What changed: Q&A is gone, Ask Maps is here
- November 2025: Google retired the Q&A API, so tools could no longer read or post questions.
- December 2025: Google confirmed Q&A was changing to instant, AI-generated answers based on business information and reviews.
- March 2026: Google launched Ask Maps. By the end of March it was widely available to Maps users in India and the US, under the search bar on Android and iOS.
Customers can now ask things like “open late with parking near me” or tap Ask Maps about this place on a profile and ask “do they accept UPI?”. Gemini writes the answer on the spot.
Where does Ask Maps get its answers?
| Source | What it reads | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Your Business Profile | Description, categories, services, attributes, hours, photos, posts | Fill in every field and keep it current |
| Reviews | Specific mentions of services, staff, speed and price | Ask customers for detailed reviews |
| Your website | Service pages, FAQs, contact details | Answer common questions on your site |
| Third-party sites | Directories, review sites, articles | Correct wrong listings at the source |
There is no button to edit or report an Ask Maps answer. If it gets something wrong, the fix is to correct the information it is reading.
The 2026 Google Business Profile checklist
| Area | What to do | Why it matters for AI |
|---|---|---|
| Business name | Use your real-world name only, with no added keywords | Keyword stuffing breaks Google’s rules and risks suspension |
| Categories | Choose the most specific primary category, plus relevant secondary ones | Categories decide which questions you can be matched to |
| Description | Use the full 750 characters: what you do, for whom, where, and what makes you different | AI quotes clear, factual descriptions |
| Services and products | List every service separately, with a short description and price range | Every missing service is a question AI cannot answer for you |
| Attributes | Tick all that apply: parking, accessibility, payment options, appointment-only | These answer common filter questions directly |
| Hours | Keep regular hours accurate and add special hours for festivals and holidays | Wrong hours are the fastest way to lose a visit |
| Photos | Add exterior, interior, team and work photos; remove outdated ones | Ask Maps often shows profile photos in answers |
| Updates | Post an offer, project or news item every week | Shows the business is active and adds fresh facts |
| Reviews | Ask every happy customer and reply to every review | Gemini reads and cites review details |
| Website link | Link to a page with matching name, address and phone, plus an FAQ | Ask Maps checks your website for answers |
How to ask for reviews that help AI answers
Generic five-star reviews give Gemini little to work with. Reviews that name the service, the area and the result help it match you to specific questions. A simple WhatsApp message works:
Thank you for choosing us! If you were happy, would you share a Google review? It really helps if you mention the service we did and your area. [review link]
Never offer discounts or gifts in exchange for reviews, and never post reviews yourself. Both break Google’s policies.
Keep your details identical across India’s directories
AI systems cross-check your business across the web. Make sure your name, address, phone and category match on Justdial, Sulekha, IndiaMART, Bing Places, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Bing Places matters because Microsoft’s Copilot draws on Bing’s local data.
Test what Ask Maps says about you
Open Google Maps on your phone, find your profile and ask five questions a customer might ask: price, timings, parking, payment methods, and whether you offer a specific service. Note what it gets wrong and which sources it cites, then fix those sources. Repeat each month.
Ask Maps is not shown for every business type. Reports indicate it is missing for some healthcare, counselling and regulated categories, and for some spam-prone services.
How to choose the right categories
Your primary category is one of the strongest signals for which searches and questions you can appear for. Choose the most specific option that describes your main business: “Interior designer” rather than “Designer”, “Dental clinic” rather than “Health”. Add secondary categories only for services you genuinely offer as a core part of the business. Check which categories your top-ranking local competitors use for ideas, but don’t add categories that don’t fit.
A template for your 750-character description
Use plain, factual sentences that answer the questions customers and Ask Maps are likely to ask:
[Business name] is a [category] in [area, city] serving [type of customer] since [year]. We offer [service 1], [service 2] and [service 3]. Typical projects take [timeframe] and start from [price or “free consultation”]. Our team of [number] includes [credentials]. We work across [areas served] and accept [payment options]. Call or WhatsApp us on [number], or book online.
Avoid keyword lists, capital letters, links and promotional claims you can’t support. Google’s guidelines don’t allow them in descriptions, and they don’t help AI answers.
Service-area and multi-location businesses
- Service-area businesses, such as plumbers or home interior firms that visit customers, can hide their street address and list the areas they serve instead.
- Multi-location businesses need one profile per real location, each with its own address, phone number, hours and photos, and a matching location page on the website.
- Never create profiles for addresses where you don’t operate, such as virtual offices without staff. This breaks Google’s guidelines and risks suspension.
Edit safely and avoid suspensions
Google may re-verify a profile after major edits, such as changing the name, address or primary category. Make important changes one at a time, keep documents such as GST registration, utility bills and shop photos ready in case verification is requested, and never stuff keywords into your business name. If a profile is suspended, fix the cause first, then submit an appeal with evidence.
A simple system for getting more reviews
- Ask at the right moment: right after a successful delivery, appointment or project handover, when satisfaction is highest.
- Make it one tap: share your direct review link by WhatsApp, SMS or email, and print a QR code for your counter, invoices or visiting cards.
- Train your team: give staff a simple script and make asking a routine, not an afterthought.
- Prompt for detail: ask customers to mention the service, their area and what stood out.
- Follow up once: a single polite reminder after a few days is fine; repeated chasing isn’t.
- Never incentivise or filter: Google’s policies forbid offering rewards for reviews and only asking customers you expect to be happy.
How to reply to reviews
Replying shows customers, and AI systems reading your profile, that you’re active and care about service.
Positive review: “Thank you, Priya! We’re glad the kitchen renovation in Aundh came out the way you wanted. It was a pleasure working with your family.”
Negative review: “We’re sorry about the delay with your order, Rahul. That isn’t the standard we aim for. Please call us on [number] so we can make this right.”
Keep replies short, specific and polite. Never share private details, argue publicly or copy-paste the same reply to every review.
Track your profile’s performance
| Metric | Where to find it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Searches and views | Business Profile Performance | How often you’re found and whether it’s growing |
| Calls | Business Profile Performance | Direct enquiries from your profile |
| Direction requests | Business Profile Performance | Intent to visit your location |
| Website clicks | Business Profile Performance and GA4 (with UTM tags) | Traffic sent to your site |
| Review count and rating | Your profile | Trust and the material AI answers draw on |
Review these monthly alongside what Ask Maps says about you. If views rise but calls don’t, improve your photos, description, services and reviews.
Ask Maps question bank: what to test each month
Open your profile in Google Maps and ask these, adapted to your business:
- What services do they offer?
- What are their prices or charges?
- Are they open on Sundays or public holidays?
- Is there parking nearby?
- Do they accept UPI and cards?
- Do they offer home visits or delivery?
- Is it wheelchair accessible?
- How long does a typical [service] take?
- What do customers say about their staff?
- Do I need an appointment?
Record each answer and its sources. Wrong or missing answers show you exactly which profile fields, website pages or reviews need work.
Make your website’s location page match your profile
AI answers about local businesses draw on your Google Business Profile and on your own website. A location page that repeats and expands the facts on your profile gives them a second, consistent source. Include:
- Your business name, address and phone number, written exactly as they appear on your profile.
- Opening hours, including special hours for holidays.
- The services offered at this location, using the same names as your profile’s categories and services.
- The areas you serve, if you travel to customers.
- An embedded Google map and clear directions, such as nearby landmarks and parking.
- Answers to the questions customers used to ask in the old Q&A section: do you take walk-ins, which payment methods you accept, is there wheelchair access, which languages your staff speak.
- LocalBusiness structured data that matches the details visible on the page.
Link this page from your profile’s website field, so the profile and the page point to each other. If you have more than one branch, give each its own page with its own details, rather than listing every address on one page.
Handling fake or unfair reviews
Every business eventually gets a review it disagrees with. Google removes reviews that break its policies, such as spam, fake engagement, off-topic content or conflicts of interest, but it does not remove reviews just because they are negative. If a review breaks a policy, report it from your profile and follow the request in Google’s review management tool. If it’s a genuine complaint, reply calmly, state the facts and offer to resolve it offline. Future customers read your reply, and a measured response shows how you handle problems.
Never ask staff, friends or customers to post reviews in exchange for discounts or gifts, and never post reviews about competitors. Google’s policies prohibit both, and a profile caught doing either can lose reviews or face restrictions.
Frequently asked questions
What replaced Google Business Profile Q&A?
Ask Maps, a Gemini-powered feature in Google Maps. It writes answers in real time from your profile, reviews, website and other sources instead of showing public questions and answers.
Is Ask Maps available in India?
Yes. Google rolled it out widely to Maps users in India and the US in March 2026, on Android and iOS. Desktop support had not launched at that time.
Can I edit or correct what Ask Maps says about my business?
Not directly. Update your Business Profile, website and third-party listings so the AI reads the correct information.
Does my Google Business Profile help me appear in ChatGPT?
It helps indirectly. Google’s own AI features use Business Profile data, and other AI assistants check how consistently the web describes your business. A complete profile with matching details everywhere supports both.
How many Google reviews do I need?
There is no fixed number. A steady flow of recent, detailed reviews matters more than a large old total.
Should I show my home address on Google Business Profile?
If customers don’t visit you, set up as a service-area business and hide your address. Show an address only if you serve customers there.
How often should I post updates on my profile?
Weekly is a good rhythm: offers, recent projects, events or tips. Regular updates show your business is active and add fresh information for customers and AI answers.
Do photos really matter for Google Business Profile?
Yes. Photos help customers decide, and Ask Maps often shows profile photos in its answers. Keep a current set covering your exterior, interior, team and work, and remove outdated images.
Does responding to reviews help with Ask Maps and AI answers?
Replies add context and show the business is active. They also give you a chance to correct misunderstandings publicly, which future customers and AI summaries may read.
Want your profile set up for Ask Maps? See our Google Business Profile optimisation service or get a free audit.
Sources
- BrightLocal: Goodbye Google Q&A, it's time to Ask Maps (updated April 2026)
- 9to5Google: Google shows how to use Ask Maps as the feature rolls out widely (31 March 2026)
- Google Search Central: Optimizing your website for generative AI features (updated 10 July 2026)
