If you have a website made with Google Business Profile, you should be aware that Google is shutting down this feature soon. This is a major change that will affect your online presence and your customer experience. In this article, we will explain what this change means, why it is happening, and what you can do to prepare for it.
What are websites made with Google Business Profile?
Websites made with Google Business Profile are simple websites that you can create from the information on your Business Profile. Your Business Profile is the listing that appears on Google Search and Maps when customers look for your business or businesses like yours. You can use your Business Profile to showcase your business information, such as your address, phone number, hours, reviews, photos, and more.
Websites made with Google Business Profile have domains that end with **business.site** or **negocio.site**. For example, if your business name is ABC Plumbing, your website might be abcplumbing.business.site. You can also set up a custom domain to direct traffic to your Google Business Profile website, such as abcplumbing.com.
Why is Google shutting down this feature?
Google has not given a clear reason for shutting down this feature, but it has stated that it is no longer supported and will be removed in the coming months. Some possible reasons for this decision are:
– Websites made with Google Business Profile are very basic and limited in functionality. They do not offer many customization options or features that modern websites need, such as responsive design, e-commerce, analytics, SEO, etc.
– Websites made with Google Business Profile are redundant with the information on your Business Profile. Customers can already find everything they need to know about your business on your Business Profile, which is more visible and accessible than your website.
– Websites made with Google Business Profile are not compatible with some of Google’s other products and services, such as Google Domains, Google Sites, or Google Ads. For example, if you have an Ads campaign linked to a website from Google Business Profile, you will need to change the website link before March 1, 2024, to keep your ads running.
When is this change happening?
This change is happening in two phases:
– Starting from March 1, 2024, customers who visit your website made with Google Business Profile will be automatically redirected to your Business Profile. This means that they will not see your website anymore, but they will still be able to access your business information on your Business Profile.
– On June 10, 2024, your website made with Google Business Profile will be completely removed and show a “page not found” error. This means that your website will no longer exist and customers will not be able to find it online.
What can you do to prepare for this change?
If you want to maintain your online presence and keep your customers happy, you will need to create a new website for your business using alternative tools and update your Business Profile with the new site address before the deadline. Here are some steps you can take to do this:
– Choose a platform to build a new website for your business. Google has suggested some platforms that you can use, such as Website Builder, Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Google Sites, Shopify, or WordPress. These platforms offer more features and flexibility than websites made with Google Business Profile. You can compare them and choose the one that suits your needs and budget.
– Create a new website for your business using the platform you chose. You can use the information from your Business Profile as a starting point, but you can also add more content and elements to make your website more attractive and engaging. For example, you can add a blog, a portfolio, a testimonial section, a contact form, a newsletter sign-up, etc.
– Update your Business Profile with the new site address. Once you have created your new website, you need to update your Business Profile with the new site address so that customers can find it easily. To do this, sign in to manage your Business Profile and edit the website field with the new site address.
– Redirect your custom domain to your new website. If you have a custom domain that directs traffic to your website made with Google Business Profile, you need to redirect it to your new website before June 10, 2024. To do this, log in to your hosting company account and select the “Redirect” option or a similar feature to reroute your domain to your new website.
Where can you find more information about this change?
Google has announced this change in an email sent to Business Profile owners and on its support page. You can read more about it here.
