Google has been on a spree sunsetting, merging, and spinning off various segments of its business. Latest on the chopping block are websites built via its Google Business Profiles.
Google Business Profiles are the listing about businesses that come up on the right side panel next to Google search results on Chrome. They are the equivalent of the internet age's Yellow Page Book. Each listing includes basic information about the business for customers to view such as the business' physical address, Google reviews, hours of service, website URL, phone number, and email. They are an increasingly useful way of helping local businesses to be organically discovered by new customers. Therefore, the deprecation of any website built via the Google Business Profile can directly impact the business' lead source.
For businesses affected by this, more information is available via Google's help center here with details on the timing and migration options for business owners.
It's important for business owners to find an alternative and migrate their site before those key dates to prevent any disruptions to their end users. Here’s a curated list website providers as alternatives for Google Business Profile websites to help you make an informed decision.
Why top 9 and not top 5 or 10?
Because Google recommended 6 which we provide more detail below, and we added 3 free options from newer software platforms. Hubspot thinks it should be Top 5 only, and for good reason (because business owners are busy).
The following list of alternatives come from Google's information for migration. We're outlining them here with additional information on the company you'll be evaluating as well as basic information on pricing, features, templates, and domains.
Founded in 2006, Wix boasts over 250M users worldwide. Wix's no code focus sets it apart from other competitors on this list during that time such as Wordpress. Wix enables anyone to easily build websites in its easy to use drag and drop user interface. Wix's drag-and-drop interface, extensive template library, and a range of powerful features have made it a go-to solution for businesses and individuals seeking to build a robust online presence.
Founded in 2003, Squarespace was conceived out of a personal need. As a student at the University of Maryland, Casalena had struggled to find a platform that allowed him to create a sophisticated, high-quality website without having to write code. From his dorm room, he began developing what would become Squarespace; a single, integrated platform that allows any individual or business to build a professional website with ease. Headquartered in New York City, Squarespace has grown significantly over the years and serves millions of customers worldwide.
GoDaddy was founded in 1997. The unique name GoDaddy came as a result of a brainstorming session among the team, seeking something more memorable and fun. With headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona, GoDaddy has grown to become the world's largest domain name registrar, managing over 82 million domains for more than 20 million customers globally. The company expanded its offerings over the years to include web hosting services, website builders, email marketing tools, and more.
First launched in 2008, Google created Sites to help anyone on Google Workspace to create a team wiki where various people and teams could collaborate and share information. Since then Google has iterated on sites and expanded the use case to allow for users to create publicly facing websites. To compete with other website builders, Google has added new templates, a drag and drop UI, and most importantly, easy embedding of other Google Suite products like Docs, Sheets, and Calendar. Google Sites is a simple and cost-effective solution, especially for those already using Google Workspace.
Shopify, renowned for its e-commerce platform, was founded in 2006. The idea of Shopify was born out of their personal frustration in finding a user-friendly e-commerce platform for their online snowboard shop. The lack of options prompted the trio to create their own, thus leading to the birth of Shopify. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, Shopify has become a leading name in the e-commerce sector, serving over a million businesses across 175 countries. Today, Shopify stands as a comprehensive platform that provides solutions to both small businesses and large enterprises looking to sell products online, in-store, or on social media.
WordPress, founded in 2003, was built to be a robust, all encompassing personal publishing system. Two decades later, WordPress remains the dominant self-hosted blogging platform used and seen by millions worldwide. Unlike other website builders, Wordpress is designed to serve the broader purpose of a Content Management System (CMS) as opposed to just blogging or being a digital storefront. Because of this, despite Wordpress' older and clunkier user interface, it's still a favorite amongst website builder because of its focus as a CMS and highly customizable set-up. It's headquartered in San Francisco, California, and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
All of these players in the website building market have established themselves, but being established can also mean being out of date. Most were founded before 2010 when the SaaS boom changed how the software ecosystem worked. One of the major drawbacks of these solutions is they are designed as a one stop shop (like Shopify and Squarespace) or requires more extensive technical capabilities (like Wordpress or Google Sites). Software has been advancing faster than companies can adapt, the newer entrants have emerged with even easier to use drag and drop interfaces, more integrations, and different specializations.
Originally started in Australia in 2012, Canva is a graphic design tool that's aimed at making design simple for everyone. Perkins came up with the idea for Canva while she was at university and found it difficult to use more complex design software. She decided to create a tool where users could easily create professional-grade designs. Canva has since grown into a billion-dollar company with over 15 million users across 190 countries. The platform offers a multitude of templates for web and print media design and graphics. It also provides access to a stock library, which includes photographs, graphics, and fonts. Canva's easy-to-use design interface makes it a popular choice for both beginners and professionals.
Webflow was founded in 2013. The company was born out of a shared frustration with the complexities of traditional coding and the limitations of other design tools. Before founding Webflow, Vlad was a software engineer at Intuit where he saw firsthand the challenges of building for the web. This experience fueled his desire to make web design more accessible, leading to the creation of Webflow. The San Francisco-based startup has since grown remarkably, providing a visual web design tool that allows designers to design, build, and launch dynamic, responsive websites visually, while writing clean, semantic code for them. Today, Webflow empowers designers and developers in over 200 countries to create for the web.
Notion was founded in 2013 with the vision to create an all-in-one workspace where you can write, plan, collaborate, and organize. The application gained significant traction due to its unique take on note-taking and organization, with features likened to a combination of Google Docs, Confluence, Trello, and Jira. The platform has transformed the productivity space and is now trusted by companies like Pixar, IBM, and McDonald's. Today, Notion continues to rise in popularity, with a growing user-base attracted to its sleek design and versatile functionality.
Note: The information listed here is simplified and is static as of January 2024. It's recommended to explore each service provider for current details and offers.
Just because Google is shutting down websites built via the Google Business Profiles, there are plenty of options to choose from. Some can allow you to spin up your webpage in minutes as an interim or permanent solution so no disruption occurs in your business.
Now that you know your options, be mindful of the timelines set forth by Google.
Between now and then, to keep a website presence available, here are some recommended next steps:
If you need help outsourcing your work, you can hire freelancers on Upwork, which is our preferred outsourced contracting network. However, quality varies from freelancer to freelance, so be sure to do your homework in vetting candidates before taking the plunge.
From traditional service providers to the latest software options, there is an abundance of choices available. Explore our meticulously curated selection of websites that have been successfully migrated.
Get started today on migrating your website. Google's decision to sunset the websites built with Google Business Profiles may be nerve wracking for owners, but it's also an opportunity to give your business a whole new look and feel. Happy building!
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