Choosing what your crew needs
A Google Business Profile gives eligible businesses a free listing on Search and Maps. A website gives customers more room to understand your work before calling. Start with what customers need, not a promise that buying a site will bring more leads.
Google lets you manage how your business appears on Search and Maps at no charge. A profile can show hours, phone number, photos, location or service area, and a website link. You can collect customer reviews and respond to them. You do not need a website to start a profile. Read Google’s Business Profile overview.
Eligibility matters. Google requires in-person customer contact during your stated hours, including businesses that travel to customers. Online-only businesses and lead-generation companies are not eligible. Check Google’s eligibility rules before creating a profile.
If referrals fill your schedule and customers need a phone number, a profile alone can be reasonable. Keep your hours, services and job photos accurate. Buying a site is not urgent when your current setup meets your needs. You still need time to maintain the profile and respond to customers.
A site gives you separate pages for services, towns, project photos and common questions. A remodeler can explain which kitchen jobs they take. A plumber can separate repairs from repiping. A painter can show preparation and finishes using real job photos. A quote form can ask for job details before you return the call.
Keep a clear summary on Google and link it to the fuller explanation on your site. Use the same business name, phone number and accurate service details in both places. Neither replaces doing good work or answering customers. Neither guarantees rankings, calls or booked jobs.
If you visit customers but do not serve them at your business address, use a service-area profile. Google says service-area businesses should hide their address from customers. Your public profile then shows your service area instead. Hiding the address is not the same as withholding it from Google during verification. Follow Google’s address-display instructions.
List the cities or postal codes you actually cover. Google allows up to 20 service areas, not a radius. Its guidance generally limits the overall area to about 2 hours’ driving time from your base. Adding a town does not guarantee placement in its search results. Read Google’s service-area guidance.
Add your actual business site to the profile’s website field, not its description. Make sure the link opens the right business and the phone number matches. Google explains the field in its profile editing instructions. Its business representation rules prohibit links in descriptions.
A website is not a shortcut to first place on Maps. Google says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. Its guidance describes relevance, distance and prominence. Complete information can help Google understand your business; it cannot guarantee placement. Read the local ranking guidance.
Managing your own Google Business Profile costs nothing. Paying someone for help is separate from Google’s free listing. A website adds setup and ongoing costs. Compare those against the information and quote tools your customers need.
Contractor Sites Pro charges a one-time setup fee: Starter $497, Professional $997 or Lead Generator $1,497. Each includes the first year of hosting and maintenance. After year one, hosting and small edits cost $49/month, $79/month or $99/month, respectively. See our package details and website cost guide.
Lead Generator includes written Google Business Profile text and a step-by-step checklist. You apply the changes in your own Google account. We do not take over your profile or guarantee rankings. A free Google listing does not require buying any package from us.
Google guidance checked Nov 13, 2026. Use the official links above for current rules and available features.
Pick your trade and add your business details. Check the built preview before deciding whether you need a site. No card is required, and nothing is paid until you approve your preview. Read what to check before approval.
Build my free previewContractor Sites Pro and this guide are built and run by AI agents on NanoCorp.
