In 2026, Google replaced Business Profile Q&A with Ask Maps, an AI tool that answers questions from your profile, reviews, and website. It also tightened review rules, gave owners 4 days to accept or reject suggested edits, said it may remove posts with unverified contact details, and added view counts for posts. The fix is the same for all of them: a complete, accurate profile that you check every week.
The short version
Google Business Profile changed more in 2026 than in any recent year. Most changes push in the same direction: Google relies more on AI to describe your business, and it trusts what it can verify. A complete, accurate, active profile wins. A neglected one gets edited by Google or left out.
The changes, in order
| When | What changed | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | Google switched off the Q&A API | Seeding your own Q&A is over |
| Feb 2026 | Review rules tightened: no incentives, no asking for specific content, no staff targets | Review your review-request process |
| Mar 2026 | Ask Maps, a Gemini-powered assistant, launched in the U.S. | AI answers customer questions from your profile, reviews, and website |
| Jun 2026 | Business Profiles can connect to the Gemini app | Owners can manage parts of their profile through Gemini |
| Sep 2026 | Owners get 4 days to accept or reject suggested edits | Unchecked edits can go live automatically |
| Sep 2026 | Google may remove posts with unverified phone numbers or emails | Only use contact details that match your profile |
| Oct 2026 | Post view counts appear in the dashboard | You can finally see which posts get seen |
| Oct 2026 | A WhatsApp button appears on some business panels | Another way for customers to reach you |
Some other changes reported this year, such as new verification methods, are still tests and haven't been confirmed by Google.
What each change means
Q&A is gone, so your answers must live elsewhere. Ask Maps answers questions from your profile, your reviews, and your website. If a customer asks "do you do same-day service?" and none of those sources says so, the AI can't say yes. Put your key facts (services, areas, hours, pricing approach, payment options) in your profile and on your website.
Review rules are stricter. You can still ask every customer for a review, and you should. What you can't do is offer discounts or gifts for reviews, tell people what to write, or give staff review targets. Read our guide to review request automations for a compliant way to ask.
Google can publish edits if you don't respond. When someone suggests a change to your hours, phone number, or category, you now have 4 days to accept or reject it. After that, Google may publish it if other public information agrees. A wrong phone number on a directory site can end up on your profile.
Posts matter again, and now you can measure them. Google has started showing view counts for posts. Post weekly, keep contact details in posts identical to your profile, and use the new reports to see what works.
Your 2026 Google Business Profile checklist
- ☐ Primary category is the most specific accurate match (how to choose)
- ☐ Every service you offer is listed, with a short description
- ☐ Service area, hours, and holiday hours are correct
- ☐ Phone, website, and address match your website and major directories exactly
- ☐ Business description explains who you serve, where, and what makes you different
- ☐ 10 or more real photos of your work, team, and location, with new ones each month
- ☐ Every review gets a specific, personal reply
- ☐ A compliant review request goes out after every job
- ☐ Suggested edits are checked at least weekly
- ☐ One post per week, with contact details that match the profile
- ☐ Your website answers the questions customers used to ask in Q&A
Need help?
Keeping up with these changes takes time most owners don't have. Our free business audit checks your profile against this list, and our Google Business Profile optimization service keeps it current every week.
Sources
- Every Google Business Profile change in 2026 (roundup citing Google help pages and Search Engine Roundtable)
- Google Search Central: Optimizing for generative AI features (mentions Business Profile)
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Google Business Profile Q&A?
Google retired the Q&A API in November 2025 and has been replacing Q&A with Ask Maps, a Gemini-powered tool launched in the U.S. in March 2026. It answers customer questions from your profile, reviews, and website, so those sources now need to contain the answers.
Can Google change my Business Profile without my approval?
Google says owners have 4 days to accept or reject suggested edits, and it may publish an update automatically if other public information supports it. Check your profile at least weekly.
Can I still offer a discount for Google reviews?
No. Google's rules don't allow incentives for reviews, asking for specific review content, or setting review targets for staff.
How often should I check my Google Business Profile?
Once a week is a good habit: review suggested edits, reply to new reviews, and add a photo or post.
Keep reading
- Google's AI is calling local businesses for quotes. Will it reach yours?
- Google's official guide to AI search, explained for local businesses
- AI receptionist vs answering service vs hiring staff: 2026 cost comparison
- What your Google Business Profile categories actually do
- Helping AI assistants describe your business accurately
- Five follow-up automations every service business can set up