Google Business Profile is a free advertising tool that allows businesses to manage their online presence through Google Search and Maps. With millions of consumers using Google products to find businesses in their local community, it’s an easy, low-effort way to get on a prospective client’s radar. However, thousands of dealers are encountering problems with their listings, issues that could be costing them thousands of dollars in lost revenue. In today’s episode of Inside Automotive, Brooke Furniss, founder of BZ Consultants Group and host of “Facts Not Feelings“, shares how dealers can troubleshoot these problems and optimize their online visibility.
"It's your number one free advertising tool. If you don't have that set up or it's not optimized, it's really hurting your local SEO and how Google sees you."
In June, a technical glitch caused 2,500–3,000 automotive Google Business Profiles (GBPs) to be deleted, suspended or unverified without notice. This is particularly problematic when a listing becomes unverified because it prevents the business from making public-facing changes or responding to customer reviews. While Google is slowly restoring affected listings, the process is far from immediate and often difficult to navigate.
Maintaining a verified and properly optimized Google Business Profile is critical to a company’s credibility, digital visibility and local SEO performance. Furniss shares several essential steps dealers should take to safeguard their listings:
- Monitor GBPs weekly or assign the task to a trusted expert who can provide real-time oversight and quick troubleshooting.
- Avoid making more than two changes at once, as this often triggers re-verification or suspension.
- Be cautious with third-party integrations or shared user access, as they can inadvertently corrupt the listing or cause data mismatches.
Losing access to a GBP, even temporarily, can dramatically disrupt how customers find and engage with the business. Reverification through Google isn’t always straightforward, and in some cases, it can take weeks or even months to resolve.
To streamline marketing operations and regain control over performance data, Furniss also recommends using tools that consolidate all data into a single dashboard. She highly recommends Google’s Looker Studio, which can host data from a dealership’s CRM system, Google Analytics, Google Ads and Facebook.
Most importantly, she advises dealers to steer clear of any company that insists on using their proprietary dashboard. If a business owner can’t control their data, they give up visibility. Even when it isn’t intentional, the result is often skewed or limited access.
As online searches become the first touchpoint for most car buyers, Furniss‘ advice is clear: protect your presence, monitor it often, and take ownership of the digital tools.
