In a recent announcement, Google has revealed its plans to shutter basic websites created through Google Business Profiles.
The affected sites, specifically those ending in business.site and negocio.site, will face closure in March 2024, with Google redirecting customers to their respective Google Business Profiles.
Google advises users to update their Google Business Profile as soon as possible, and to change to a new website domain.
Act now or face the “Page not found”
After June 10, pages will no longer even be redirected.
Visitors attempting to access your Google Business Profile website will be met with a discouraging “page not found” error, as the website will have been inactive for around three months.
Google emphasises: “If you’d like to continue having a website for your business, consider creating a new website using other tools and updating your Business Profile with the new website address” to avoid inconvenience.
The quest for new website builders
In their official statement, Google also recommended exploring alternative website builders, emphasising the importance of a seamless transition for maintaining an active online presence.
Google sold its Domains business to Squarespace in 2023, and has been redirecting Google Domains customers to Squarespace ever since. But interestingly, in its list of the six website builders they officially recommend, Squarespace only snags second place, behind Wix.
The list also features GoDaddy, Google Sites, Shopify, and WordPress.
The clock is ticking – update your Google Business Profile by March to fight the 404 and keep your online presence intact.
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