Q.01
What is the business description for, and does it help you rank?
The description is a short text box that tells people who you are, what you do and where you work. It is mainly there to help a homeowner decide to call. Treat it as a clear introduction, not a place to cram keywords.
Many owners ignore the description or paste in a block of keywords. Neither helps. A homeowner scanning your profile on a phone wants to know three things quickly: do you do the job I need, do you work in my area, and can I trust you. The description is one of the few places where you answer all three in your own words.
Do not expect the description alone to move you up the map results. Google says local results are based on relevance, distance and prominence, so the whole profile matters, including your categories, your reviews and your web presence. Still, a clear description that naturally uses the words customers use does no harm, and it supports the rest of the profile by saying the same things in plain language.
Google limits the length of the description, and the limit and display rules can change. Check Google's current guidelines in your profile editor, and put the most important information first, because only the opening lines may show before a reader has to expand the text.
Q.02
What should a contractor include in the description?
Say what you do, who you do it for, where you work and one or two real facts that set you apart, such as years in business or licensing, if they are true and you can prove them. Write it the way you would explain your company to a new neighbor.
Lead with the service and the area. For example, a sentence that names your trade, the main cities you serve and the kind of work you handle. That first sentence should make sense even if nothing else is read.
Follow with the proof that is true and checkable. If you hold a state license, you may say so, and Florida contractors should make sure any license number they publish is accurate and current. If you are family owned or have operated under the same name for a set number of years, say it. Skip anything you cannot back up.
Finish with a simple next step, such as inviting people to call for an estimate. Keep it low pressure. Remember that the profile already shows your phone number and buttons, so you do not need to repeat contact details in the text.
- Opening sentence: your trade, your main cities, the type of work
- Two or three of your core services in plain words
- One real differentiator: family owned, years operating, licensed in Florida if true
- How you work: free estimates, written quotes, same-week scheduling, only if accurate
- A short invitation to call or request a quote
Q.03
What does Google generally not allow in a description?
Google's description guidelines say no links of any type, no focus on special promotions, prices or sales, and no low-quality or distracting content. Keep it factual and about the business itself, and skip misleading claims and keyword stuffing. Because the rules change, check Google's current guidelines before you publish.
A good rule is to describe the business, not advertise a deal. Anything that reads like a sale banner, a coupon or a phone-number stack is likely to cause trouble. Offers and announcements belong in posts, where Google expects time-sensitive material.
Do not make claims you cannot support, such as being the best or number one in your area unless you can point to something real and current. Avoid listing every city in the county just to catch searches. That reads as stuffing, and it can look bad to a homeowner who sees a business claiming to be everywhere.
Also keep the business name honest. Adding services or locations to your profile name is a common way profiles get flagged. If your description or name edits trigger a review or a suspension, our guide on what to do if your profile is suspended walks through the steps.
Q.04
What does a good description look like in practice?
A good one is two short paragraphs in plain language: who you are and where you work, then what you do and how to start. It reads like a person wrote it, mentions your actual services and cities, and makes no promises you cannot keep.
Here is the shape, with placeholders you can fill in. The first part names your company, your trade and the cities you serve. The second part names the services you handle most and how a homeowner can get an estimate. If you are licensed and insured, state it simply and accurately.
Example structure: 'Your Company Name is a family-owned roofing contractor serving Jupiter, Tequesta and nearby Palm Beach County communities. We handle roof repairs, tile and shingle replacement, leak diagnosis and storm damage inspections. We are licensed in Florida. Call or message us for a free estimate and a clear written scope of work.' Adjust every detail to match your real business.
Read it aloud. If it sounds like an advertisement, cut it down. If it sounds like something you would actually say to a homeowner at their front door, it is close.
Q.05
How often should you update the description?
Review it a couple of times a year and any time your services, service area or ownership details change. It does not need frequent edits, but it should never be out of date. A stale description that lists a service you stopped offering costs you time.
Set a reminder to review the whole profile at the start of each season. While you are in there, check that the description matches your categories, your listed services and the pages on your website. When these agree, the profile looks consistent and trustworthy.
Avoid rewriting the description over and over looking for a ranking boost. There is no magic phrase. Spend that energy on photos, reviews and a website page that backs up each service you mention.
If a competitor copies your wording, do not worry about it. Focus on specifics that only you can claim, such as the neighborhoods you work in most and the kinds of jobs you are proudest of.
Q.06
Should you repeat the description on your website?
Use the same facts, not the same paragraph. Your website and profile should agree on your services, areas and credentials, but writing fresh wording for each avoids a copy-and-paste feel and gives each place a job of its own.
The profile description is a short introduction for someone glancing at a phone. The website can go deeper, with a full page on each service, your process and your service areas. Keep the facts consistent: same trade, same cities, same license details if you publish them.
Copying one block of text across your profile, your website and every directory is easy but it adds little. Write the profile version first because it is the shortest, then expand it on the site. If a homeowner reads both, the second should feel like a more detailed version of the first.
When a detail changes, such as a new service area or a new phone number, update the profile, the site and your other listings together. A short checklist taped near your desk keeps this from being forgotten.
- Same facts everywhere: trade, cities, license details if shown
- Different wording for the profile and the website
- Update all places the same week when something changes
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