Hooray! Google My Business descriptions are back

Google My Business (GMB) recently brought back the business description field, which has caused those of us working in the local search industry to say “hooray” and raise eyebrows.

Here are a few things you should know about the description and some useful tips to help you make the most of this new change.

1. It shows at the very bottom of the Knowledge Panel

The visibility of the description is really poor, which makes me question how much effort to put into creating it.

It shows below the address, below questions and answers (Q&A), below Google Posts and below customer reviews. Because its visibility is poor, I would suggest utilizing Google Posts for messages you want to be right in front of your customers’ eyes.

2. It does not replace the editorial summary

Editorial summaries are the small descriptions that appear at the top of the Knowledge Panel for popular businesses. Not all businesses have these; they are manually written by Google and cannot be altered. Businesses that have editorial summaries can still add the GMB description. It will show above the Knowledge Panel.

3. GMB descriptions are no-shows on Google Maps or Google Maps app

Google My Business (GMB) descriptions do not show up on Google Maps on either browser or the Google Maps app. They only appear in Google search when the Knowledge Panel is visible. Editorial summaries, on the other hand, show in both.

[Read the full article on Search Engine Land.]

Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Marketing Land. Staff authors are listed here.

About The Author

Joy Hawkins

Joy Hawkins is a Local SEO expert who is a Google My Business Top Contributor. She regularly contributes to many online communities in the Local SEO world, including the Google My Business forum (Top Contributor), the Local Search Forum (Top Contributor), and the Local University Forum (Moderator). She is also a contributor to the Moz Local Search Ranking Factors survey. Joy is the owner of Sterling Sky in Canada and is the author of the Expert's Guide to Local SEO, which is an advanced training manual for people wanting a detailed look at what it takes to succeed in the Local SEO space.