Heard the news about the Google My Business website shutdown and feeling a wave of panic? Take a deep breath. Your main business listing on Google Search and Maps is completely safe, and this change is actually an opportunity to improve your online presence for free.
Let’s clarify the main point of confusion. Think of your Google Business Profile as your digital business card—the official box with your hours, photos, and reviews that appears on Google Maps and Search. That profile is secure and isn’t going anywhere. The part that is changing is the simple, one-page google business site that was automatically created from that profile.
Starting in March 2024, Google is officially retiring these basic websites. When people ask, “is the website from Google My Business going away?” the answer is yes, but only that simple, one-page site. For many business owners, this news sounds alarming, but it’s actually a fantastic reason to take five minutes and build something better that you have more control over.
Losing that basic site doesn’t mean losing your customers or your hard-earned online visibility. This guide will walk you through a simple, three-step plan to transition smoothly. We’ll show you how to create a new, far more effective free website in minutes, ensuring your customers can always find you.
The difference between your main Google Business Profile and the simple website made from it is about to become crucial. Starting in March 2024, Google is turning off all websites ending in .business.site. It’s important to know that your core Business Profile—the listing that appears on Google Search and Maps with your hours, reviews, and location—is completely safe and is not being removed. This change only affects the separate, one-page website that was automatically created for you.
So, what happens when your site is turned off? For a short period, Google will provide a helpful safety net. Anyone who clicks your old website link will be automatically forwarded to your Google Business Profile instead. This temporary redirect gives you a grace period to update your links on business cards, social media, or other marketing materials.
However, this fix is not permanent. After June 10, 2024, that redirect will stop, and the old link will be permanently broken. Any potential customer clicking it will see a “page not found” error.
Here is the simple timeline:
The good news is you have time to act.
The most important parts of your online presence—like your business hours, phone number, customer reviews, and all the photos you’ve uploaded over time—are already safe. They live in your main Google Business Profile, not on the website that’s being removed, which means you won’t lose them. We are only focused on saving a couple of small things that might be unique to the old website page.
The main thing to rescue is any custom text you wrote, like a summary or an “About Us” story. To save it, simply visit your .business.site page, highlight that text with your mouse, right-click, and select “Copy.” You can then paste it into a simple text document or an email to yourself for safekeeping. Your main website photo might also be a favorite, so right-click on that image and choose “Save Image As…” to download it to your computer.
That’s it! Here is your simple to-do list:
Now that your content is safe, you are ready to choose a new (and better) online home for your business.
With your old content safe, your first decision is a simple one: do you need another one-page “digital brochure,” or are you ready for a site with multiple pages (like for ‘Services’ or a ‘Gallery’)? For most local businesses, a single-page site is the perfect, no-fuss replacement. It gets all your key information in one place, just like your old Google site, but with a much more modern and professional look.
If a simple, one-page site sounds right, an excellent tool to check out is Carrd. It is a simple one page website builder designed to create beautiful, straightforward websites in minutes. Think of it as a professional online business card—perfect for a bakery wanting to show a menu, or a plumber listing emergency services and contact info. It’s one of the best Google Business Profile website alternatives for getting online fast.
Another fantastic, and possibly familiar, option is Canva Websites. If you’ve ever made a flyer or a social media post using Canva, you already know how to use the tool. It lets you create a clean website just as easily, but also gives you the flexibility to add more pages later if you decide you need them, making it the best free website builder for a local business looking to grow.
Now, the free plans for tools like these come with one small trade-off: your website address will include their branding, like yourname.carrd.co. This is a perfectly professional starting point and a massive upgrade in quality. In fact, this change gives you far more control over your business’s online image, which is a huge win in the long run.
Your old Google site was easy because it did everything for you, but this was also its biggest weakness. It pulled information directly from your Google Business Profile and locked it into a rigid, one-size-fits-all template. This meant your website looked just like your competitor’s, making it nearly impossible for your business to stand out online. Moving to a new builder finally puts you back in control of your all-important first impression.
With a tool like Canva or Carrd, you can infuse your site with your own unique branding—the specific colors, logo, and style that customers already associate with your business. If your bakery has a cheerful, yellow awning, your website can finally reflect that same welcoming feel instead of being stuck with Google’s generic blue theme. This control allows you to tell your story visually and build a more memorable online presence.
Most importantly, these new tools let you guide your visitors toward a specific action. You can now feature a prominent Call to Action button, which is a large, clear button telling customers exactly what you want them to do. Instead of just listing information, your site can now feature a “Book an Appointment” or “Get a Free Quote” button right at the top. This simple change is incredibly powerful, as it helps turn passive website viewers into active, paying customers.
When using a free website builder for a local business, you’ll notice your new site gets a default web address, something like yourbakery.carrd.co. This works perfectly fine, but you also have the option to upgrade to a custom domain. A custom domain is a unique, professional web address that you own, like yourbakery.com. Think of it as the difference between having a generic sign in a shopping center versus putting your own custom-branded sign above your front door.
The main reason to consider this is professionalism. A custom domain tells customers you’re established and serious about your business, which helps build trust. It’s also much easier for people to remember and share. For anyone wondering how to create a new website for my business that feels truly complete, this is a powerful touch. And the best part? It’s not expensive. Most website builders and domain providers offer them for around $10 to $20 per year.
The free address is a great starting point, so there is no pressure to buy one right away. When you are ready, most builders make it simple to choose a new custom domain directly from their dashboard. But whether you stick with the free address or get a custom one, there is one final, critical step you must take to make sure customers can find your new site.
You’ve built your new website—now it’s time to make sure customers can actually find it. A beautiful site is only effective if it’s connected to where people are searching for you, and for local businesses, that place is Google. This final step is the most important one, as it directly links your new website to your business listing on Google Search and Maps.
Your Google Business Profile is that official-looking box that appears in search results with your hours, photos, and reviews. It also features a prominent “Website” button. To get traffic from interested customers, you need to update the website on your Google Business Profile to ensure that button points to your new address, not an old one or a broken link.
Updating it takes less than two minutes. Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to link your new website to your Google Business Profile:
As you can see in the image below, the field is clearly marked, making your Google Business Profile management quick and painless.
And that’s it. With that one small update, you’ve officially connected your new online home to the world’s largest search engine. Now, when a customer finds you on Google, they are just one click away from your brand-new website.
What may have seemed like a stressful technical problem is now a straightforward opportunity. You no longer need to worry about your old Google Business Site vanishing. Instead, you have a clear path to create a new website for your business that gives your online presence a fresh, professional upgrade.
This process is a simple, achievable task. Here’s your action plan:
By following these steps, you’re not just fixing a problem—you’re taking control. Imagine a new customer finding your beautiful new site and clicking “Call Now,” all because you turned this simple update into your next great business move.
Focus keyphrase: google business site Keyphrase synonyms (optional): google business website, free google business website, business site
SEO title (≤60 chars): Google Business Site: Build & Optimize Your Business Website
Slug (URL): google-business-site-build-optimize
Meta description (150–160 chars): Learn how to create and optimize a Google Business Site to strengthen your business website, improve local visibility, and turn visitors into leads.
