Plenty of contractors run a busy shop from a Google Business Profile and word of mouth. If that’s you, it’s a fair question. The profile is free, it shows up in Maps, and it holds your reviews.
What your Google profile does well
- Puts you on the map, literally, for nearby searches.
- Shows reviews, hours, photos and a call button.
- Takes messages and, with some software, bookings.
What it can’t do
Answer the real questions
A homeowner comparing you with two other companies wants to know more than your star rating: what you charge to come out, whether you do their kind of job, how long it takes, what happens if something’s wrong with it later. A profile has room for a short description and a services list. A website has room for the answers.
Rank for specific jobs
Someone searching “tankless water heater installation” or “Class 4 shingles cost” is often looking for an explanation before a phone number. A website page about that exact job can appear in those searches. A profile mostly can’t.
Back up your profile
Google looks at the website linked from your profile to understand what you do and where you work. A thin or missing site gives it less to go on.
Belong to you
Google can change how profiles look, what they show and what they cost at any time. A website, on a domain you own, is the one piece of your marketing nobody else controls.
When you might not need one yet
If you’re booked solid for months on referrals alone and don’t plan to grow, a website can wait. Even then, a simple one protects your name: when someone searches it, you want them to find you, not a directory listing you don’t control.
What should a contractor’s website do that the Google profile can’t?
- Explain each service in depth, with prices or ranges.
- Show your process: what happens from the first call to the finished job.
- Answer the questions homeowners are nervous to ask, like after-hours fees.
- Carry the license and insurance details your state expects.
- Take requests and bookings straight into your scheduling software.
- Rank for specific jobs and towns in regular search results.
How do the website and the Google profile work together?
Think of the profile as the storefront sign and the website as the store. The profile gets you noticed in Maps and shows your reviews. Someone who wants to know more taps through to the website, reads your prices and process, and calls. Keep your business name, phone number and services identical on both, link the profile to the most relevant page of the site, and add the site’s service pages to match the services on the profile.
The minimum website for a busy contractor
If you’re booked out and don’t want a big site, five things cover most of the value: a home page with your number and service area, one page per main service, an about page with your license and photos, a contact page with a request form, and reviews. That small site still answers the questions the profile can’t, and it protects your name in search.