Website vs Google Business Profile: do you need both?

What a Google Business Profile actually is

It's a free listing that shows up in Google Maps and the local search panel next to search results. It displays your hours, some photos, reviews, a phone number, and a link to your website if you've added one. The format is entirely controlled by Google, you can't customise it beyond what the profile allows. It's a different question to whether you also need a social page, covered in our guide on websites vs Instagram.

What it can't do

There's no room for a real menu, a gallery of past work, a booking flow, or the story of your business. You don't control the layout, and your reviews live entirely on Google's terms. One misclick and a searcher can end up on a competitor's profile sitting right next to yours in the results.

What a website adds

A website is a destination that's actually yours. It's where you can answer the questions someone has before they call, like pricing structure, service area, or before-and-after photos, and it's a place where a click-to-book or click-to-call button actually leads somewhere built for that purpose.

How they work together

The profile gets someone from a Maps search to your door or your phone. The website is where they check you're legitimate and worth choosing over the next result down. Having both compounds the effect: a profile without a website link is a dead end, and a website without a Business Profile is effectively invisible on Maps.