Greg Gifford, a well-known automotive and local SEO expert, shared a strong warning for auto dealers and vendors about Google Business Profile setup mistakes.
A few weeks ago, Greg Gifford posted on LinkedIn, warning dealerships not to create separate Google Business Profile department listings for individual services like oil changes, tires, or alignments.
According to Greg, this practice goes directly against Google’s rules and can cause serious damage. If Google catches this setup, the result can be suspension of every profile tied to the dealership. That includes the main Google Business Profile, which means losing visibility on Google Search and Google Maps. In some cases, dealerships may also lose a portion of their reviews after reinstatement.
This warning became more important after another automotive vendor released a white paper promoting the same risky strategy. Greg strongly advised dealerships not to trust this approach, even if a vendor claims it works. If penalties happen, the dealership takes the hit, not the vendor.
Greg clearly explained what is allowed and what is not.
@GoogleMyBiz dealership listings are now missing departments on their main GBP. What is happening? First Google Cars For Sale is removed now departments. Even though they are listed on each department listing as located within the main listing. @rustybrick @GregGifford @JohnMu
— Dealer Micro Sites (@microsites) November 18, 2025
Yep… not just car dealers – every business that’s allowed to have departments… they’re all still technically nested but the explicit list of department GBPs is gone off the primary listing
— Greg Gifford (@GregGifford) November 27, 2025
Still trying to understand this. I see the following examples pic.twitter.com/rWMaD5gKPE
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) December 1, 2025
coming back to this, still trying to understand what changed. I see the same thing that screenshots from two years ago show https://t.co/UZlpyGAUAv pic.twitter.com/cvRkaAbq7S
— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) December 26, 2025
Dealerships are only allowed to create department profiles for:
- Service department
- Parts department
- Body shop
Some Stellantis and GM dealers are also allowed to create brand-specific profiles, but Greg mentioned that pushing this limit is still risky.
Any other department profiles are against Google rules and can lead to major problems later.
So what is the safe way to handle individual services?
Greg later clarified that dealerships should list these as services, not departments. He recommended:
- Start the profile name with “[Brand] Service” and not the dealership name
- Use the service department phone number
- Link the website to the service page
- Choose a service-related primary category
Following this setup keeps the profile compliant and avoids unnecessary risk.
There is also a large discussion thread under Greg’s LinkedIn post where many professionals shared insights and experiences. It is worth reviewing the full conversation for more clarity.
The key takeaway is simple. Chasing shortcuts with Google Business Profile departments can put your entire dealership at risk. Staying within Google’s guidelines protects your visibility, reviews, and long-term local presence.
