Over the last few years I've seen the same scene play out in conversations with small-firm owners: someone noticed that when you search for services on Google, the first results are from the map — Google business profiles with ratings, phone numbers, photos. The website is somewhere further down. And then they ask a reasonable question:
"Do I even need a website, or is having a Google profile enough?"
It's an honest question and it deserves an honest answer. The answer is: you need both, but they don't do the same job. The biggest mistake I see is investing in one while ignoring the other.
This article separates what each of them actually does, why they reinforce each other, and how to properly allocate your time and attention.
What a Google business profile actually does
A Google business profile (formerly Google My Business) is your visibility. It's what Google shows when someone searches "accountant Novi Sad" or "employment lawyer Belgrade".
What it does well:
- Shows you in search results, with a photo, rating, phone number, hours
- Lets a client call or message with one tap, without entering the site
- Collects reviews that build trust before anyone actually meets you
- Shows where you're located on a map
What it doesn't do:
- Doesn't explain who you are, what makes you different, what your specialties are
- Doesn't introduce your people, your approach, your results
- Doesn't qualify the client — everyone sees you the same way
- Doesn't build a long-term brand
A Google profile is your billboard at the busiest intersection in town. It catches attention. But it doesn't explain anything.
What a website actually does
A website is your closer. It's what a client looks at after they've found you — whether through Google, through a referral, or through the Google profile.
What it does well:
- Explains in detail what you do and who you do it for
- Shows your approach, your people, your values
- Qualifies the client — someone who isn't right for you will self-select out
- Builds trust in ways reviews can't
- Gives you control over what the client sees
What it doesn't do:
- Doesn't generate visibility on its own (that's a separate job — SEO, ads)
- Doesn't catch the client who's searching right now, phone in hand, while standing in a queue
A website is your office. The client who walks in — stays to talk. But to walk in, they first need to know where you are.
Why you need both
Think about how a client actually makes a decision.
A client searches "real estate lawyer Belgrade" on Google. They see the top three results from the map — Google profiles. They click one, see a 4.8 rating with fifty reviews, see business hours, think "okay, this looks serious". Then — and this is the important part — they click through to the website.
Now what?
If there's no website, the client has a dilemma. Maybe they call directly. But in nearly half the cases, they'll go compare with a firm that has both a Google profile and a website, because they want to verify who you are before they call.
If the site exists but is bad — loads slowly, doesn't work on a phone, isn't clear about what you do — the client concludes the firm may not be serious. They go back to the search results.
If the site exists and passes the ten-second test — the client has everything they need. They call.
The Google profile gets them to the door. The website closes the deal. If either one isn't working — you lose clients at different points in the funnel.
How to allocate your time and money
Here's a practical order, for a small-firm owner with a limited budget and limited time:
First, if you don't have a Google profile yet, set one up. It's free, takes a few hours, and you get visibility immediately. Fill out everything — office photos, people, hours, phone, services, description. Ask satisfied clients to leave reviews.
Second, check what your current site is doing. If it passes the ten-second test, works on a phone, and the contact form actually sends — maybe it's fine and just needs small corrections. If not — don't invest more money in ads and SEO until the site works. You'd be sending visitors to a site that pushes them away.
Third, once both work — connect them. Link from the Google profile to the site. Link from the site to the Google profile ("leave us a review"). Same photos, same tone, same name in both systems.
Only then does it make sense to think about ads, more content, or more complex SEO.
What's next
This was the fifth and final article in the series on how a small firm's website can actually bring in clients.
We've gone through:
- why most websites don't do what they should,
- the specific mistakes I see constantly,
- what a good site looks like from a client's perspective,
- what it all costs and why quotes vary,
- how a website and Google profile work together.
If you've read all of this, you already know more about your own website than most small-firm owners. The next step is to go through your site with all this in mind — or to let someone do it for you.
I do free audits for small professional firms — law offices, accounting practices, consultants. The review takes about one working day, and you get a concrete document with what's working, what isn't, and what would make sense to fix. No obligation.
Feel free to reach out if you're interested.