Get a Competitive Edge: Create a Website, Fast
If I have an online business listing, do I need a business website?
Is there an easy way to create a business website?
How do I use the website feature in Google My Business?
Imagine Catarina needs to find a caterer for her grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary.
Her entire family will be at the party, including Judgmental Aunt Joana and Critical Cousin Carlos. So, understandably, Catarina wants the best caterer she can find. She searches online and finds 2 business listings for local caterers.
There’s Saul, who has his address, phone number, and business hours listed. And Lia, who has the same information listed but also has a link to her business website. Which listing might get more attention from Catarina?
Let’s say Saul has been using a social media profile for his business. He’s been happy with it so far, but suspects he could be attracting more customers.
So, Saul decides that creating a business website might help him better connect with people looking for products and services like his, and grow his business online.
But, Saul feels that putting a site together is a giant, complicated task. He needs to register a domain name, find a hosting provider, design the site, and more. He worries that he doesn’t have the time or the money to do all of it.
Fortunately for Saul, Google My Business has an easy, no charge tool that can help him create a simple-yet-professional site in less than 10 minutes.
Saul can register his own domain name and make sure his site is mobile-friendly in a few simple steps. That means he can keep cooking canapés while he’s creating a website.
His site will also prominently display his business phone number and his location on Google Maps and Search. So, site visitors will immediately know how to contact him and find him.
And once Saul’s site is up and running, he can manage and update it from his mobile phone – which is invaluable to Saul, since he’s usually too busy kneading dough to spend a lot of time on his laptop.
To create his no charge website, Saul signs into Google My Business at google.com/business
He doesn’t have a Google My Business account or listing yet, so he uses the step-by-step guide to set one up. He enters his business’ name, address, main phone number, and category.
Once he sets up his Google My Business account, he’s given the option to start creating his site now or later. Since he was able to create his account pretty fast, he decides to go ahead and start his site.
Saul’s website is automatically created using all of the important business information from his Google My Business account. He then has the chance to edit different site elements, like the design and color scheme.
He can add more information, like his company’s tagline: Saul Knows Sauce. He can also include a description of his business by adding a page title (AKA summary header) and text (AKA summary description).
Saul also has the option of adding photos to his site – which is a perfect way for him to showcase all of his delectable dishes and desserts.
Saul previews his site and clicks “Publish” to make it go live. He then looks at the Google domains he can choose from.
Google My Business automatically gives him the standard domain at no charge. It has his business’ name + business + site: SaulCatering.business.site (Depending on where you live, your URL might look different.)
Saul has the option of changing the first part of that domain to whatever he’d like. For example, he might want to add his location in: SaulCateringTexas.business. site
While Saul can get creative with the first part of the domain, he shouldn’t get TOO creative. After all, his domain name is like a sign on a physical store – he wants it to be memorable and stand out to customers, but also be easy to find.
If people are searching online for a caterer, they can probably find SaulCatering.business.site fairly easily. But they most likely wouldn’t discover SaulLovesTexas.business.site
Saul can keep this Google domain name forever. But, in certain locations, businesses can buy custom domains like “.com” from Google Domains.
Saul decides to buy a custom domain. He’s shown suggested domains and can search to see if the one he wants is available for him to buy. He can also see what the annual cost of that domain would be. (The price usually starts at $12/year.)
To make it easy for people to find his business, Saul keeps his new domain name short and simple to remember and spell. He avoids using hyphens or numbers, and tries to use “.com” since it’s the most widely recognized domain extension.
He also puts an important search keyword in his domain name, like “catering.” When people unfamiliar with his business search for a caterer, his domain name will let them know he provides that service.
Once Saul buys the domain name, Google My Business automatically links it to his site. He’s now searchable online. And, whenever he needs to update his site, he can visit his Google My Business dashboard.
DO THIS NOW
Whether you’re ready to create a business site right now or you’re interested in creating one in the future, there are a few steps you can take to prepare.
If you’re participating in the course, go to the next section to access your self assessment.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Adding a website to your business listing helps attract customers searching for local business information.
Gold My Business offers to a free, easy way to create your first website.
Log into (or start) your Google My Business account, and then follow the step-by-step instructions to create a site.