For years, Motability Operations has centrally managed Google Business Profile (GBP) listings for UK dealerships. However, a significant shift is currently underway. Motability has informed dealers that they will no longer manage these secondary listings.
Dealers are now faced with a choice: take ownership of these standalone profiles or allow Motability to mark them as “permanently closed.” At Localise, our data-led recommendation is clear: Let them close.
The End of Centrally Managed Motability Listings
Historically, these secondary listings (often named “Motability Scheme at [Dealership Name]”) were handled externally. While this ensured a baseline presence, it often led to “digital clutter” that actively worked against a dealership’s primary visibility.
Motability’s recent update confirms that they will mark these listings as permanently closed unless a dealer actively steps in to take ownership. While “permanently closed” might sound like a negative signal, in the world of local SEO, it is actually a strategic advantage for your group.
The Problem with Multiple Profiles
Maintaining two separate profiles for what is essentially one physical location creates several performance bottlenecks:
Diluted Authority: Google’s algorithm struggles to decide which profile is the “true” authority for Motability searches.
Poor Engagement: These secondary profiles typically have very few reviews (often under 5) and zero recent photos or posts.
Ranking Issues: Weak Motability profiles often outrank your primary dealership profile for branded searches, despite having far less trust and engagement.
Why Taking Ownership is a Risk
While you can take ownership of these listings, doing so often triggers a chain reaction of technical issues. Changing ownership details frequently leads to:
Re-verification Loops: Google may demand new video or postal verification.
Operational Disruption: It requires staff time to manage a profile that has fundamentally lower ranking potential than your main site.
Fragmented Data: It continues the cycle of duplicate data across Bing, Apple, and Yell, which confuses search engines and customers alike.
Our Strategy: Consolidate for Maximum Visibility
Instead of maintaining a weak secondary profile, we recommend allowing Motability to mark it as “permanently closed”. This signals to Google that the service is no longer a standalone entity, allowing us to move that “ranking power” to your main dealership profile.
How We Optimise Our Clients Primary Profile:
Secondary Categories: We add “Mobility equipment supplier” to the main profile.
Service Integration: We explicitly list “Motability Scheme” and “Motability vehicle sales” within the services menu.
Content Dominance: We use the main profile’s high review volume and authority to post Motability-specific offers and updates.
Targeted Landing Pages: All Motability traffic is directed to the dealers dedicated website landing pages from one high-performing profile.
The Result: One Authoritative Profile
By consolidating your Motability presence into your main dealership profile, you ensure that customers find your most trusted, highly-rated location first. This strategy eliminates internal competition and ensures your dealership performs strongly across new car, used car, aftersales, and Motability searches simultaneously.
