Google’s Website Builder Shutdown: What Now for Small Businesses?

So Google is killing off their website builder. Because of course they are.

If you've been using Google's free website builder through Google My Business, you probably got the notification and felt that familiar sinking feeling. Your website is about to disappear, and you need to figure out what's next.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it. This sucks. But it's also not the end of the world. And honestly? It might push you toward something better.

What Was Google's Website Builder Anyway?

Google's website builder was basically the bare minimum. It was free, it was simple, and if you needed a basic online presence without learning to code, it got the job done. You could upload some photos, add your business info, create a few pages, and call it a day.

It wasn't fancy, but for a lot of small businesses, it was enough. You had something online, which is better than nothing.

Why Is Google Doing This?

Your guess is as good as mine. Google has a pretty terrible track record of abandoning products people actually use. There's literally a website called Google Graveyard that tracks all of them. They rarely explain why, and this time is no different.

What This Means For Your Business

Let's be real about the immediate problems:

Your website is going away. That means people can't find you online, can't see your hours, can't browse your products or services, and can't contact you through your site.

If you were getting leads or sales through that website, that revenue stream just dried up. And you're now in a scramble to replace it, which nobody has time for.

What You Should Actually Do

First: Don't spiral. I know it's frustrating, but this is fixable.

Second: Save everything from your current site. Download all your photos, copy your text, grab whatever you can. Unfortunately, Google doesn't make this easy. You'll probably have to do it manually by copying and pasting and saving images one by one.

Third: Look at your options. There are plenty of website builders out there: Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, Shopify (if you're selling products). They all have different strengths. Some are easier to use, some give you more control, some are better for specific industries.

Fourth: Decide if you want to DIY this again or hire someone. If you don't have the time or patience to build another website yourself, it might be worth paying a designer. Yes, it costs money upfront, but you get something custom that actually represents your business well.

The Upside (Yes, There Is One)

Here's the thing: Google's builder was pretty limited. If you're being forced to rebuild anyway, you might as well build something better.

Modern website builders have features your old site didn't. Better mobile optimization, easier e-commerce, actual SEO tools, nicer templates. Your new site can actually work for your business instead of just existing.

Should You Hire a Designer?

Depends on your situation.

If you have the time and you're comfortable with technology, another DIY builder might be fine. But if you're busy running your business, or if your website actually drives revenue, hiring a pro might make sense.

A good designer will:

• Build something that looks professional and actually represents your brand

• Make sure it works properly on phones and computers

• Set up the SEO right from the start

• Save you hours of frustration and YouTube tutorial watching

• Stick around to help if something breaks

Yes, it costs money. But your website is often the first thing potential customers see. If it looks cheap or broken, that's what they'll assume about your business.

Bottom Line

Google dumped their website builder, and now you have to deal with it. It's annoying, but you can either throw together another basic site or use this as a reason to finally build something good.

Don't let your business go dark online. People need to be able to find you. Whether you use another builder or hire help, just make sure you actually get it done.

The internet isn't going anywhere, and neither should your business.