Do I need a website if I have a Google Business Profile?
Yes, most businesses do. A Google Business Profile helps people find you on Google Maps and search, but you don't control its layout, it holds limited detail, and it isn't where most people decide. Your website is where you explain your services and prices, show your work, take bookings, and show up in other searches and AI answers.
What a Google Business Profile does well
It puts you on Google Maps and in local results, shows your hours, phone number, reviews and photos, and it's free. Every local business should have one.
What a website does that a profile can't
- Explain and sell. Full service details, prices, photos of your work and answers to common questions.
- Take action. Online booking, quote forms and payments that you control.
- Show up in more places. Your site can rank in regular search results and be quoted by AI assistants.
- Own your presence. Your domain and content are yours. A profile can change, be suspended or be edited by others.
- Measure results. Tracking shows which pages and searches bring in calls.
How they work together
Your profile gets you seen; your website gets you chosen. Link your profile to the most relevant page on your site, keep details identical on both, and make sure the page they land on makes calling or booking obvious.
Questions people also ask
Can I use my Google Business Profile as my website?
Google used to offer simple websites built from profiles, but it ended that feature in 2024, so a separate website is the reliable option.
Does having a website help my Google Business Profile rank?
A strong, relevant website gives Google more information about your business, which supports how relevant and prominent you look.
What should my website include at minimum?
What you do, where you work, your prices or a starting price, real photos, reviews, and a call or book button on every page.