7 Alternatives to Google Business Profile Websites (Compared)
By Naveed Ahmed | Reviewed by Syed Balkhi | August 19, 2024 | Reader Disclosure
As a seasoned digital marketing professional with 15 years of experience, I’ve witnessed the evolution of online presence for businesses firsthand. One of the most significant changes in recent times is the discontinuation of Google’s free Business Profile websites. While many businesses were caught off guard by the March 2024 deadline, it’s not too late to reclaim your online presence. This article will equip you with the knowledge you need to find the best alternatives to Google Business Profile websites, ensuring your business remains visible and accessible to potential customers.
To make this guide even more valuable, I’ve included expert opinions and high engagement tips. These tips will help you create a website that not only looks great but also drives traffic and conversions. So, let’s dive into the world of Google Business Profile website alternatives and find the perfect fit for your business.
Why Do You Need a Google Business Profile Website Alternative?
Google Business Profile (GBP) is a powerful tool for local businesses, allowing them to appear in local search results, display contact information, provide directions, and even link to their website. Google initially offered to create free, basic business websites for GBP users, and millions of businesses embraced this opportunity. However, Google discontinued this service in March 2024.
This change has left many businesses scrambling to find alternative solutions. While your GBP profile remains intact, the free website associated with it no longer functions. Visiting the old website address leads to an error message, hindering your online visibility. It’s essential to establish a new website to maintain your online presence and ensure potential customers can connect with your business.
With that being said, let’s explore some of the most viable alternatives for your Google Business Profile website:
7 Alternatives to Google Business Profile Websites (Compared)
Let’s take a closer look at the top contenders for replacing your Google Business Profile website:
1. WordPress
WordPress, the world’s most popular website-building platform, powers over 43% of all websites on the internet. It’s a flexible and powerful option that offers incredible customization and control. Remember, we’re talking about the self-hosted WordPress.org, not WordPress.com, which is a hosted platform.
While the core WordPress software is free, building a website on WordPress requires a domain name and web hosting, which can be as low as a few dollars per month. If you want a simple, minimalist website akin to your Google Business Profile website, there are plenty of one-page WordPress themes available. However, you might prefer to expand your online presence with additional pages such as a contact page, disclaimer page, privacy policy page, terms of service, and more.
One of the key advantages of WordPress is its extensive plugin library. Business plugins allow you to add features like contact forms, landing pages, popups, newsletters, automations, and much more.
For local SEO optimization, consider installing All in One SEO (AIOSEO), widely regarded as the best SEO plugin available. It enables you to add vital local SEO information such as business hours, multiple location schema, and a store locator. These elements improve your website’s ranking in local search results, making it easier for nearby customers to find your business.
If you need help migrating your Google Business Profile website to WordPress, we have a comprehensive guide available: How to migrate Google Business Profile Site to WordPress.
Pros:
- Complete control over your website
- Add the features you need using plugins
- Choose a theme with the look and feel you want
- Plugins let you rank for local SEO
Cons:
- Slight learning curve
- You need to manage your own website
Why we chose WordPress:
WordPress’s widespread adoption and powerful SEO plugin options make it a top choice for businesses looking to establish a website that can grow alongside their ventures. You can create a website that not only meets your current needs but also adapts as your business evolves.
2. Wix
Wix is another popular, cloud-based website builder that allows you to create a website easily using a drag-and-drop interface. It’s a popular choice for small businesses, powering over 3.6% of all websites. Wix is a good option if you need a simple website similar to your Google Business Profile website. However, you might outgrow its features as your business grows.
During our testing, we discovered that while Wix makes it easy to choose an initial design, changing templates later can be a challenge.
While Wix’s plugin selection is more limited compared to WordPress, it boasts an online marketplace with over 300 apps that provide features like booking forms, marketing tools, and online payment processing. It also offers tools to optimize your website for search, attracting more organic traffic.
Wix offers a free version, but it’s limited in features and displays ads. Upgrading to a Pro plan unlocks more features but comes with higher costs.
Pros:
- Its drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to build a website quickly
- Web hosting is included
Cons:
- You can’t choose a different hosting provider
- The free version is quite limited and displays ads on your website
- Pro plans can become expensive
Why we chose Wix:
Wix is a good option for those who prefer a simple business website that closely resembles their Google Business Profile website.
3. Web.com
Web.com is a popular website builder for small businesses, offering affordable pricing plans that make it a compelling alternative to Wix. Like Wix, it features an easy-to-use drag-and-drop website builder and a wide selection of templates, simplifying website design customization.
Web.com’s plans include web hosting, a free domain name, a business email address, website security and backups, SEO and analytics, and other valuable website tools. They also offer affordable custom web design services separately.
Pros:
- Easy to use drag-and-drop website builder
- Affordable pricing
- Pre-made website templates
- Web hosting is included
Cons:
- You can’t choose a different hosting provider
- No free plan
Why we chose Web.com:
Web.com is a blend of affordability and ease of use, making it an excellent choice for business owners seeking a relatively straightforward website.
4. Squarespace
Squarespace is a user-friendly premium website builder known for its visually appealing designs. Around 2.1% of all websites on the internet are built with Squarespace. It utilizes a block editor for content creation, similar to the Gutenberg editor in WordPress, making it easy to add images, videos, and audio files. However, the editor doesn’t automatically save your work, so remember to save manually.
Squarespace offers customizable templates that streamline the website building process. While its extensions are more limited than WordPress, you can still add new features to your website.
For a detailed comparison of Squarespace vs. WordPress, refer to our in-depth article.
Pros:
- Easy to set up and use
- Web hosting is included
Cons:
- You can’t change to a different hosting provider
- Costs more than shared hosting plans
- No free plan
Why we chose Squarespace:
Squarespace provides a secure hosting platform with a user-friendly interface, allowing you to build a website with visually appealing designs.
5. Weebly
Weebly is a beginner-friendly website builder offering a wide array of designs. It’s a page builder that empowers you to create a website without coding knowledge. It includes built-in support for contact forms, photo galleries, sliders, and more. Weebly also offers free and paid applications to enhance your website’s features, though the selection is less extensive than WordPress.
You can choose from dozens of website designs and edit content using a live page editor. The Weebly mobile app allows you to build and manage your website on the go.
Weebly is particularly well-suited for creating attractive but small websites. It’s an excellent choice for getting started with a website, but you may find that your needs outgrow its capabilities over time.
It offers a free plan, but it’s quite limited and displays ads. Most businesses will find the paid plans more suitable.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Dozens of website designs
- Free and paid applications add new features
- Web hosting is included
Cons:
- You can’t change to a different hosting provider
- The free plan is limited and displays ads
Why we chose Weebly:
Weebly’s simplicity and beautiful designs make it ideal for small websites, similar to those found on Google Business Profile.
6. Carrd
Carrd is a simple and straightforward platform for creating single-page websites. It’s an excellent option if you want to recreate your Google Business Profile website outside the Google ecosystem. You can choose from a variety of business profile templates as a starting point.
Carrd allows you to customize your chosen template using simple tools and a drag-and-drop interface.
The free plan is sufficient for creating a business profile website as long as you’re comfortable with minimal Carrd branding. Paid plans are also available, removing branding and allowing you to use a custom domain.
Pros:
- Very easy to use
- Perfect for creating a simple single-page profile website
- The free plan is suitable for most users
Cons:
- Not suitable for more complex websites
Why we chose Carrd:
Carrd is a simple and free way to create a single-page business profile website.
7. Google Sites
Google Sites is the best alternative if you want to recreate your Google Business Profile website while remaining within the Google ecosystem. You can use its block-based editor to add text, images, contact information, business hours, and more. The Google Sites template gallery includes a handful of small business templates to get you started.
However, based on our testing, we only recommend Google Sites for the most basic websites. If you need to customize your website’s appearance or add new features, a platform like WordPress offers greater flexibility.
Pros:
- Allows you to remain in the Google ecosystem
- Suitable for basic websites
Cons:
- Not suitable for more complex websites
Why we chose Google Sites:
Google Sites enables you to create a basic website while remaining within the Google environment.
What Is the Best Google Business Profile Website Alternative?
For most businesses, WordPress is the superior alternative to a Google Business Profile website. This is especially true if you envision building a website that can grow with your business rather than remaining a simple profile site.
You can choose from thousands of WordPress themes to create a unique look and feel for your website, including single-page themes, business themes, and corporate themes. WordPress also offers an extensive library of business plugins that provide the features you need. Furthermore, you can select a WordPress hosting plan that aligns with your budget, starting as low as $1.99 per month.
However, if you prioritize creating a simple website and minimizing maintenance, hosted website builders like Wix, Web.com, and Squarespace are viable choices. These platforms are easier to set up initially but may not scale with your business in the same way as WordPress.
Finally, if you’re looking for a free option to establish a basic business profile site, Carrd and Google Sites offer a straightforward solution. However, these options lack the flexibility and growth potential of more robust platforms.
FAQs About Business Profile Websites
When did Google discontinue its Google Business Profile websites?
Google discontinued all free websites it created for Business Profile users in March 2024. Visitors to those websites were temporarily redirected to the Google Business Profile page until June 10, 2024. Since then, those websites have been displaying a “404 not found” error message. If you haven’t migrated to a new website, you need to take action. Check out our guide on how to migrate a Google Business Profile website to WordPress for detailed instructions.
What is a business profile website?
A business profile website is an online space where you showcase your company’s identity, values, and offerings to potential customers and clients. It’s an online hub that helps you make a good first impression and provide essential information about your business.
What should a business profile website contain?
A business profile website should clearly state your company name and describe what you do. It should also include contact information so potential clients can get in touch.
Consider adding an “About Us” page to share your story and mission, and a services section or landing page to provide more information about your offerings. A clear call to action (CTA) that encourages visitors to take the next step, such as subscribing to your newsletter, asking for a quote, or browsing your portfolio, is also crucial.
How can you further enhance a business profile website?
To enhance your business profile website, showcase your expertise by adding testimonials from satisfied customers or building a portfolio of your previous work. Creating a blog or news section to share valuable information and establish yourself as an industry expert can also be beneficial. Finally, demonstrate credibility by featuring client logos and any industry awards you’ve received.
Best Guides for Growing a Small Business Website
We hope this tutorial has helped you identify the best alternatives for Google Business Profile websites. You may also want to explore these resources for further insights into growing a small business online:
- How to Migrate Google Business Profile Website to WordPress
- How to Make a Small Business Website – Step by Step
- Tips to Grow Your Business Online (Without a Lot of Money)
- Best Email Marketing Services for Small Business
- Best Referral Program Software for Small Business Compared
- Best Team Communication Tools for Small Business
- Best Business Phone Services for Small Business
- Ways to Get an 800 Toll-Free Number for Your Business
- Free Business Tools for Small Businesses
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If you’re interested in learning more about tech news, feel free to visit my website: www.naveedahmed.me.