Many business owners rely on their Google Business Profile (GBP) as a source of new customers. However, websites created with Google Business Profiles will shut down in March. This is expected to impact over 20 million Google Business websites.
It was easy and convenient for business owners to create a Google Business Profile website at the same time they created their Google Business Profile listing. Google automatically generated these websites; they were very basic and simply incorporated the information entered on the Google Business Profile page.
These websites became inaccessible as of March 5, 2024. Furthermore, it is not possible to move these websites to a new host or give them a new domain—they simply ceased to exist.
The good news is that it’s not too late to take action to prevent information disruption. During the period of March 5, 2024 through June 10, 2024, clicking on your Google Business Profile website link will redirect customers back to your business profile. After June 10, the customers will receive a “404” error message indicating that the link is broken.
You don’t want your customers to see the “404” or “Page not found” message because they will often interpret a broken link to a website as notice that the company has gone out of business. And busy web readers usually won’t take the time to do further research—they’ll simply read about the next business they find online.
Which Specific Web Domains Were Affected?
If the domain displayed on your Google Business Profile ended in either “business.site” or “negocio.site,” its link was removed from the website field on your profile. You should now update your Google Business Profile to point to your regular business website. If you don’t have a different website developed independently of GBP, it’s important that you create a new one now.
While consumers find lots of relevant information on your Google business listing, it doesn’t take the place of a comprehensive website in your customers’ eyes.
What About Other Websites on Google Business Profile?
If you developed the website displayed on your Google business listing website address using WordPress, Wix, Shopify, or another web building platform (instead of Google Business Profile) this change won’t affect it at all and the link will continue to work.
Your Google Ads Campaign May Need Attention
You will also need to add a new working website link to your Google Ads campaign; these links to GBP-created websites ended in March 2024 as well. If you don’t have a current website to link to the campaign, pause the campaign until a new website is available.
Third-Party Domains Are Experiencing the Effects
If your business set up a custom domain that links to your Google Business Profile, these links will redirect customers to your Google Business Profile until June 10, 2024. You need to redirect your custom domain to your new website before June 10.
About Google Business Profile
In 2022, Google replaced Google My Business with Google Business Profile. While they both offered features for providing business information and customer interaction, Google Business Profile included additional enhancements and an even easier way for businesses to manage their local business listings—they could include business hours, photos, share menus and new offers, and posts.
Consumers have come to rely on GBP to find, contact, and learn more about local businesses. In fact, today many consumers use Google Business Profile listings as their go-to source for business information.
What To Do Now
Customers want to visit websites for more information and to answer questions they have about your business or service. If you no longer have a website because of the discontinuation of GBP websites, you need to get a new business site.
Websites are important for marketing your local business because:
- You can list your website to valuable local business directories
- Visual Objects reports more than 75% of customers visit websites before visiting a local business in-person
Here are even more reasons why your business needs a website.
Some Quick Tips About Websites
Make sure your new website appeals to web readers. Writing for the web differs from other forms of writing—this is because people read websites differently than they read articles or books. A web content writer will know how to get and keep your customer’s attention.
Read about ways to improve your website user experience.
Make sure to optimize your new website well, so it can be found in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Evans Alliance is a full service marketing and advertising agency in New Jersey. We can build your brand and manage your online presence with our valuable experience and innovative marketing techniques. Contact us for more information.
