Google Business Profile vs Website: Do You Need Both?

A Google Business Profile and a business website do different jobs. Your Google Business Profile controls how your business appears in Google Search and Google Maps. Your website is the destination customers land on when they want to learn more, compare options, or decide whether to contact you.

For most local businesses, you need both. Understanding what each one does helps you prioritize where to start and how to use them together.

Key takeaways

• A Google Business Profile, formerly Google My Business, is a free listing that controls your presence in Google Search and Google Maps. You do not own it and cannot fully customize it.
• A business website is a web property on your own domain that you control completely. It converts visitors into customers and enables paid advertising.
• GBP drives discovery for “near me” searches. A website converts those visitors when they click through to learn more.
• According to BrightLocal, 80% of US consumers search online for local businesses every week. Most check reviews and business information before deciding whether to call.
• If your Google Business Profile is reasonably complete, it already contains most of the information your website needs: services, hours, photos, reviews, and a description. PlaceSite AI uses that data to generate a website draft without starting from a blank page.

What is a Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free listing that Google provides to businesses. It appears when someone searches for your business by name or when your business shows up in “near me” searches and the local Map Pack—the block of local results below the map in Google Search.

You manage your GBP at business.google.com. Google renamed Google My Business to Google Business Profile in 2021. The product is the same; only the name changed.

What a GBP includes

A complete Google Business Profile can include:

• Business name, address, and phone number
• Business category and subcategories
• Opening hours, including special holiday hours
• Business description of up to 750 characters
• Services with descriptions and optional pricing
• Photos and videos
• Customer reviews and your responses
• Posts and updates such as offers, news, and events
• A Q&A section visible to customers
• Optional messaging

What a GBP does for your business

Your GBP is a primary driver of local search visibility. When someone searches for “plumber near me” or “coffee shop downtown,” the businesses in the Map Pack are determined largely by profile completeness, relevance, distance, and review quality.

It also gives customers one-click access to directions, phone calls, and your website without leaving Google. For many people, the information in a GBP is enough to decide whether to call or visit.

What is a business website?

A business website is a web property on your own domain that you own and control. It lives at an address such as yourbusiness.com rather than inside Google's platform.

What a business website includes

A basic local business website typically has:

• A homepage that clearly explains what the business does
• Service or product pages
• An About page with background, team, or credentials
• A Contact page with phone number, address, and form
• Reviews or testimonials
• Optionally, a blog, gallery, or booking integration

What a business website does

A website has a different role from a GBP. While GBP gets you found, a website gets you chosen.

Customers who click from your listing to your website are already interested. The website should give them enough information to contact you: clear service descriptions, evidence of past work, visible price ranges, and a simple next step.

A website also enables things a GBP cannot:

• Paid advertising. Google Ads and Meta Ads require a landing page. A GBP listing is not a suitable advertising destination.
• Content marketing. Articles can rank for searches beyond your immediate local area.
• Lead capture. Contact forms, quote requests, and booking systems require a website.
• Brand control. Your website is not limited by Google's layouts, platform changes, or account policies.

Google Business Profile vs website: key differences

	Google Business Profile	Business website
Cost	Free	$10–20/month for a builder or $5–10/month hosting, plus domain
Ownership	Google's platform	You own and control it
Where it appears	Google Search and Google Maps	Search results, paid ads, and direct traffic
Primary purpose	Discovery and local visibility	Conversion and credibility
Custom domain	No	Yes
Paid advertising	Not suitable as a landing page	Used for Google Ads and Meta Ads
Content flexibility	Limited to profile fields	Full control
Setup time	About 30 minutes to claim and start verification	Hours to days, or minutes with PlaceSite AI

Do you need both a Google Business Profile and a website?

For most local businesses, yes. They are not alternatives. They work together at different stages of the customer journey.

What happens without a GBP

Without a Google Business Profile, your business cannot fully participate in local Map Pack results. Customers searching for your type of business nearby will see competitors instead. You also lose access to the review system many customers check before contacting a local company.

Creating a profile is free. Verification steps and timing vary by business, but there is little reason for an eligible local company not to have one.

What happens without a website

According to BrightLocal's local SEO research, 80% of US consumers search online for local businesses every week. People who need more detail than the profile provides will look for a website. If there is none, some will move on to a competitor that has one.

Without a website, you also lack a controlled landing page for paid campaigns. If you want to grow beyond organic search and referrals, a website is basic infrastructure.

How GBP and a website work together

The most effective setup uses both:

1. Your GBP handles local discovery and displays essential information immediately.
2. Customers who want more detail click through to your website.
3. Your website converts them with detailed services, trust signals, and a clear contact path.
4. The website URL in your profile connects both parts of your online presence.

Which should you set up first: a GBP or a website?

If you have neither, start with your Google Business Profile.

GBP is free and gives your business visibility in local search once it is complete and verified. Customers can call, get directions, and check opening hours directly from the listing.

A website needs a domain, hosting or a builder subscription, and content before it goes live. Its return is real, but there are more decisions to make.

A practical order for a new local business is:

1. Claim and verify your Google Business Profile.
2. Complete every relevant field: hours, services, photos, description, and Q&A.
3. Build or generate a website using the same information.
4. Add the website URL to your profile.

With PlaceSite AI, step three is faster: paste the Google Maps link, review the generated draft, and publish. The work already completed in your GBP becomes the starting point for the website.

The practical problem: writing website content from scratch

Most local business owners understand that they need a website. The obstacle is not the decision. It is the blank page.

Traditional builders start with an empty template. You choose a layout and then have to describe the business, list services, explain what makes it different, and find photos. For many owners, this is where the project stalls.

Your GBP already contains most of what your website needs

If your Google Business Profile is reasonably complete, you have already done much of the content work. It contains:

• Your business name and category
• Services and descriptions
• Opening hours and contact details
• Customer reviews and rating
• Photos of your work, premises, or products
• A business description

That is the core content of a local business website. It already exists in your listing.

How PlaceSite AI turns your GBP into a website

PlaceSite AI reads the public information in your Google Business Profile when you paste the Google Maps link. It generates a complete first draft with real business data instead of placeholder content.

You review the draft, update anything that needs changing, choose a design, and publish on your own domain or a PlaceSite subdomain. The result is a lightweight static website with no plugin updates, database management, or ongoing technical maintenance.

When a Google Business Profile alone might be enough

There are limited situations where a GBP-only setup is acceptable in the short term.

A new business might launch its profile while the website is being built. A seasonal market stall may not need a standalone site if all contact happens by phone. A company that works entirely through referrals may temporarily deprioritize a website.

But for a business that wants to run paid advertising, rank for searches beyond the immediate area, capture leads from people who research before calling, or build a presence independent of Google's platform decisions, a website is not optional. It is infrastructure.

FAQ: Common questions

Do I need a website for a Google Business Profile?

No. You can create and maintain a Google Business Profile without a website. But linking a website increases credibility and gives customers somewhere to go when they need more information than the listing contains.

Is it worth having a Google Business Profile?

Yes. It is free and central to visibility in local “near me” searches. A well-maintained profile with accurate hours, useful photos, and regular review responses is one of the highest-return marketing activities available to a local business.

Is Google shutting down Google Business Profile?

No. Google shut down the free website builder previously connected to Business Profiles, using business.site domains, in March 2024. Google Business Profile itself remains active and is Google's core tool for local business visibility. Existing profile listings were not shut down.

Is it still called Google Business Profile?

Yes. Google renamed Google My Business to Google Business Profile in 2021. You can manage the listing directly from Google Search while signed in or at business.google.com. The old Google My Business app was retired.

Summary

A Google Business Profile and a business website are not competitors. A GBP gets you found in local search. A website gives customers the information they need to choose you. Both have a distinct purpose and work better together.

If you already have a Google Business Profile, you also have most of the content your website needs. PlaceSite AI reads that information and generates a website draft, so you can skip the blank-template problem.