What people mean by a Google website builder
Google has no separate product under that name. The tool most people find is Google Sites: you assemble pages from ready-made blocks and embed documents, spreadsheets, maps and YouTube videos. Companies once had another route, a simple site created from a Google Business Profile listing, but Google dropped that feature, so it is not something to plan around.
The defining trait of Google Sites is simplicity. It suits an internal portal, an event page or a school project. It was never designed as an online selling platform, and knowing that up front saves a business owner a lot of time.
Where Google Sites works well
A builder makes sense when you need a site fast and with almost no budget. Mobile layouts adapt automatically, you do not manage hosting or security certificates, and you can connect your own domain, including one in the .uz zone.
It is also a reasonable way to test an idea. If you are not sure a new service will find demand, there is little point in paying for full development straight away. Typical cases where this kind of site is enough:
- a business-card page for an independent specialist such as a tutor, craftsman or consultant
- a course or event description with a link to your Telegram channel or group
- an internal knowledge base and instructions for staff
- a temporary page while you test demand
Where the builder hits its ceiling
Trouble starts when the site has to do more than exist and has to bring in leads and payments. These are the limits that show up most often:
- no built-in cart or payment acceptance, so Click, Payme or Uzum get replaced by links and manual order handling
- templates look alike, and custom logic such as a calculator, catalog filters or a customer account is out of reach
- SEO control is limited: fine-tuning URL structure, markup and loading speed is close to impossible
- leads do not flow automatically into a CRM or a manager's Telegram chat
- Russian and Uzbek versions have to be maintained by hand, by duplicating pages
- you cannot export the site as finished code, so you depend on the platform's rules
What this looks like for a Tashkent business
Picture a dental clinic running ads in Google Ads and Meta. A person clicks the ad and lands on a page with no Telegram booking button, while the form sends an email to an inbox nobody checks. The budget is spent, and the owner blames the ads when the real problem is the landing page.
Or take a clothing shop that grew out of Instagram. A customer in a regional city wants to pick a size, pay through Payme and arrange delivery. Without a cart, all of that turns into a direct-message conversation, and some buyers drop out along the way. These are illustrations, not case studies, but the pattern is familiar: the weak link is often not traffic but what happens after the click.
Five questions to ask before you choose
To decide whether a builder is enough, answer the questions below. If most answers are yes, Google Sites will only be a stopgap.
- Will visitors come from ads and search, not just from a link in your Instagram bio?
- Do you need to take payments or bookings on the site itself?
- Do you need both Russian and Uzbek versions?
- Do you need to see which channel brings leads and calculate the cost per inquiry?
- Is there someone who will update the site regularly?
What a custom website price is made of
The cost of development depends on the number and type of pages, the amount of design work, integrations (payments, CRM, a Telegram bot), the number of languages, copywriting, basic SEO setup and support after launch. It is sensible to ask for an estimate broken down by these items rather than one lump sum, so you can see what you are paying for and what can wait.
In Tashkent you can hire freelancers, small teams or full-cycle agencies. The difference is usually less about price and more about who is accountable for results and willing to report in numbers. Whichever route you take, set up analytics from day one: Google Analytics, Search Console and goals for leads. Without them you cannot tell whether the site pays for itself.
Where to start
If your task is modest for now, start with Google Sites and write down the result that will tell you it is time to move to a full website. If you already pay for advertising or serve customers across several cities, it is better to build a solid foundation from the start.
The markdev team builds turnkey websites for businesses in Uzbekistan and connects them with advertising and analytics. Tell us about your task, and we will help you work out whether a builder is enough or whether the site should be built around your processes.
FAQ
Does Google have its own website builder?
Yes, it is called Google Sites. It is free, runs inside a Google account and suits simple pages such as a business card, an event description or an internal portal.
Can I connect my own domain to Google Sites?
Yes, you can attach your own domain to the site. That does not change the lack of a cart, payment acceptance or CRM integration.
Is Google Sites suitable for an online store?
Not for a full store. It has no cart, no payments through Click or Payme and no order tracking. A specialised platform or a custom-built website is a better choice.
Can I move from a builder to my own website later?
You will need to rebuild the pages, but you can keep the texts and structure. Plan your page addresses in advance and set up analytics so you do not lose data.
Let’s look at your task for free
Leave your contact — in a 15-minute call we’ll show where leads get lost and what to fix first.