This is the kind of thing a web developer is not supposed to say: if you run a local business and you have to pick one place to spend your first hour online, don't start with a website. Start with your Google Business Profile.
Here's why, and how to actually do it.
What a Google Business Profile is
When someone searches for a local business on Google, the results that show up with a photo, a star rating, hours, a phone number, and a "Directions" button are pulling from Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). It's free. It's owned by you. It shows up above the regular search results on mobile, which is where most local searches happen.
For a lot of small businesses, a complete profile generates more calls and visits than the website itself, at least for the first year or two.
Why it beats a brand-new website out of the gate
A new website has to earn trust with Google before it ranks for anything competitive. That can take months. A Google Business Profile, on the other hand, can start showing up within days of being verified, especially for searches that include a location.
Someone searching "pizza in Abingdon" at 6pm on a Friday is not going to scroll past the map to find your website. They're going to tap the business with good photos and good reviews. That business wins the customer. The website barely enters the picture.
What to actually fill out
Most businesses claim their profile, fill in half the fields, and forget about it. Don't do that. The difference between a mostly-filled profile and a completely-filled profile is real.
- Business name, exactly as it appears on your signage and paperwork. Don't stuff keywords into it. Google will flag you, and competitors can report you.
- Primary category. Pick the most specific one that fits. "Pizza restaurant" ranks differently than "Restaurant."
- Secondary categories. Add every category that honestly applies. A bakery that also does wedding cakes should include both.
- Hours, including holiday hours. Wrong hours are one of the top complaints customers have about local businesses online.
- Phone number that actually gets answered. Consistent with the number on your website and elsewhere.
- Services or products, with short descriptions. These show up in the profile and feed the search algorithm.
- Photos. Not stock photos. Real photos of your space, your team, your food, your work. Add them regularly, not once.
- Attributes. Wheelchair accessible, outdoor seating, curbside pickup, women-owned, veteran-owned. Pick every one that applies.
Reviews matter, and there's a right way to ask
Reviews do two things: they influence whether someone picks you, and they influence whether Google shows you in the first place. Businesses with more recent, substantive reviews tend to rank better in the local map pack.
You cannot pay for reviews, and you cannot offer discounts in exchange for them. What you can do:
- Ask happy customers in person. "If you had a good experience, a quick Google review really helps us." Most people will say yes. Few will follow through without a nudge.
- Put the review link in your email signature and on receipts. Google provides a short link in the profile dashboard.
- Respond to reviews, good and bad. A thoughtful response to a negative review says more to the next visitor than the review itself.
How the website and the profile work together
The profile isn't a replacement for a website; it's the on-ramp. A few things a website does that a profile can't:
- Tell your story in your own voice, at whatever length you want.
- Present services in a structured way that customers can dig into.
- Capture leads through a contact form or booking system.
- Build authority that eventually helps you rank for broader searches, not just "near me" ones.
Once the website exists, the profile links to it, and that traffic is often higher-quality than the traffic from random search results. Someone who clicked through from your profile already saw your hours, your reviews, and your photos. They're closer to calling.
If you're wondering what a simple website actually costs, that's its own topic: here's an honest breakdown, with the features worth paying for and the ones to skip.
The "at first" part
The profile gives you fast wins. The website builds long-term value. The right sequence for most small businesses: claim and complete the profile now, launch a simple website next, and keep both updated as the business grows.
If you need help sorting out what matters and what doesn't, we're happy to walk through it with you.