What should a Google Business Profile description say?
The description is one of the few places on your profile where you speak in your own words. Reviews talk about you, categories file you, photos show you; the description explains. Someone choosing between two places reads it to check you fit what they need: a pub that takes large groups, a salon that knows curly hair, a plumber who works Saturdays.
This page covers that one field. For the whole profile (categories, hours, photos, posts), see our Google Business Profile guide. To see in a minute what your listing is missing, run the free visibility check.
What are Google’s rules for the description?
Google publishes clear rules for this field. They are short, but a description that breaks them can be rejected or removed.
| Google rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| 750 characters maximum | Roughly 110 to 130 words. Only the first lines show before “More”, so put the essentials there. |
| No links of any type | No website address, no booking link: they have their own fields on the profile. |
| No focus on prices, promotions or sales | Google itself gives “Everything on sale, -50%” and “Best bagels in town for $5!” as examples of what is not allowed. Offers belong in posts. |
| Relevant, honest content | Your services, products, mission and history. Nothing unrelated to the business. |
| No low-quality content | Misspellings, gimmicky characters and gibberish are all listed as not allowed. |
Google reviews edits before publishing them, so a change can take a little while to show. Avoid writing in capitals, lining up emojis or repeating your town ten times: keyword stuffing does not help you rank and looks spammy to customers.
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How do you write yours in ten minutes?
Answer five questions, one sentence each, and you have a description.
- Who are you? Trade and place, in your customers’ words: “Independent bakery in Galway’s West End”.
- What do you offer? The two or three things people come for: “sourdough, pastries, celebration cakes to order”.
- Who is it for? “Families, local offices, weddings and birthdays”.
- What makes you different? A checkable fact, not a superlative: “flour from a mill in the county”, “open Sunday mornings”, “twenty years on the high street”.
- What should people do next? “Order cakes by 6pm the day before, by phone or in the shop.”
- The key facts sit in the first 250 characters
- Your trade and town appear once, naturally
- At least one detail your competitors cannot claim
- No prices, offers or links
- Read aloud, it sounds like you
To find the words customers use, read your reviews: they describe what they liked in their own terms (“beer garden”, “gluten-free”, “quick”, “friendly”). Those are often the best words to reuse. Our guide to getting recommended by ChatGPT and Gemini also explains why a clear description helps AI assistants describe you accurately.
Examples for restaurants, pubs, cafés and bakeries
1. Neighbourhood restaurant
[Name] is a neighbourhood restaurant in [area, town] serving seasonal British cooking. Chef [First name] works with growers and farms from [county]: the menu follows the market and the lunch specials change daily. [Number] covers, a sunny courtyard in summer, and private dining for groups and work events. Vegetarian and vegan dishes every day. Booking recommended at weekends, by phone or online.
2. Pub with food
Family-run pub in [village], serving local cask ales, a changing guest tap and proper pub food seven days a week. Sunday roasts from [12pm], dog-friendly bar, beer garden and open fire in winter. Quiz night every [Tuesday] and live music on the last Friday of the month. Function room available for parties.
3. Cocktail bar
Cocktail bar in [area, city], open [Wednesday] to [Saturday] from [5pm]. Our bartenders build a seasonal house menu with syrups and infusions made in-house, alongside natural wines and local craft beer. Sharing boards, relaxed music and private hire for birthdays and team nights.
4. Coffee shop
Independent coffee shop in [town], two minutes from [landmark]. Speciality coffee roasted in [region], loose-leaf tea, homemade bakes and weekend brunch. Free wifi, plug sockets and a quiet corner for laptop work on weekdays. Plant milks at no extra charge. Open daily from [7.30am].
5. Bakery
Artisan bakery in [town] since [year]. Naturally leavened sourdough, all-butter pastries and celebration cakes, baked on site every morning. Sandwiches and soup at lunchtime. Birthday and wedding cakes to order with [72] hours’ notice. Open [Tuesday to Sunday] from [7am].
6. Caterer
Caterer in [town] for private and corporate events: canapés, buffets, wedding breakfasts and office lunches. Everything prepared in our own kitchen with seasonal produce, with menus adapted for allergies and dietary needs. Delivery and on-site service within [20] miles. Tailored quotes within [48] hours.
More for food businesses: optimising a restaurant’s Google profile and, if you publish a menu, adding your menu to Google Business Profile.
Examples for hair salons, beauty salons and clinics
7. Hair salon
Hair salon in [area, town] for women, men and children: cuts, colour, balayage and treatments. Our team of [number] stylists is trained in curly and afro hair. Vegan colour available on request. Walk-ins welcome Tuesday to Saturday, or book online any time.
8. Barber
Barbershop in [town]: skin fades, scissor cuts, beard trims and hot towel shaves. Relaxed atmosphere, coffee while you wait. Book online or walk in when chairs are free. Open Monday to Saturday, late nights on [Thursday] until [8pm].
9. Beauty salon
Beauty salon in [town]: facials, waxing, manicures and pedicures, massage and brow treatments. [First name], a qualified therapist, sees you in a calm private room. Professional skincare brands used and recommended. Gift vouchers available. Book online or by phone.
10. Nail technician
Nail studio in [town]: gel, BIAB, extensions and hand-painted nail art. Sterilised tools and single-use files for every client. Appointments Tuesday to Saturday, online booking available. Free parking at [location].
11. Physiotherapy clinic (or other health practice)
Physiotherapy clinic in [town] with [number] registered physiotherapists. Sports injuries, back and neck pain, rehabilitation after surgery. Step-free access and ground-floor treatment rooms. Self-referral and insurance clients welcome. Appointments Monday to Friday, [8am] to [7pm].
Examples for tradespeople and garages
12. Plumber and heating engineer
Plumbing and heating engineer covering [town] and a [15]-mile radius: leaks, blocked drains, cylinder and boiler replacement, servicing and power flushing. Family business since [year], fully insured. Written quote before any work starts. Monday to Saturday, emergency call-outs by phone.
13. Electrician
Electrician in [town]: rewires, consumer unit upgrades, lighting, EV charger installation, fault finding and electrical safety reports for landlords. Domestic and commercial. Covering [areas]. Free quotes and a tidy site at the end of every day.
14. Joiner or carpenter
Joiner in [town] making bespoke kitchens, fitted wardrobes, shelving and staircases in our own workshop. Solid timber and certified boards. One point of contact from survey to fitting. Workshop visits by appointment; request a quote online.
15. Landscaper or gardener
Landscape gardener in [town]: garden design, planting, turfing, decking, fencing and year-round maintenance for homes and residential blocks. Covering [area]. Quotes after a free site visit.
16. Independent garage
Independent garage in [town]: servicing and repairs for all makes, brakes, tyres, air conditioning, diagnostics and [MOT preparation / NCT preparation]. Courtesy car by arrangement. Quote before work, genuine or equivalent parts. Open Monday to Friday, Saturday mornings by appointment.
17. Body shop
Accident repair centre in [town]: bodywork, dent removal, paint and windscreen replacement. We can deal with your insurer for you. Free estimates on site, courtesy car subject to availability.
To receive quote requests from your own website, see websites for garages or our tradesperson website guide.
Examples for hotels, B&Bs and shops
18. Independent hotel
Independent hotel in [town], a [5]-minute walk from [station / old town]. [Number] refurbished rooms with new beds and free wifi. Cooked breakfast served until [10.30am]. Reception open [24 hours], private parking to book in advance. Dogs welcome in selected rooms.
19. Bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast in a Victorian farmhouse [10] minutes from [town]. [Number] quiet en-suite rooms, breakfast with eggs from our own hens, gardens and a drying room for walkers. [First names], your hosts, are happy to suggest walks and pubs. Book direct by phone or email.
20. Self-catering cottage
Self-catering cottage for [6] in [village], at the foot of [hills / lake]. Three bedrooms, full kitchen, wood burner and a terrace with views. Walks start from the door. Weekly stays in summer, short breaks the rest of the year.
21. Clothing boutique
Independent women’s clothing boutique in [town]: small-batch labels, knitwear and accessories. Personal styling advice and simple alterations in store. New pieces every week. Free gift wrapping.
22. Wine shop
Independent wine shop in [town] with [400] wines from small producers, plus craft beer and spirits. Food-pairing and gift advice, bespoke hampers. Free tastings on Saturdays. Local delivery on orders of [6] bottles or more.
23. Florist
Florist in [town]: seasonal bouquets, wedding and funeral flowers, houseplants. Locally grown stems whenever the season allows. Order by phone; delivery across [area].
24. Independent bookshop
Independent bookshop in [town]: fiction, children’s books, graphic novels and local history. Staff recommendations, and any book in print ordered within [48] hours. Author events every month.
Should you add keywords to the description?
Yes, naturally. The description helps Google and customers understand what you do. Your trade, your town or area and your main services should each appear once. Repeating them or listing ten towns adds nothing and can get the text rejected.
| Do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| “Plumber in Cork and surrounding villages” | “Plumber Cork, plumber Douglas, plumber Ballincollig, cheap plumber” |
| “Cuts, colour and balayage” | “NO.1 HAIRDRESSER!!!” |
| “Homemade Italian, fresh pasta daily” | “Best Italian in town, 20% off Tuesdays” |
| “Open Sunday mornings” | “Visit our website www…” |
Google’s own help pages say local results depend mainly on relevance, distance and prominence (reviews, links, wider presence online). The description supports relevance; it does not do the whole job. For what weighs most, read Google Maps ranking factors.
What are the most common mistakes?
- Leaving it empty: still the most common mistake. People only have your name and photos to work out what you do.
- Pasting your website’s “About us” page: usually too long, all history and no mention of what people can buy or book.
- Out-of-date details: a chef who left, a service you no longer offer, food served at different times.
- Claims nobody can check: “the best”, “the cheapest”. Customers ignore them and Google does not like promotional text.
- A different story everywhere: your profile description, Instagram bio and homepage should say the same thing. See our Instagram bio examples.
Once your description is in place, recent reviews are its best support: they confirm what you say. Our guide to getting more Google reviews shows how to get some every week.
How do you edit the description?
From Google Search, signed in with the account that manages the profile: search for your business name, select “Edit profile”, then “Business information” and the “Description” field. From the Google Maps app: tap “Business”, then “Edit profile”. Save, and Google reviews the change before it goes live.
If nothing changes after a few days, check the text has no link, no prominent price and no capitals, then rephrase it. If your profile itself does not show on Maps, read business not showing on Google Maps.
Running a business in France as an English speaker? Write the description in the language most of your customers use. In tourist areas, a closing line in the other language can help, as long as the text still reads naturally.
The steps at a glance
Steps to write and publish a Google Business Profile description that follows Google’s rules.
- Answer five questions. Who you are, what you offer, who it is for, what sets you apart and what the customer should do next.
- Read your reviews. Reuse the words customers choose to describe what they like.
- Start from an example. Adapt the template for your trade, replacing everything in square brackets.
- Check the rules. Under 750 characters, no links, no focus on prices or offers.
- Publish. Edit profile, Business information, Description, then Save.
- Keep it current. Review it every six months or after any significant change.
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Sources
The rules quoted in this guide come from these official pages, checked on October 18, 2026.