How to Nest Department Listings on Google My Business

Originally posted on March 3rd, 2021 and updated to reflect Google's Updates on May 23rd, 2025.

Managing a single Google Business Profile page might seem like enough work, but Google offers some businesses the option to add additional pages. In this article, we will discuss which nesting options your business qualifies for, how to create additional pages and the benefits of doing so.

Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free tool that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps.

According to Google, “departments within businesses, universities, hospitals, and government institutions may have their own listings on Google.” However, car dealers have their own, unique guidelines. These differences, when understood, can give users a competitive advantage and maximize the impact of a well-run page. Let’s break this down.

The Basics

Costco Wholesale is the main GBP page for this location. Costco Bakery is a department within the physical store, but it also has its own GBP listing. Other listings for this location include Costco Food Court, Costco Hearing Center, Costco Pharmacy, Costco Photo Center, Costco Tire Center, and Costco Vision Center. Again, all of these departments are located within the same building as Costco Wholesale, but they benefit from being able to list their own hours and phone numbers on their page.

Not just any store department can have its own page. Here are the features a department must have to qualify for its own GBP listing:

1. A specific location at the business 
2. Its own entrance
3. Distinct signage
4. A distinct name and phone number
5. A different category from the primary business

Auto Dealerships 

Auto dealerships are different in that they have two nesting options. These rules do not apply to used car dealerships, which can only have one listing.

First, they can have an additional listing for each brand they sell under one roof. For example, Ford Lincoln of Queens Boulevard has a separate page for Lincoln of Queens, although they have the same address. They could also make one for Ford of Queens. 

Second, auto dealerships can have additional listings for different departments such as Sales, Service, and Parts departments. 

Departments can only be nested under the general dealership page, not a specific brand’s page. 

Why You Should Spend the Time to Set This Up

You may be perfectly happy with how your current, single GBP page is fairing. Your business is getting a lot of traffic, and you’ve amassed a large number of reviews. We recommend exploring whether expanding your GBP to include additional listings is right for your business. Here are the potential benefits. 

1. More accurate information

If a customer wants to reach your Service Department, wouldn’t it be easier for them to have the direct number? The average internet user might not take the additional steps of visiting your dealership’s website and tracking down the “Contact Us’ page to find the right information. Most will search your dealership on Google and choose the first number they see: the one listed on your GBP.

However, if they have the option to choose from the list of departments on your GBP, they can easily click to the one they want and find the exact phone number they need. This applies to department hours, as well. With easily accessible information, fewer customers will show up expecting a certain service only to be disappointed that the department isn’t open. Ultimately, having multiple GPB listings can lead to better customer service. 

2. Specific review content

Individual listings mean individual reviews. This is great news for customers hoping to visit your business for a specific purpose. Let’s say a customer wants to purchase a cake from Costco in Colchester. Instead of wading through hundreds of reviews on the general page, they can look at the reviews specifically posted by bakery customers. The average consumer needs 10 reviews to trust a business. A dedicated listing gets them there faster, increasing the likelihood that they will visit your business. 

3. Visibility

This is especially true for businesses hidden within another business, such as a restaurant in a hotel. That restaurant may not benefit from foot traffic passing by on the sidewalk. They can make up for this lack of physical visibility by having a strong digital presence and with clear directions about where they are located. For example, if I ran a search for restaurants in Manhattan and decided to eat at Clement, I wouldn’t end up confused when I visited the address and saw The Peninsula New York. 

How to Nest a New Listing:

If you are starting with a brand-new department listing, here’s how to set up nesting under Google’s updated interface:

1. Set up a new Google Business Profile using a distinct name, phone number, and business category.
2. Once the listing is live, search for it on Google Search.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the listing and click “Suggest an edit.”
   
4. In the popup, click  “Edit business information" or click the arrow here: 
   
5. Scroll to the section labeled “+ Location” or “Business location.”
   
6. Look for the “Located within” field.
   
   
7. Start typing the name of the parent business and select it.
8. Submit the edit request.
   
   

Note: Once you submit your nested page it will not be live immediately. Google will review the submission and set it live in a few days. So hang tight.

How to Nest a Department Listing That Already Exists:

If the listing you want to nest—such as your Service or Parts department—already exists on Google, the process to nest it is slightly different from creating a brand-new one.

1. Search for the existing department’s profile on Google Search.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the listing and click “Suggest an edit.”
   
3. In the popup, click “Edit business information" or click the arrow here:
   
4. Scroll to the section labeled “+ Location” or “Business location.”
   
5. Look for the “Located within” field.
   
6. Begin typing the name of the main business and select it when it appears in the dropdown.
7. Submit your edit.

Once submitted, it may take a few days for the nesting relationship to reflect publicly. You’ll know it’s complete when you see “Located in [Parent Business]” on the department’s listing.

Even for existing listings, the department must still meet Google’s nesting criteria: its own phone number, distinct category, signage, and a separate physical presence within the main location. If these aren’t met, the request may be denied.

Do Nested Pages Help SEO for the Main GBP?

We have not found that reviews on nested Google Business Profiles (GBPs) directly impact the SEO ranking of the main profile, as Google treats each listing separately in local search results. However, they can have an indirect effect. Strong reviews on nested profiles improve overall brand reputation, enhance user trust, and increase engagement—factors that can contribute to better visibility for the business as a whole. Additionally, if nested profiles link back to the main listing or share authority, they may create a halo effect, boosting the primary profile’s credibility. While not a direct ranking factor, positive reviews across all profiles strengthen overall online presence.

For further tips on optimizing your Google Business Profile listing, check out Widewail Academy's free GBP 101 and GBP 201 courses.

Originally posted on March 3rd, 2021 and updated to reflect Google's Updates on May 23rd, 2025.