Do You Need a Website If You Have a Google Business Profile?

Your Google Business Profile does a lot of heavy lifting. It shows your phone number, your hours, your reviews and your photos, right in Google Search and Maps. Customers can call you, get directions or read about your work in seconds. So it's fair to wonder if you still need a website at all.

The honest answer is that you can run a profile without a website. Plenty of businesses do. But for most Australian small businesses, having both works far better than having just one. Here's why, and what to think about before you decide.

Yes. Google lets you create and verify a profile with no website at all. You just leave the website field empty. Your profile will still show in search results and on Maps, and customers can still call you or ask for directions.

This can be a good start for a brand-new business, or for a tradie who gets most work from word of mouth. If money is tight, a well-kept profile is a lot better than nothing. But it does have limits, and those limits can cost you customers over time.

For a few years, Google let businesses make a basic free website straight from their profile. These sites had addresses ending in ".business.site". They were simple, but they were handy for businesses that didn't have anything else.

Google shut these sites down in March 2024. By the middle of that year, the old links stopped working completely. If you were relying on one, it's gone, and Google hasn't replaced it. It's a good idea to check your profile and make sure your website link isn't pointing to a dead page.

Google looks at many things when deciding which local businesses to show. One of them is how relevant your business is to what someone searched for. Google reads your website to help understand what you do, where you work and what services you offer.

A website with clear pages about each of your services can help your profile show up for more searches. Links from other websites to yours also help Google see your business as trusted and well known. Without a website, you miss out on these boosts.

It shows up in more searches

Your profile mostly shows up when people search for a local business. A website can show up for many more kinds of searches. Someone might search for "how much does it cost to rewire a house" or "best time to service my aircon". A helpful page on your website can bring that person to you.

Google's AI answers often point to websites too. When Google sums up an answer for someone, it often links to the pages it used. A good website gives you more chances to be one of those sources.

It builds trust

Many customers check for a website before they get in touch, especially for bigger jobs. A tidy, clear website shows you're a real business that's here to stay. It's a place to share your licence details, your story, your past work and the areas you cover. All of that helps a nervous customer feel confident picking up the phone.

You can add a Facebook page link to your profile in place of a website. It's better than nothing, and it does give customers somewhere to see more of your work. But a Facebook page isn't the same as owning your own website.

You don't control how Facebook shows your page, and not everyone uses Facebook. Facebook pages also don't help your Google ranking the way a proper website does. For most businesses, Facebook works best alongside a website, not instead of one.

A website doesn't need to be big or fancy. For many small businesses, a simple site with a few pages is plenty. A home page, a page for each main service, an about page and a contact page is a solid start.

You can build one yourself with an easy website builder, or pay a local business to build it for you. Either way, make sure it loads quickly, works well on phones, and has your phone number easy to find. Link it to your profile, and make sure your name, address and phone number match on both.

Can I use my Google Business Profile as my website?

Not really. Your profile is a great listing, but it can't do everything a website can. Google's free profile websites were also shut down in 2024.

Will not having a website hurt my Google ranking?

It can. Google uses your website to understand your business, and links to your site help too. A website gives your profile a better chance to rank.

What happened to my free Google website?

If it ended in ".business.site", Google switched it off in 2024. You'll need to set up a new website elsewhere and update your profile link.

Can I link my Facebook page instead?

Yes, you can. But it won't help your ranking as much as a real website, and you won't have full control over it.

Do I need a big website?

No. A simple site with a few clear pages about your services is enough for most small businesses.

Your profile and your website work best as a team. If you'd like help building a simple website, linking it to your profile and getting found by more local customers, Proficlix can help. Why not contract us for a friendly chat about your business.