Can you get seen on Google without a website?
Surprisingly yes, you can.
It’s called Google My Business and it's connected to Google Maps. By having a Google My Business listing customers will be able to find directions to your shop front using with Google Maps.
The 2nd way to be seen on Google without a website is by appearing in other websites which might get on page one.
In the above picture you can see three examples of being seen on page one on Google.
- Website
- Another website (in this example Eventbrite)
- Google My Business
Google Maps and Google My Business
The main, and most prominent listing, is Google My Business. The picture, the map and 5 star review give this listing a fantastic prominence.
First things first, you’ll need to get your business listed on Google Maps. Head over to our article with a video tutorial to show you how, if you haven’t already done this.
Google My Business
Once you've listed your business with Google Maps it's time to turn your focus to updating the listing. If you've got lost and you're not sure how to get back there, go to https://www.google.com/business and sign in using your Google account.
You can edit, change and update your business details in your Google My Business area, including:
- Opening hours
- Category of business
- Photos
- Reviews
Reviews
It’s great to get reviews on Google. Google reviews are part of the Google Business listing. Not only are reviews great for customer relations they'll help you get seen on Google when people are searching for you. Check out our article on how to get the link to your Google My Business listing to email or text to people to encourage them to give your business a review.
Time
Getting on page one on Google takes time. It may take anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks for your Google My Business listing to show up on page one when people search in Google using your business name. If it takes longer than this, you may need to put energy into:
- getting reviews
- adding photos
- updating information
Search Terms
Once your Google My Business listing is up and running you should be able to get found on Google when the search term is your business name. It will take a bit more effort to get seen on other search terms.
Other Websites (eg. Online Directories)
Being listed in a high ranking directory, in the example above the directory is EventBrite, is another way of getting your business on page one without a company website.
Other examples of other online directories are:
- Air B 'n B
- Car Sales
- Yellow Pages
- Trip Advisor
Lots of industries have their own unique websites where they list lots of like businesses. Often these websites will appear on page one, and if you're listed in it you might get the feature spot.
Head over to our Online Directories article to glean what directories could be valuable to your business.
As with Google My Business, keep your directory listing up-to-date and add in plenty of information and images as allowed.
Final Thought
While you can be seen on Google without a website, as these two examples demonstrate, having a website for your business will still give you the best chance of being seen.
