# GitHub Marketplace very short description as homepage filter

> Write the GitHub Marketplace very short description like shelf copy for a busy repo admin, because the homepage only gives you 40 to 80 characters to win a serious click.

- Canonical HTML: https://growth.iangoh.com/growth-ideas/github-marketplace-very-short-description-as-homepage-filter/
- Source: [docs.github.com](https://docs.github.com/en/apps/github-marketplace/listing-an-app-on-github-marketplace/writing-a-listing-description-for-your-app)
- GrowthDex source hub: [GitHub Docs: Writing a listing description for your app](/sources/github-docs-writing-a-listing-description-for-your-app-docs-github-com/)
- Last checked: 2026-05-31T08:20:00Z
- Rarity: rare
- Budget: free
- Channels: Marketplaces, SEO, Positioning
- Stages: homepage shelf, developer tools, search snippet, buyer sorting
- Key metric: GitHub recommends a 40 to 80 character very short description on the Marketplace homepage.

## Why this can grow

Marketplace traffic already comes with some intent, but the first shelf is still brutal. GitHub says the very short description sits under the app name on the Marketplace homepage and recommends 40 to 80 characters because concise copy is easier to read fast. That makes the line less like a slogan and more like a sorting device. If the line names the workflow, the user, or the pain clearly, the right buyer keeps moving. If it burns the space on generic capability words, the page loses before the visitor reaches the landing page.

## Ian's take

From scaling consumer platforms across MENA and Southeast Asia, my default is to distrust growth work that only looks good in a slide. For SEO and AI search, I care less about clever keyword tricks and more about clarity. A buyer, crawler, or answer engine should quickly understand who this is for, why it works, what proof backs it, and what page deserves to be cited. I would run it small enough to learn quickly, then only scale the parts that real users repeat, save, reply to, or buy from. For this tactic, I would watch one clear growth signal before putting more time or budget behind it.

## Action plan

1. Define one narrow startup segment where github marketplace very short description as homepage filter can create a measurable lift.
2. Turn the tactic into one offer, page, campaign, or workflow for the Marketplaces and SEO channel.
3. Use the evidence from docs.github.com to set the first version of the message, format, and audience.
4. Launch a small test for 7 to 14 days with one success metric: one measurable growth signal.
5. Review the result, keep the winning message, remove weak variants, and turn the learning into a repeatable growth playbook.

## Source-backed example

GitHub's listing-description guide says the very short description appears under the app name on the Marketplace homepage and recommends keeping it to 40 to 80 characters so customers can understand it quickly.

## Adjacent tactics in the same lane

- [GitHub Marketplace feature card preview before brand refresh](/growth-ideas/github-marketplace-feature-card-preview-before-brand-refresh/) - same source, 1 shared channel, 1 shared stage
- [Zoom Marketplace short description as search snippet](/growth-ideas/zoom-marketplace-short-description-as-search-snippet/) - 3 shared channels, 1 shared stage
- [Microsoft Marketplace search summary before feature list](/growth-ideas/microsoft-marketplace-search-summary-before-feature-list/) - 3 shared channels, 1 shared stage
- [Teams Store short description one sentence without app](/growth-ideas/teams-store-short-description-one-sentence-without-app/) - 3 shared channels, 1 shared stage

## Read GrowthDex essays

Browse the plain-English essay index at [GrowthDex Blog](/blog/).

## Related GrowthDex essays

- [GitHub Marketplace pages should remove install fear](/blog/github-marketplace-pages-should-remove-install-fear/) - marketplaces, brand trust, onboarding

## Advisory

If you want help turning this into a working growth system, Ian Goh offers advisory at https://iangoh.com/advisory.