Say who you do it for in the second. Then give proof: years trading, licence number, a guarantee, the two or three jobs you are genuinely known for. Finish with how to get in touch. Keep the master version under 500 characters so the same text fits a free listing on The Local List, and never go past Google's 750-character limit. Cut every sentence a competitor could paste into their own listing without changing a word.

The four-part structure

Write the description in this order. It front-loads the only two things a customer needs before deciding whether to keep reading.

1. What you do and where. One sentence. "We are a licensed plumber covering Ipswich and the western suburbs of Brisbane." A reader in the wrong suburb leaves now, which is fine. Everyone else keeps going.
2. Who it is for. Homeowners, landlords, body corporates, cafes, tradies who need their own books done. Naming the customer makes the reader feel found. It also quietly filters out the work you do not want.
3. Proof. Years in business, licence or registration number, a guarantee, the specialties you actually do most. Specific beats impressive. "Fourteen years" beats "extensive experience". "Blocked drains, hot water systems and burst pipes" beats "a full range of plumbing services".
4. How to get in touch, and when. "Call or text, seven days, and we answer the phone." Tell them what happens next so calling feels low-risk.

Four sentences can do it. Six is plenty.

Length limits on each platform

Google Business Profile allows up to 750 characters in the description field, and Google's Edit your Business Profile help page says not to include URLs or HTML and to focus on the business rather than promotions or prices. Google's guidelines for representing your business add that links of any kind are not allowed and that gimmicky characters, misspellings and sale offers ("everything 50% off") can get the description rejected. Our complete guide to Google Business Profile covers the rest of the profile.

The Local List gives a free listing 500 characters for the description and a Premium listing 1,500. Your website's about page has no hard limit, but the first 500 characters still do most of the work because that is what a phone screen shows before someone has to scroll.

So the practical approach is to write one master version at around 450 characters. It fits everywhere as-is. If you upgrade to Premium or want a longer about page, add a second paragraph rather than rewriting the first. Spend the extra room on specific services and a line about the people, not on adjectives.

Keywords: once, and only where they belong

Search engines do read your description, but the category field, your reviews and the suburb on your address carry far more weight for ranking. The description's keyword job is small: say the service and the place once, in a sentence a human would actually say. "Emergency plumber in Ipswich" in the first line is enough. Listing every suburb you have ever driven to, or repeating "plumber" seven times, reads as spam to customers and falls under the low-quality content Google's guidelines warn about. If you cover a wide area, name the region ("Ipswich and the western suburbs") and let the service-area settings on your profile handle the rest.

What to cut

Go through your current description and delete any of these on sight.

• Mission statements. Nobody chooses a plumber for their mission.
• "We pride ourselves on", "we are passionate about", "we go above and beyond", "customer satisfaction is our top priority". These describe how you feel, not what you do, and every competitor says them too.
• "Solutions", "one-stop shop", "needs", "quality service at competitive prices". Filler that could be attached to any business in any industry.
• Anything about how long you have been "serving the community" without a number attached. Give the number or drop the sentence.
• Promotions, prices and sale offers. Google will reject them, and they date badly on a directory.

The test for every sentence: could a competitor paste it into their own listing unchanged? If yes, it is not doing anything for you.

First person or third person

For a small business, first person is the default. "We" (or "I" for a sole trader) reads like the owner wrote it, which is the point of a directory listing. Customers are choosing a person to let into their house or hand their books to, and a voice helps.

Third person ("Smith Plumbing is a family-owned business") suits text that will be republished by other people: a press mention, a supplier's stockist page, an industry association profile. It sounds slightly more formal and slightly less warm. Pick one and use it everywhere. Switching mid-description is the most common tell that the text was stitched together from a template.

Sole traders often feel awkward writing "I". Do it anyway. "I've been wiring houses in Geelong for 12 years" is a stronger sentence than the same thing hidden behind a company "we".

Before and after: a plumber

Business names here are invented for the examples.

Before: "Riverview Plumbing Solutions is a family-owned business that prides itself on delivering quality plumbing services at competitive prices. We are passionate about customer satisfaction and go above and beyond on every job. From residential to commercial, no job is too big or too small. Contact us today for all your plumbing needs!"

After: "Riverview Plumbing is a licensed plumber covering Ipswich and the western suburbs of Brisbane. We work for homeowners, landlords and property managers, mostly on blocked drains, hot water replacements and burst pipes, and we do emergency call-outs after hours. Dean has held his QBCC licence for 14 years, and every job is guaranteed for 12 months. Call or text any day of the week and you will get a person, not a voicemail."

The second version is 425 characters and says where, who, what, how long, which licence and what happens when you call. The first is 331 characters and says nothing that could not be said about any plumber in the country.

Before and after: a cafe

Before: "Welcome to Corner & Crumb, your local cafe destination. We are passionate about great coffee and fresh, delicious food made with love. Our friendly team is dedicated to creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels at home. Come in and experience the difference!"

After: "Corner & Crumb is a 40-seat cafe on Barkly Street in Footscray, open 6.30am to 3pm every day. We roast for a small crowd: tradies at 6.30, prams by 9, laptops by 11. The kitchen does a full breakfast menu until close, bakes everything on the counter in-house, and always has two gluten-free options. Dog-friendly courtyard out the back. Walk in, or ring ahead for groups of six or more."

The rewrite tells a reader whether this is their kind of cafe before they set foot in it, down to one practical detail (the courtyard) that a competitor could not copy without also having one.

Before and after: an accountant

Before: "Harbour Point Accounting provides comprehensive accounting and taxation solutions to individuals and businesses. Our experienced team is committed to delivering personalised service and strategic advice to help you achieve your financial goals. We pride ourselves on our professionalism and integrity."

After: "Harbour Point Accounting is a registered tax agent in Wollongong working mainly with tradies, sole traders and small companies turning over under $2 million. We handle BAS, annual tax returns, bookkeeping clean-ups and setting up a new business properly from day one. Principal accountant Priya Nair is a CPA and has run the practice since 2011. Fixed quotes before any work starts. Book a first meeting online, or phone the office Monday to Friday."

Naming the client type (tradies, sole traders, under $2 million) is the strongest line in there. A corporate CFO moves on. A sparky with a shoebox of receipts feels like the practice was built for them, which it was.

Keep one version and copy it everywhere

Once written, the description is part of your business details along with your name, address and phone, and it should be identical on Google, your website, Facebook and every directory you are listed on. The same principle that makes consistent NAP details matter applies here: one master version in a text file, copied out unchanged, means no platform ends up carrying an old phone number or a services list from three years ago. Bump the "years trading" figure once a year.

If you are working through the free ways to advertise your business, this is the piece of text you will paste more than any other, so it is worth getting right once.

Write it once, then paste it into your free listing

Open a blank note. Write the four sentences: what and where, who for, proof, how to get in touch. Read it back and cut anything a competitor could say. Check it sits under 500 characters. That is your description for every platform.

Then add your business to The Local List for free, paste it into the description field, and it is live with your hours, phone, website and ABN Verified badge.