On January 8, Google announced the forthcoming closure (March 01, 2024) of the free websites often created by retailers in parallel with Google My Business listings. I took a few days to analyze the various impacts. and try to answer that question “but whyiiiii?”
Summary and contents of the page
What is/was this free google .site service?
Google Sites is a website creation service offered by Google. It allows users to easily create and modify websites using an online editor. The service is free of charge and is part of Google’s suite of productivity tools, known as Google Workspace (formerly G Suite). With Google Sites, users can create sites for personal or professional projects, such as portfolios, educational projects, corporate intranets and more.
Google Sites offers a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to set up various website elements, such as text, images, and integrations with other Google services like Google Drive, YouTube, and Google Maps. Users can choose from a variety of templates and customize the look and feel of their site. The sites created are also automatically optimized for mobile devices.
This service is particularly appreciated for its simplicity and integration with other Google tools, making it easy to collaborate and share information within teams and groups.
Many people were unaware of this feature, which had been virtually hidden since the graphical redesign of Google Business profil: https: //support.google.com/business/answer/7178589?hl=fr&visit_id=638411030396387776-2499709597&rd=1
How many sites around the world are .site or business.site?
Now that hurts! 85,000,000 websites are under this .site extension!
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=site%3A.site
If we look at the sub-domains linked to google my business (business.site), there are 23,000,000 websites.
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%253Abusiness.site&client=firefox-b-d
It’s not bad at all… a good niche for web agencies in need of leads!
What’s the difference between .site and .business. site?
In 2015, Google owned 18095 domain names, as well as ntlds (its own extensions) including .site.
For each extension, Google can create its own domains or sub-domains, which adds up to an enormous portfolio. Don’t forget that Google is an official registrar: https: //www.registry.google/register-a-domain/ even if the latter says that as of February 07, 2023, Google no longer wants to manage domains for third parties and has ceded its portfolio to Squarespace.
But back to the .site we had several types of subdomains:
- .negocio.site
- .business.site
and so many others that my robots tell me to look elsewhere when I ask them to…;-)
I myself had a site: poleetic.business.site
Is the disappearance of these merchant sites a problem?
Google’s announcement can be read in several ways:
1st reading: the use of these sites :
Clearly, if merchants had put these .site addresses on their business cards, quotes, professional vehicles, etc. (in other words, all their point-of-sale advertising), they’re going to have to redo everything! And they’ve only got 2 months to turn around!
2nd reading: the effectiveness of these sites
In terms of Google visibility and referencing, these sites were useless, unless you had linked to them on your Google My Business page.
No one ever saw a .site in the first results of a Google search
What exactly does google say in its communication about closing .site
Websites created with Google property records will soon be deactivated.
As of March 1, 2024, customers will be redirected to your site details when they visit these websites
You’ve used a Google feature to create simple websites based on the information in your business cards.
This feature will disappear in the coming months, and it will no longer be possible to use it. As a result, any sites you have created using this tool will be deleted. To ensure a smooth transition, from March 1, 2024 onwards, customers will be redirected to your site files.
You can also add links to social networks, so that your customers can find out more. Customers visiting your websites will be redirected until June 10, 2024. After this date, your sites will be marked as unavailable.
Indicate another website in your listings
You can update your business listing so that it redirects users to another website. If you want to create a site, you can use a dedicated tool like Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Google Sites, Shopify or WordPress.
So good news for merchants who used this url on their POS advertising: “To ensure a smooth transition, as of March 1, 2024, customers will be redirected to your store cards.”
At least no lost leads!
Google also provides other help on the subject:
So why this removal of the .site?
There are several possible answers:
- The sale of extensions to Squarespace last year may explain this: why offer a free website to someone whose lead details you already have on your google my business page?
- A duplicate service with https://sites.google.com another free service (and also poorly visible and referenced (but in google.com extension…;-)
- The big clean-up in Google My Business and its options with the DMA law also arriving in March!
My recommendation:
Every crisis is an opportunity! It’s time to act and make the right digital foundation for this year:
- Save your current .site content
- Get a small hosting package from OVH or O2switch
- Call on an agency to redesign your Wordpress website
It will be much more visible, and that can only boost your visibility and therefore the appeal of your brand.
