Google Business Profile fields AI assistants read

Primary category: say what the business is

Your primary category is the single most important field. Google asks you to pick the category that best describes the business and to choose a specific one over a general one. Its guidelines put it simply: pick categories that complete the sentence “this business IS a”, not “this business HAS a”.

For an independent lot that usually means Used car dealer. Google's dealership help page names Car dealer for sales; both are in the category list, so pick the one that matches what you actually sell. If your sales lot's primary category is a repair shop or a parts store, Google — and assistants that use its data — may treat it as that kind of business.

Additional categories: only what's also true

Additional categories describe other parts of the business. Google says not to add a category for every product or service — use a few that fit. A lot that also sells work trucks might add a truck dealer category; a lot with a real service bay might add a repair category.

Departments can have their own profiles. Google allows one profile for the dealership plus profiles for departments such as sales, service and parts, each named with the dealership name and the department. Used-car dealerships can't have a separate profile for each brand they sell.

Business name: the real one, nothing added

Use the name on your sign, your website and your paperwork. Google's guidelines don't permit extra information in the name — no taglines, no “Best Bad Credit Car Lot in Houston”. A name with extra words is also harder to match to your website, which is exactly the kind of mix-up you're trying to avoid.

Description: what you sell, for whom, and in which languages

The description appears in the “From the business” section of your profile. Google allows up to 750 characters, and its guidelines rule out links of any kind and a focus on promotions, prices or sales. That still leaves room for the facts buyers ask assistants about:

• What you sell: used cars, trucks, SUVs, work vehicles.
• How buyers can pay: in-house financing, buy here pay here, outside lenders — only what you really offer.
• Who you help: first-time buyers, buyers rebuilding credit.
• Where: your city and the neighborhoods or nearby towns you serve.
• Languages your team speaks, and how long you've been in business.

Example Auto Sales is a family-owned used car dealership in San Antonio, Texas, serving the West Side and Leon Valley since 2009. We sell used cars, trucks and SUVs, and we offer in-house financing for first-time buyers and buyers rebuilding their credit. Our team speaks English and Spanish. Visit the lot, browse our current inventory on our website, or call to check whether a vehicle is still available.

Hours: sales hours, special hours and more hours

Wrong hours are the one fact an assistant can least afford to repeat: a buyer who drives over on Sunday and finds a locked gate may not come back. Google's rule for dealerships is to use your car sales hours, and if new and pre-owned sales hours differ, to use the new sales hours.

• Main hours: your regular sales hours.
• Special hours: holidays and temporary changes — set them ahead of time.
• More hours: separate hours for other parts of the business, such as service, if your profile offers them.

Attributes: small facts buyers filter on

Attributes are yes-or-no facts. Google groups them under headings such as amenities, payments and accessibility — entrances, restrooms, seating and parking. Some are filled in from what customers report, and you can edit others yourself. Fill in the ones that are true for your lot.

You can also choose identity attributes, such as Latino-owned, Veteran-owned, Women-owned or Small business, and turn them on or off at any time. They're optional: add them only if they're true and you want them shown.

Financing: say it plainly, in the right places

Buyers want financing information before they visit. In the Cox Automotive 2026 study, 48% of buyers said they want to apply for credit online, but only 33% do. Make what you offer easy to find:

• Description: one plain sentence, such as “We offer in-house financing.” No rates and no promotions.
• Products or Services: Google lists these sections as limited availability. If your profile has them, add financing in plain words.
• Your website: a financing page that explains what you offer, what to bring and how to apply, linked from your main menu. A page like that gives assistants that search the web something specific to quote.

Photos: show the lot people will pull into

Google accepts JPG or PNG photos between 10 KB and 5 MB, recommends 720 × 720 pixels, and asks that photos be in focus, well lit and without heavy filters. It also notes that an exterior photo helps customers recognize your business when they arrive. Good dealer photos:

• Your logo and a cover photo.
• The entrance and the sign from the street, so a buyer knows where to turn.
• The lot, the office and the team.
• A few vehicles — but keep your full, current inventory on your website.

That last point matters more than it used to. Google's vehicle listings documentation says its organic auto listings no longer appear in Search and that it is stopping vehicle listing feeds, so your website is where up-to-date inventory needs to live.

Review replies: short, specific, human

In BrightLocal's 2026 consumer survey, 89% of consumers said they expect business owners to respond to reviews, and 82% read AI-generated review summaries. Replies are public: they appear under the review as your business, so every shopper reading your reviews sees them too.

Google's tips: keep replies short and simple, skip deals and promotions, never share a reviewer's private information, and acknowledge real mistakes without taking the blame for things outside your control. In practice:

• Positive review: thank the customer by name and mention one specific detail, like the vehicle or the person who helped.
• Negative review: acknowledge the problem, say what you changed, and give a direct phone number or email to continue the conversation.
• A question in a review (“Do you finance?”): answer it plainly — other shoppers are reading.

Ask every customer for a review, not just the happy ones. Google's content policy prohibits offering discounts or other incentives for reviews and selectively asking only satisfied customers.

A 15-minute checklist

1. Primary category matches what the business is — for most independent lots, Used car dealer.
2. The name matches your sign and website, with nothing added.
3. The description says what you sell, the financing you offer, where you are and which languages you speak — under 750 characters, with no links or prices.
4. Sales hours are right, and holiday hours are set.
5. True attributes are filled in.
6. The website link goes to the right page, and the phone number matches your website.
7. At least a logo, a cover, an entrance and a lot photo.
8. Every review from the last 30 days has a reply.

Then check what assistants say with the five-minute blind check, and add AutoDealer schema to your website so it states the same facts. AIForgotYou's free dealer check shows you a real AI answer for your city and your first fix.