Google has announced the shutdown of its websites made with Google My Business (GMB) profiles, a move that will affect numerous small business owners who rely on this platform for their online presence.  

Hence, it’s crucial to migrate your website to a new hosting provider to ensure your online visibility remains uninterrupted.  

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps on how to migrate google a business website. 

Things to know Before Migration 

 Before migrating your GMB website, it’s important to consider several key factors to ensure a smooth transition and maintain your online presence: 

Website Backup 

Before you move your website, make sure to save all the content, including text, pictures, and other files. Google My Business doesn’t have a quick way to do this, so you’ll need to copy the text manually into a document like Word or Google Docs. For pictures and other files, download them one by one to your computer or save them online.  

 Website Structure 

When setting up your new website, think about how you want to arrange your content so it’s easy for people to find what they’re looking for. If your old website had a section about your company, you might want to make a separate “About Us” page on the new site to share more about your business’s background and goals. 

 SEO 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps make your new website easy to find on search engines like Google. Start by researching keywords that people use to search for products or services like yours. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner to find these keywords. Then, add these keywords to your website’s text, headings, and meta tags (like title tags and descriptions). This helps search engines know what your website is about, which can help your website appear higher in search results. 

Steps to Migrate Google My Business Website 

 Here’s how to transfer GMB website: 

 Step 1: Prepare Your Website Content 

Before you start the migration process, ensure you have a backup of all your website content. This includes text, images, and any other media you’ve used on your Google Business Profile website. Since Google doesn’t offer a direct export feature, you’ll need to manually copy and save your content. 

 Step 2: Choose a New Hosting Provider 

Select a new hosting provider that meets your website’s needs. BigRock is an excellent choice, offering a variety of hosting plans and domain registration services. Visit the BigRock website to explore your options and choose a plan that suits your business requirements. 

 Step 3: Set Up Your New Website 

Once you’ve secured your hosting and domain, it’s time to set up your new website. BigRock offers an intuitive website builder and supports popular content management systems like WordPress. Use these tools to recreate your website, utilizing the content you backed up from your Google Business Profile site. 

 Step 4: Update Your Domain Settings 

If your domain was registered through Google, you’ll need to transfer it to BigRock or update the DNS settings to point to your new hosting provider. This ensures that visitors to your domain will be directed to your new website hosted on BigRock. 

 Step 5: Test and Launch Your New Website 

Before officially launching your new website, conduct thorough testing to ensure everything is functioning correctly. Check all pages, links, and features to ensure a smooth user experience. Once you’re satisfied with the performance, go ahead and launch your new site. 

 Step 6: Update Your Google Business Profile 

Don’t forget to update your Google Business Profile with your new website’s URL. This ensures that customers searching for your business on Google will be directed to your updated website. 

Post-Migration Checklist  

 Once your GMB website is migrated and live on its new hosting platform, follow these steps to ensure everything runs smoothly: 

 Update Google My Business listing:

Log in to your Business Profile Manager account and update the website link to reflect the new URL. 

 Update social media profiles:

Update the website link on all your social media profiles and inform your followers about the change. 

 Submit sitemap:

Create a sitemap for your new website and submit it to search engines like Google for better indexing and ranking. 

 Configure email:

Set up a new email address for your business using the new domain. 

 Monitor performance:

Use tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights to evaluate your website’s performance and optimize site speed for better user experience.

READ: Why You Need a Custom Email Address For Your Business 

How Bigrock’s Website Builder can help 

BigRock’s website builder is a powerful tool that can significantly simplify the process of migrating your GMB website.  

Here’s how it can help: 

User-Friendly Interface 

BigRock’s website builder features a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for anyone to create a professional-looking website, regardless of technical expertise. This means you can quickly and efficiently rebuild your website without needing to learn complex web development skills. 

 Pre-Designed Templates 

The website builder offers a wide range of pre-designed templates that are tailored for various business types and industries. You can choose a template that closely matches your original Google Business Profile website’s design and customize it to fit your brand’s aesthetic. 

 Drag-and-Drop Functionality 

With its drag-and-drop functionality, BigRock’s website builder allows you to easily add, remove, and rearrange elements on your web pages. This feature is particularly useful when recreating your website, as it enables you to replicate your original layout and content placement without hassle. 

 Responsive Design 

All templates in BigRock’s website builder are responsive, meaning your new website will automatically adjust to look great on any device, whether it’s a desktop, tablet, or smartphone. This is crucial for providing a seamless user experience and improving your site’s search engine rankings. 

 Integrated SEO Tools 

The website builder includes integrated SEO tools that help you optimize your website for search engines. This is important for maintaining and potentially improving your online visibility after migrating from Google Business Profile. 

 Quick Publishing 

Once you’ve recreated your website using BigRock’s website builder, you can quickly publish it with just a few clicks. This means you can minimize downtime and ensure your customers have continuous access to your online presence. 

 Support and Resources 

BigRock provides support and resources to help you navigate the website builder and address any challenges you may encounter during the migration process. This includes tutorials, FAQs, and customer support via phone, chat, or email.  

As we wrap up, remember to migrate your Google My Business website before it closes to prevent any interruptions.  

Back up your content, select a new hosting provider such as BigRock, set up your new site, update your domain settings, and inform your audience.  

BigRock’s website builder can make this transition smoother, ensuring your site creation is seamless.