A question often comes up among entrepreneurs just starting out: "I already have a Google Business Profile and an Instagram account, do I really need to invest in a website?"
It is a legitimate question because creating a website requires time and money. Yet the answer is yes, it is important for your visibility.
Let's see why your website is necessary for your local SEO and how it will help you reach more customers.
🤝 The Winning Duo: Google Business Profile and Website
Your Google Business Profile and your website are two complementary tools. Imagine your online presence like a physical store:
- Your Google Profile is your shop window. It's what people see when passing by on the street (search results). It gives the urgent info: "Is it open?", "Where is it?", "Are they nice (reviews)?".
- Your website is the interior of the shop. This is where the customer enters to discover your expertise, see your products in detail, and be convinced to buy.
If you only have a window (the Google Profile), it's a good start. But to convince Google to highlight you over your competitors, it needs more information.
🔍 Why Google Needs Your Site to Rank You
Google has a simple goal: to offer the most relevant answer to the user. To do this, it must understand exactly who you are and what you do.
Your Google Profile is limited in information. You cannot tell your whole story or detail every service there. That's where the website comes into play for your SEO.
Google scans your site constantly. It looks for proofs of your activity:
- Your precise service areas.
- The details of your services.
- Your expertise and diplomas.
The more clear information your site contains, the more trust (weight) Google will give it. This is also true for your Google Profile because the two are linked.
Key figures
According to a study by Whitespark (a world reference in local SEO), your website accounts for almost 20% of Google's algorithm. Without a site, you are depriving yourself of a good chunk of visibility.
This is true for Google, and recently for ChatGPT and AI.
🤖 Anticipate Searches on ChatGPT
More and more customers are asking questions to AIs like ChatGPT or Gemini. And these questions are becoming increasingly detailed.
For example, a customer might ask: "Find me a craftsman in Lyon who uses ecological paints and can intervene on Saturdays."
To answer, the AI must "read" this information somewhere:
- Your Google Profile only indicates "Painter".
- It is your website that specifies "Ecological paints" and "Weekend intervention".
Without a website detailing your services, the AI cannot know that you are the right answer and will recommend your competitor who has written it on their site.
✅ A Guarantee of Credibility for Your Clients
Beyond Google and AIs, think about your clients. Today, the number one reflex before contacting a craftsman or a therapist is to check their seriousness.
A website, even a simple one, acts as a virtual business card available 24/7. It immediately reassures the prospect:
- "This company really exists."
- "I can see photos of their work."
If a competitor has a clear and reassuring site and you only have a phone number on a directory, the client will naturally head towards the more transparent of the two.
🛡️ Keep Control of Your Business
This is a point often overlooked: your Google Business Profile… belongs to Google.
If tomorrow the algorithm changes, if your profile is suspended by mistake (this happens unfortunately too often), you lose everything.
Your website is your property. It is your "home" on the internet. It is a lasting asset for your business that no one can take away from you. It centralizes your image and serves as a safety net. In digital marketing, we often say that you shouldn't build your house on rented land!
🚀 No Need for a Complex System: Start Simple
Rest assured, you don't need a $5,000 site with animations everywhere to be effective. For a local entrepreneur, efficiency comes before complexity.
The essentials of an effective site to improve your visibility, it simply needs to contain:
- A clear Home page: who are you? What do you do? Where do you operate?
- An "About" page: to humanize your business (your story, your values, with photos).
- Distinct "Services" pages: one page per main service to help Google rank you well on each topic.
- A "Contact" page: with your exact contact details.
Attention, the consistency of your information is important. Make sure your name, address, and phone number are identical on your site, your Google Profile, and the directories where you are listed. This is important for search engines.
In Summary
Having a website is not a superfluous expense, it is a profitable investment for your development and turnover. It is one of the 5 pillars of SEO as explained in our guide to improving your visibility.
Do not look for perfection. It is better to have a visually simple site that highlights your services and information in detail.
Concrete example
Sarah, an osteopath in Boston, had a filled-out Google Profile, but her phone rarely rang for her pediatric consultations, her specialty. Google didn't "guess" her specialty.
Sarah created a simple 3-page site, including one dedicated to osteopathy for babies.
Result: Google read this page, understood her expertise, and started showing her Google Profile when parents searched for "baby osteopath Boston". Her schedule filled up.
Take Action
You already have a site but you don't know if it really helps your SEO?
Begonia.pro audits your website and your Google Profile, and gives you clear advice to improve your SEO.
