The free websites that Google Business Profile used to create stopped existing in 2024. Google first shut down the sites and started redirecting visitors to the Business Profile. After June 2024, the addresses stopped working for good. If you used one of these sites, you need to put a different address in the profile’s website field: your own site, a simple landing page, or at least a working link.
Many small businesses found this out when a customer complained that the profile link wouldn’t open. The website field is still there, but it points to a dead address.
What happened
For years, Google offered a website builder inside Business Profile, with an address in the format businessname.business.site. It was simple, free, and limited. In 2024, Google announced the end of these sites. They were shut down in March, redirected to the profile for a while, and starting in June, the addresses stopped responding.
If your profile still points to a business.site address, the customer who clicks “website” lands on an error page.
What to put in the website field
In order of preference:
- Your own website, preferably linking to the service or location page, not just the homepage.
- A simple landing page, with services, photos, reviews, a map, and a contact button.
- A booking or menu link from a reliable tool, if your business depends on that.
- If you have none of these, leave the field empty. A broken link is worse than no link.
Avoid putting your Instagram profile in the website field. Google may accept it, but a customer looking for straightforward information ends up frustrated, and you lose the chance to have a page that reinforces your profile.
Why your own website helps your profile
A website isn’t required to show up on Maps, but it helps in three ways:
- Relevance. Pages organized by service and by city help Google understand what you do and where.
- Prominence. A website with external links and mentions strengthens your business as a whole.
- Conversion. The customer who reaches your profile and clicks “website” wants to see more before calling.
Learn how these factors affect ranking in local SEO.
What kind of website is worth having
It doesn’t need to be big. For a local business, a good website has:
- A page for each main service, with what it is, who it’s for, price or price range when possible, and frequently asked questions.
- A contact page with the same name, address, and phone number as your profile, written the same way.
- Real reviews and real photos.
- Fast loading on mobile. Most visits come from there.
- A WhatsApp or phone button visible without scrolling.
After you change the link
Check three things on your profile:
- The link opens and loads fast on mobile.
- The link leads to the right page (location or service), not a generic page.
- The name, address, and phone number on the website match your profile.
Follow up on the rest of your profile with the optimization checklist and check out other recent changes in Google Business Profile updates.
Frequently asked questions
Can you recover the old website? No. The content wasn’t migrated. If you have the text and photos saved somewhere, they can serve as a starting point for your new site.
Do I need to pay for a website? There are free and paid options. The bigger cost is usually the time it takes to build it well, not the tool.
Does Google penalize a profile without a website? There’s no penalty, but you lose the boost a good website adds to your profile.
How do I know if my profile link is broken? Open your profile on your phone and tap “website.” Our free Google Business Profile audit also checks your site and its speed.