Welcome back to another episode of Local Search Tuesdays. This week, we’re answering a question that’s really important for used car dealers about separate Google Business Profile departments.

Greg flew out to Las Vegas a few weeks ago to speak at the NIADA Convention and had several dealers ask him a question that used car dealers ask fairly often. He realized he hadn’t explicitly covered it in an episode yet, so he’s here today to fix that.

Google changed the rules around Google Business Profile departments a few years ago for car dealers, allowing new car dealerships to set up separate GBPs for their Service departments and Parts departments. They’re even allowed to set up separate department profiles for the different brands they sell, if multiple brands are sold at the same dealership.

But no one ever explained what used car dealers are allowed to set up, so the question comes up all the time: can you set up separate Google Business Profile departments for your dealership?

It depends.

If you’re a used car dealer AND you have a service department, then yes – you’re allowed to set up a separate GBP department for service.

You’re not allowed to set up separate department GBPs for the brands you sell – even if you always carry a certain brand, you’re not allowed to set up a “brand dealer” department profile. Those brand profiles are only allowed for franchise dealers who sell new models of those cars.

If you’re a used car dealer and you don’t have a service department, you’re only allowed to have a single Google Business Profile.

It’s that simple – and now you know!