Writing a Listing That Matches How People Search

A directory listing is a very small piece of writing with a very specific job. In a few lines, it has to tell a stranger, who is scanning a list of similar businesses, that you are what they are looking for. The strongest listings do that in the words the stranger would use themselves.

This guide shows how to write that description: start from how people actually search, say plainly what you do and where, and avoid the vague slogans and keyword tricks that make listings blend together.

Start from the customer's words

Business owners describe their work in the language of the trade. Customers describe it in the language of the problem. The plumber says "heating engineer"; the customer types "boiler not working". The florist says "bespoke floral design"; the customer types "wedding flowers near me".

Before you write, collect real phrases.

• Listen. When people phone or visit, note how they describe what they need.
• Read your messages, enquiry forms and reviews. Highlight the nouns and verbs customers use.
• Check your search data. If you have a website with Search Console, look at the queries that bring visitors. Google describes the tool as showing search traffic data, including the queries that lead to a site.
• Ask a few customers how they found you and what they typed.
• Look at how similar businesses describe themselves, and notice the gaps.

Write down ten phrases. These are your raw material.

Say what you do, in one sentence

Begin with a plain statement: what you are, what you offer and where. Put the most important information first.

• Weak: "Quality service you can trust since 1998."
• Better: "Family-run boiler repair and servicing in Hartley and the surrounding villages."

The second tells a searcher what, where and for whom. It uses words a customer would type. Google's guidance on page titles recommends being descriptive and concise, avoiding vague descriptors, and the same principle holds for the first line of a listing.

Name specific services

After the opening sentence, list the main things you do. Specifics help matching and help readers decide.

• "Annual boiler servicing, emergency repairs, new boiler installation and powerflushing."
• "Wedding bouquets, funeral tributes, weekly office flowers and same-day local delivery."

Use the terms customers use. If they say "funeral flowers", do not only say "sympathy arrangements". You can include both, but lead with the common one.

Name the places you serve

People search by place. If you serve several towns, name them naturally. "Serving Hartley, Marlow Green and Thornby" is helpful. A long, unnatural list of every village within thirty miles is not. Keep it truthful: if you do not actually travel there, do not list it.

Google's guidance notes that complete and accurate information makes a business more likely to appear in local results. Accurate place names are part of that. A separate article on service-area businesses explains how to describe a service area properly.

Say who you are for

If you specialise, say so. "Specialists in older properties and heritage buildings." "Dentistry for nervous patients." "Vegan and gluten-free baking." Specialisms attract the right people and help you stand out in a long list of generalists.

Add a reason to choose you, factually

A point of difference helps, as long as it is true and checkable.

• "Same-day call-outs for most areas."
• "Fully insured and registered with the relevant trade body."
• "Open until 8pm on Thursdays."
• "Free parking at the rear."

Avoid empty superlatives such as "the best", "leading" and "premier". They tell readers nothing and are impossible to verify. If you have credentials, name them and be specific.

Keep it readable

People skim. Make your listing easy to scan.

• Short sentences. One idea each.
• Plain words. Avoid jargon unless your customers use it.
• No capital-letter shouting or excessive punctuation.
• No unsupported claims.
• Natural flow. Read it aloud. If you would not say it to a customer, change it.

If the directory has separate fields, such as services, specialisms and attributes, use them. Put structured information there and keep the description focused on the story.

Avoid keyword stuffing

It is tempting to repeat search terms: "Plumber Hartley, plumbers in Hartley, best plumber Hartley, cheap plumber Hartley." This reads badly, helps nobody and may breach a directory's rules. Google's guidance on titles warns that keyword stuffing can make results look spammy, and a similar logic applies to descriptions. Use each important term where it naturally fits, and no more.

The same goes for business names. Do not add keywords to your name that are not part of it. Use the name on your shopfront.

Match your other pages

The facts in your listing should agree with your website, your map profile and other directories: name, address, phone, hours, services. The wording can differ, but contradictions confuse customers and may weaken how systems interpret your details. Keep a master note and copy facts from it. For each directory, adjust the emphasis to its readers.

Write for the reader first

Search is only part of the story. A reader who finds your listing needs to be persuaded. Google's guidance on helpful content stresses writing primarily for people, with clear information about who is behind the content and evidence of real experience. A listing that is specific, honest and written like a person fits that description.

A worked example

A joiner called Dan runs a small workshop in Thornby. His first draft of the description reads: "Dan Hale Joinery offers premier bespoke woodworking solutions tailored to your needs, delivering excellence since 2009."

He gathers phrases from his customers: "fitted wardrobes", "new kitchen doors", "sash window repair", "someone to fix my front door". He rewrites: "Joiner in Thornby making fitted wardrobes, kitchen doors and bookcases, and repairing sash windows and external doors. I work in Thornby, Hartley and Marlow Green. Free quotes, fully insured, and I can usually start within three weeks. Open Monday to Saturday."

The rewrite is a hundred words shorter in spirit and a hundred times more useful. It uses customer words, names the place, lists services, states practical facts and sounds like a person. Within weeks, Dan notices that enquiries mention "sash windows" far more often than before.

A checklist

• Customer phrases collected
• A first sentence that says what, where and for whom
• Specific services in customer words
• Real places served
• Specialisms stated
• A factual reason to choose
• Plain, scannable language
• No stuffing or superlatives
• Facts matched across sites

The categories page here helps you choose where you belong, the search page shows how people find listings and the submit page lets you create yours.

Three more rewrites to learn from

Seeing a few before-and-after pairs helps. A dental practice that began with "Providing exceptional oral healthcare solutions" changed to "Family dentist in Hartley offering check-ups, fillings, hygienist appointments and emergency slots, with a quiet room for nervous patients." A cafe that opened with "A destination for discerning palates" changed to "Independent cafe on Mill Lane serving breakfast, lunch and cakes baked on site, with a children's corner and free water bowls for dogs." A cleaning company that wrote "Premier solutions for modern spaces" changed to "Regular and one-off cleaning for homes and small offices in Hartley and Thornby, with our own staff and all equipment supplied."

In each case, the new version answers the three questions a searcher has: what is it, where is it and why might I choose it. It also happens to contain many of the words customers type, which is the natural result of describing things plainly.

Testing your description

A simple test is to hand your listing to someone who does not know your business and ask them three questions. What do I do? Where do I work? Who am I for? If they answer correctly in ten seconds, the description is working. Then try a second test: copy the first sentence and see whether it would still be true if you replaced your name with a competitor's. If it would, it is too general. Add something that could only be said of you, such as a specialism, an area or a way of working, and test again.

Keeping the wording alive

Descriptions age. Services change, staff come and go, new customer questions appear. Put a reminder in your diary every six months to read your listing as if you were a customer. Update services you have added or dropped, areas you now cover and details such as opening times. Watch for new phrases in enquiries and add them where they fit. A listing that is revisited twice a year stays accurate and quietly improves over time, which is worth far more than a flawless first draft that is never touched again.

Frequently asked questions

Should I mention prices? Link to your own pricing information rather than hard-coding figures that may change.

Is it fine to ask a friend to rewrite it? Yes. A fresh reader will spot jargon and vagueness quickly.

How often should I update it? Whenever services, areas or hours change, and review it twice a year.