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Most Business Descriptions Read Like a Resume. AI Wants a Conversation. Pull up your business description right now. The one on your Google Business Pro...
Pull up your business description right now. The one on your Google Business Profile, your website's about page, your directory listings.
Read it out loud.
Does it sound like something a person would actually say when recommending you to a friend? Or does it sound like corporate wallpaper—the kind of text that exists because the form required something in that field?
That difference determines whether AI quotes you or skips you entirely.
When someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity for a recommendation, AI doesn't just scan for keywords. It looks for language it can actually use in a response.
AI needs to answer questions like: "What does this business do?" and "Why might this be a good fit for what the person is asking?"
Your business description is often the primary source for those answers. But here's the problem—most descriptions aren't written to be quoted. They're written to exist.
A description AI can quote sounds like this:
"We help first-time homebuyers in their 30s navigate the mortgage process without the jargon or pressure. Most of our clients close in under 30 days."
A description AI skips sounds like this:
"ABC Mortgage Solutions is a full-service lending institution committed to providing world-class financial solutions to meet the diverse needs of our valued clients."
The first one gives AI something to work with. The second one says nothing specific enough to repeat.
Descriptions that get cited share a few characteristics. They're specific about who you help, what you do, and what makes you different—without corporate speak getting in the way.
They name the customer.
Not "clients" or "customers" in the abstract. The actual type of person you serve. "Small business owners who've outgrown QuickBooks" is quotable. "Businesses of all sizes" is not.
They state what you do in plain language.
If your description uses industry jargon or vague terms like "solutions," "services," or "offerings," AI has nothing concrete to cite. Say what you actually do. "We design custom wedding invitations" beats "We provide bespoke stationery solutions for life's special moments."
They include a distinguishing detail.
What's one thing that makes you different from everyone else who does what you do? Maybe it's your turnaround time, your specialty, your approach, or your experience with a specific problem. One specific detail gives AI a reason to mention you over someone else.
They're short enough to quote.
If your description is four paragraphs of marketing copy, AI has to extract the useful parts—and it might not bother. Two to three sentences that nail who you are and what you do will outperform a wall of text every time.
The instinct to sound professional actually works against you with AI.
When you write "We are committed to excellence in customer service," you've said nothing AI can use. Excellence in customer service isn't a differentiator—everyone claims it. And AI can't quote a claim that could apply to any business in any industry.
The same goes for phrases like:
These phrases feel safe because they're familiar. But familiar means generic. And generic means AI has no reason to surface you over any other business using the same language.
The descriptions that get quoted are the ones that would sound weird coming from your competitor. If another business in your industry could copy and paste your description without changing anything, it's not specific enough.
Start with three questions:
Who do you actually help? Not who you could help. Who walks through your door or lands on your website most often? Get specific. "Busy parents who need last-minute alterations" is better than "individuals and families."
What do you actually do? Skip the category and describe the work. "We repair cracked iPhone screens, usually while you wait" tells AI more than "We are a mobile device repair center."
What's one thing that makes you different? This doesn't have to be dramatic. Maybe you're open on Sundays. Maybe you specialize in older homes. Maybe you've been doing this for 25 years in the same location. One real detail beats five vague claims.
Now combine those into two or three sentences. Read it out loud. If it sounds like something you'd actually say to someone at a dinner party when they ask what you do, you're close.
Your Google Business Profile is the obvious one. But AI pulls from multiple sources, and consistency matters.
Your website's about page, your directory listings, your social media bios—anywhere your business description appears, it should say essentially the same thing. When AI sees consistent information across sources, it builds confidence. When it sees conflicting descriptions, it hesitates.
You don't need identical copy everywhere. But the core message—who you help, what you do, what makes you different—should be recognizable across every platform.
Ask ChatGPT or Perplexity about businesses like yours. Look at the ones that get mentioned. Read how AI describes them.
You'll notice AI tends to quote specific, concrete language. "Family-owned since 1985" gets mentioned. "Committed to quality" doesn't. "Specializes in anxiety and depression in young adults" gets cited. "Provides comprehensive mental health services" gets skipped.
Your description doesn't need to be clever. It needs to be clear enough that AI can repeat it with confidence when someone asks for exactly what you offer.
That's the whole game. Not sounding impressive. Being quotable.