If you’re a trade business owner, you’ve probably wondered: “Do I actually need a website if I’ve got a Google Business Profile?”
Here’s the honest answer: Google Business can generate leads fast — but relying on it alone is risky. A strong website plus a well-optimised GBP is what creates consistent, scalable enquiries.
What Google Business Profile is best for
Google Business Profile (GBP) is brilliant for:
• ‘Near me’ and urgent searches (emergency plumber, locksmith, etc.)
• Getting calls quickly
• Showing reviews and trust at a glance
• Helping you appear on Google Maps
If your profile is complete, active, and reviewed, it can outperform a weak website in the short term.
Where Google Business falls short
GBP has limitations:
• You don’t fully control it (Google can change features, suspend profiles, or reduce visibility)
• You can’t explain your services properly in depth
• You can’t guide visitors through a tailored conversion journey
• You can’t build strong topical authority the same way you can with service pages and content
Think of GBP as a shop window — not the entire shop.
What a website is best for
A trade website does four jobs that GBP can’t do well:
1) Explain and differentiate your services
2) Capture enquiries 24/7 with the right forms and CTAs
3) Rank for more searches (service + location combinations)
4) Build trust with case studies, accreditations, and detailed proof
If you want better quality leads (commercial work, higher-value jobs), a website becomes essential.
The best setup: GBP drives clicks, website converts
This is the model we see work best:
• Google Business Profile brings visibility and trust
• The website turns that attention into enquiries
A customer might see your GBP, check reviews, then click through to your site to verify:
• Are you legit?
• Do you do my type of job?
• Do you cover my area?
• How do I get a quote quickly?
When your website answers those questions quickly, your conversion rate climbs.
If you only have budget for one right now…
If you’re starting from scratch:
• Get GBP set up properly first (it’s often the fastest ROI)
• Then add a simple but high-quality website that converts
If you already have GBP but enquiries are inconsistent:
• Improve your website and add service pages
• Strengthen local SEO so you rank beyond just the Maps pack
How automation helps once enquiries increase
When your visibility improves, the next bottleneck is response time.
Even small automations can help:
• Instant ‘we received your enquiry’ replies
• Follow-up reminders for quotes
• Simple job tracking
