Small business & local search

Do You Really Need a Website, or Just a Google Business Profile?

If you run a trade, salon, café or local service, you've probably heard both pieces of advice: "just set up a Google Business Profile" and "you need a proper website." They do different jobs, and most businesses end up needing both.

What a Google Business Profile actually does

A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is what shows up in Google Maps and the local search results — your name, opening hours, phone number, photos, directions and reviews. It's free, and for a business that depends on being found nearby, it's non-negotiable. If you haven't claimed and completed yours, that's the first thing to do, before anything else on this list.

What it doesn't do

A Business Profile is Google's page about you, not yours. You don't control the layout, you can't explain your services in your own words beyond a short description, and you have nowhere to send someone from an advert, a Facebook post, or a printed flyer that shows them more than a map pin. It also disappears the moment someone isn't searching on Google specifically — social media links, WhatsApp, and word-of-mouth referrals all need somewhere better to land.

What a website adds

• A place you control — your words, your photos, your services, laid out how you want
• Somewhere to send traffic from adverts, social media, or a business card
• A dedicated way for enquiries to reach you, separate from Google's own systems
• Credibility — a lot of people still check for a website before trusting a business, even after finding you on Maps

So which do you need?

If you're just starting out and have no budget at all, a completed Google Business Profile is a reasonable first step. But the moment you're running adverts, handing out cards, or want people to see more than a map pin before they call you, a simple website earns its keep — and the two work best linked together, not as alternatives.