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Greg Gifford, a seasoned expert in automotive and local SEO, issued a stern warning to vendors advising automotive dealerships against creating separate Google Business Profile (GBP) department listings for different services. He emphasized that doing so could lead to the suspension and removal of the dealership’s GP profiles from Google Search and Maps.
This caution came a few weeks after Google eliminated the department sections from dealership listings, a change that appears to have sparked confusion within the industry. Initially notified in mid-November, the situation involved dealerships noticing the disappearance of departments from their main listings, despite each department being listed individually and showing accurate locations.
There has been ongoing discussion on social media platforms about whether this change is a bug or an intentional update, with industry professionals exchanging screenshots from previous years that show the same structure. Despite efforts to clarify, the exact implications remain somewhat unclear, and many are waiting for official clarification from Google.
Gifford’s advice is clear: dealerships should only set up profiles for their main departments—service, parts, and body shop. For brands like Stellantis or GM, creating a profile for each brand is permissible but not recommended. Any other department profiles violate Google’s rules and pose significant risks, including losing visibility and reviews if profiles are suspended.
He further warns against vendors promoting the creation of separate GBPs for individual services such as oil changes or tires, highlighting that this strategy is “way over the line” and against Google’s policies. If caught, not only will the dealership’s primary profile be suspended, but it could also cause long-term damage, including loss of reviews and ranking.
To circumvent these issues, Gifford recommends listing services under the main profile by naming them with a prefix like “[brand] service,” avoiding the dealership name, using the relevant service phone number, linking directly to the service page, and setting the primary category to a service category. Following these guidelines helps ensure compliance while still promoting various services effectively.
A detailed discussion thread is available online where industry peers are analyzing these changes and sharing strategies.
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