What WordPress services do you offer?

I offer comprehensive WordPress services including custom development, WooCommerce store building, plugin development, theme customisation, speed optimisation, security hardening, maintenance, and migration services.

How much does WordPress development cost in South Africa?

WordPress development costs depend on the scope and complexity of your project. Every website is unique, so I provide custom quotes based on your specific requirements. Contact me for a free consultation and detailed quote.

Do you build custom WordPress plugins?

Yes, I specialise in custom WordPress and WooCommerce plugin development. I build bespoke plugins for payment gateways, shipping methods, inventory management, API integrations, and business-specific functionality.

Can you integrate South African payment gateways?

Absolutely. I have extensive experience integrating South African payment gateways including PayFast, Yoco, Peach Payments, and SnapScan with WooCommerce stores.

Can you help with an existing WooCommerce store?

Yes, I work with existing WooCommerce stores for optimisation, custom development, troubleshooting, migrations, and ongoing maintenance.

Do you offer ongoing WordPress support?

Yes, I offer WordPress maintenance and priority support packages that include regular updates, backups, security monitoring, and guaranteed response times for issue resolution.

What areas do you service?

While based in Cape Town, I work with clients throughout South Africa and internationally. All communication and work can be handled remotely.

How long does it take to build a WooCommerce store?

A basic WooCommerce store typically takes 1-2 weeks, while complex stores with custom functionality, integrations, and advanced features can take 2-4 weeks depending on requirements.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Transferring Your Google Business Profile Website to WordPress

By Editorial Team |February 23, 2024

The announcement that Google will discontinue its Business Profile website service has prompted many business owners to seek guidance on migrating their online presence to WordPress before the shutdown becomes permanent.

In March 2024, Google plans to deactivate over 21.7 million websites built through Google Business Profiles, continuing a pattern of the company phasing out various products and services.

If your business will be impacted by this change, now is the ideal time to transition your website to a more reliable platform.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the complete process of moving your Google Business Profile website to WordPress.

Here is what we will cover in this detailed tutorial. You can use the links below to navigate directly to specific sections:

Reasons to Transfer Your Google Business Profile Site to WordPress
Advantages of Selecting WordPress for Your Website
Step 1: Back Up Your Google Business Profile Site Content
Step 2: Selecting a Web Hosting Service for Your Site
Step 3: Install and Configure WordPress
Step 4: Transfer Content From Your Business Profile Site to WordPress
Step 5: Optimize Your Business Site for Local Search
Step 6: Update Your Website URL in Google Business Profile
Additional Recommendations: Install WordPress Plugins to Enhance Your Site

Reasons to Transfer Your Google Business Profile Site to WordPress

When establishing a Google Business Profile, users previously had the option to create a complimentary single-page website if they didn't already have an online presence.

This feature allowed potential customers searching locally to access comprehensive business information, including operating hours, physical locations, contact details, directions, and a dedicated website.

However, Google has announced it will terminate Business Profile websites in March 2024. Following the service closure, visitors will be redirected to your Business Profile page temporarily.

This redirection will only function until June 10, 2024. After this date, anyone attempting to access your previous site will encounter a 'page not found' error message.

This situation could negatively impact your business by making it appear less professional. Additionally, customers would lose access to detailed information about your company, products, and services.

Consequently, your conversion rates might decline, potentially causing you to lose customers to competing businesses.

For these reasons, migrating your Google Business Profile site to WordPress represents a crucial step in maintaining your online presence.

Advantages of Selecting WordPress for Your Website

WordPress stands as the world's most widely used website platform, powering over 43% of all websites on the internet.

One of its primary benefits is that WordPress is both free and open-source. By transitioning your Google Business Profile site to WordPress, you gain significantly more control and flexibility over your online presence.

For example, you maintain complete ownership of all your content without depending on third-party platforms. To begin, you simply need web hosting services and a domain name.

WordPress offers numerous themes, providing exceptional flexibility to create anything from a simple single-page website to a comprehensive online store. The platform also features thousands of plugins that extend functionality and add new features.

Furthermore, WordPress is designed with search engine optimization in mind. This means you can easily optimize your site for search engines like Google, helping attract more visitors and improve conversion rates.

For these reasons and more, WordPress represents the optimal alternative to Google Business Profile websites.

Now, let's examine the practical steps for migrating your Business Profile site to WordPress.

Step 1: Back Up Your Google Business Profile Site Content

Before initiating the migration process to WordPress, your first task involves backing up all data from your Google Business Profile site.

It's important to note that Google Business Profile doesn't provide an export function, so you'll need to manually download all images, videos, and other media files.

To accomplish this, open your Google Business Profile website and right-click on any image you wish to preserve.

After right-clicking, select the 'Save as' option and store the image in a convenient location on your computer.

Similarly, you can copy text content from your website and paste it into a document. Begin by highlighting the text on your site and right-clicking your mouse. From the context menu, choose the 'Copy' option.

You can also utilize keyboard shortcuts for copying text. On Windows systems, press 'Ctrl + C,' while Mac users should press 'Command + C.'

Next, open a text editor like Notepad, Google Docs, or Microsoft Word and paste the copied content. If your text contains hyperlinks, using Google Docs or Microsoft Word is advisable since these applications preserve links during the pasting process.

Right-click anywhere within the document and select 'Paste,' or use the keyboard shortcut 'Ctrl + V' on Windows or 'Command + V' on Mac to insert the text.

Since Business Profile sites typically consist of single pages with limited content, this backup process should proceed relatively quickly.

Step 2: Selecting a Web Hosting Service for Your Site

Your next requirement involves choosing a web hosting service to operate your WordPress website. Web hosting serves as the storage location for all your website files, functioning similarly to a physical address where your site's content resides.

While WordPress software is freely available, you need to subscribe to a hosting service to make your site accessible online.

Typically, web hosting services range from approximately $7.99 per month when paid annually, while domain names generally start around $16.99 per year, depending on the specific domain extension. The total cost for building a WordPress site may increase if you select premium themes or require additional features.

This represents a notable investment compared to the previously free Google Business Profile website service.

Many experienced developers recommend several reputable hosting providers that offer competitive pricing and reliable service for WordPress websites.

Numerous hosting companies provide officially recommended WordPress hosting solutions with features like one-click installation and comprehensive support.

To begin the hosting selection process, visit the website of your chosen provider and locate their sign-up or registration section.

Following that, you'll need to evaluate and select an appropriate hosting plan.

Click the appropriate button to review available pricing plans. For small business websites, entry-level or business-focused plans typically provide sufficient resources and features.