Google's Ask Maps: Transforming Local Search in 2025

Last Updated on 6 November 2025 by Dorian Menard

Google just threw local search a curveball. On November 3rd, 2025, they officially killed off the traditional Questions & Answers feature on Google Business Profiles (in the US) and replaced it with something completely different – Ask Maps.

If you’re running a local business in Australia, this change matters more than you might think. Ask Maps isn’t just another Google update – it’s powered by their Gemini AI and represents a fundamental shift in how people find and interact with local businesses.

Here’s what’s happening: Instead of static, user-generated Q&A pairs that were often outdated or inaccurate, Google now uses AI to answer customer questions in real-time. The system pulls from over 250 million places worldwide and can handle natural conversation-style queries.

Why should you care? Because this change affects how your customers find information about your business, even if Ask Maps isn’t available in Australia yet. The optimisation strategies that make Ask Maps work better will also improve your overall local search presence.

I’m going to walk you through exactly what Ask Maps is, how it works, and most importantly – what you need to do right now to prepare your business for this AI-powered future.

What Is Ask Maps and How Does It Work?

Ask Maps is Google’s conversational AI assistant built into Google Maps and Business Profiles. Think of it as having a knowledgeable local guide who can answer specific questions about businesses in real-time.

Instead of scrolling through outdated Q&A threads, customers can now ask natural questions like “Does this restaurant have outdoor seating for dogs?” or “What’s the parking situation like here?” The AI responds immediately with synthesised information from multiple sources.

Walmart store entrance and Pedialyte product display — Source: Search Engine Journal

Here’s how it actually works: When someone asks a question, Google’s Gemini AI scans your Business Profile data, website content, customer reviews, and third-party sources like Yelp. It then creates a personalised response that’s far more accurate than the old community-generated answers.

The user experience is conversational too. Customers can ask follow-up questions like “What about wheelchair access?” and get relevant answers without starting over.

Currently, Ask Maps is only available in the United States, but Google has integrated similar AI features into voice navigation for drivers. When you’re driving and ask Google Maps about a business, you’re already experiencing this technology.

The big difference from traditional Q&A? The old system relied on random users to ask and answer questions, leading to inconsistent and often wrong information. Ask Maps uses AI to provide consistent, up-to-date responses based on authoritative data sources.

Google plans to integrate Ask Maps into Search results eventually, making this technology even more important for local businesses worldwide.

What Happened to Google Q&A?

The timeline was brutal and fast. On September 17th, 2025, Google announced they were deprecating the Q&A API. By November 3rd, 2025, it was completely shut down.

What businesses lost: Direct control over Q&A responses, third-party management tools from platforms like Yext and Birdeye, and the ability to proactively add questions and answers.

What businesses gained: More accurate responses, reduced spam and fake reviews in Q&A sections, and AI-powered answers that actually help customers make decisions.

The change caught many reputation management companies off guard. Tools that previously allowed businesses to monitor and respond to Q&A content stopped working overnight.

Why did Google make this change? Simple – accuracy and user experience. The old Q&A system was plagued with outdated information, spam, and questions that never got answered. Google’s internal data showed that AI-generated responses were significantly more helpful and accurate than community-generated ones.

This shift reflects Google’s broader strategy of using AI to improve search quality and reduce low-value, user-generated content that doesn’t actually help searchers.

Ask Maps vs Traditional Q&A: What Changed?

Feature	Traditional Q&A	Ask Maps
Information Source	User-generated questions and answers	AI-synthesised from multiple authoritative sources
Accuracy	Inconsistent, often outdated	High accuracy with real-time synthesis
Business Control	Could add/edit Q&A pairs	No direct control, but influences AI through data quality
User Interaction	Static browse-and-read format	Conversational, follow-up questions possible
Data Sources	Community submissions only	GBP data, website, reviews, third-party directories
Update Frequency	Manual updates by users	Real-time AI responses
Spam Risk	High (fake questions/answers)	Low (AI filtering and source verification)

The shift represents Google’s move from crowdsourced content to AI-curated information. While businesses lose some direct control, they gain more reliable representation of their services and amenities.

Understanding Ask Maps’ Data Sources

Ask Maps doesn’t just make things up – it pulls from specific, authoritative sources to answer customer questions. Understanding these sources is crucial for optimisation.

Primary Source – Your Google Business Profile: This is the foundation. Ask Maps heavily weighs information from your business description, services list, attributes (like parking availability or wheelchair access), opening hours, and regular posts.
Secondary Source – Your Website: The AI crawls your website content, particularly FAQ pages, service descriptions, and location-specific information. This is why having comprehensive, well-structured website content matters more than ever.
Customer Reviews: Ask Maps analyses patterns in customer reviews to understand what people actually experience at your business. If multiple reviews mention great coffee or limited parking, the AI incorporates this into responses.
Third-Party Sources: The system also references reputable directories like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and industry-specific platforms. It cross-references information to ensure accuracy.
Visual Content: Photos and videos uploaded to your Business Profile help the AI understand your space and amenities. Pictures of your outdoor seating area or parking lot directly influence responses about these features.

When there’s insufficient data: If Ask Maps can’t find enough reliable information to answer a question, it displays “I don’t have enough information about this” rather than guessing. This is why comprehensive data across all sources is essential.

The AI weighs these sources differently based on recency, authority, and consistency. Fresh, consistent information across multiple sources gets prioritised.

How to Optimize Your Business for Ask Maps

Here’s your action plan for making Ask Maps work for your business, even before it launches in Australia.

Complete Your Google Business Profile

Start with the basics, but go deeper than most businesses bother to. Fill out every single section and optimise your Business Profile – not just name, address, and phone number.

Write a comprehensive business description that mentions specific services, amenities, and unique features. Don’t just say “quality service” – explain what makes your business different.

Add detailed attributes for everything relevant to your business. This includes parking availability, wheelchair accessibility, Wi-Fi availability, outdoor seating, payment methods accepted, and any special amenities. These attributes directly feed into Ask Maps responses.

Upload high-quality photos regularly. Include exterior shots, interior views, parking areas, accessibility features, and your team at work. Each photo should tell part of your business story.

Create regular Google Posts with updates about new services, seasonal offerings, or important information. These posts keep your profile fresh and give Ask Maps current information to work with.

Implement Website Schema Markup

Schema markup is structured data that helps Google understand your website content. For Ask Maps optimisation, focus on two types:

FAQ Schema: Add this to frequently asked questions on your website. Use natural language questions that customers actually ask, not keyword-stuffed versions. Include schema markup for each question-answer pair.

LocalBusiness Schema: This comprehensive markup should include your complete business information – name, address, phone, hours, services, and geographic coordinates. Add “sameAs” references to your social media profiles and directory listings.

But other schemas are also important such as image, product or services as well as georadius schema if you want to go the extra mile!

Test your schema implementation with Google’s Rich Results Test tool. Proper schema markup helps Ask Maps find and understand your content more easily.

Build Consistent Citations

Citation consistency across the web is more important now than ever. Ask Maps cross-references information from multiple sources, so inconsistencies can confuse the AI.

Start with an audit: Check your business listings on major directories like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific platforms. Note any inconsistencies in name, address, phone number, or business description.
Focus on high-authority directories first. These carry more weight with Ask Maps. Ensure your information is identical across all platforms – down to abbreviations and punctuation.
Update quarterly: Set a reminder to review and update your citations every three months. Business information changes, and keeping everything current improves Ask Maps accuracy.

Optimise Reviews Strategy

Customer reviews are a goldmine for Ask Maps. The AI analyses review patterns to understand what customers experience at your business.

Encourage detailed, contextual reviews rather than just star ratings. Ask satisfied customers to mention specific features they appreciated – parking, accessibility, service quality, or unique amenities.

Respond to all reviews promptly and professionally. Your responses give Ask Maps additional context about your business and show that you’re actively engaged.

In your responses, highlight specific business features. If someone mentions your great coffee, respond by thanking them and mentioning your specialty blends or brewing methods. This gives Ask Maps more specific information to work with.

Read our guide on how to get more Google reviews for your business!

Create FAQ Content on Your Website

This is your secret weapon for Ask Maps optimisation. Create comprehensive FAQ pages that address common customer questions in natural language.

Transfer your old Google Business Profile Q&As to your website if they were valuable. Don’t lose that content – repurpose it with proper schema markup.

Use natural language questions that match how people actually speak and search. Instead of “Business hours information,” use “What are your opening hours?” or “Are you open on weekends?”

Add FAQ schema markup to each question-answer pair so Google can easily identify and use this content for Ask Maps responses.

Think about seasonal questions, accessibility concerns, parking information, payment methods, and service-specific queries that customers commonly have.

Regional Availability and Rollout

Ask Maps launched in the United States in November 2025, but the international rollout is more complicated.

Australia and other markets don’t have a confirmed timeline yet. Google typically rolls out features to English-speaking markets like Australia and the UK after the US, but AI features have been slower due to regulatory considerations.

European Union businesses face delays due to Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations. Google must comply with additional requirements before launching AI-powered features in EU markets.

However, you should prepare now even if Ask Maps isn’t available in your region yet. The optimisation strategies that improve Ask Maps performance also boost your overall local search visibility and Google Business Profile effectiveness.

Broader Gemini integration is happening gradually across Google’s ecosystem. Similar AI-powered features are already appearing in Google Search, voice navigation, and other Google services that Australian businesses can access.

The fundamental shift toward AI-powered local search is happening globally, regardless of specific feature availability.

The Bigger Picture: AI-First Local Search

Ask Maps represents a fundamental shift in how local search works. This isn’t just about one feature – it’s about Google’s move toward AI-first search experiences.

Data quality now matters more than keyword optimisation. Traditional local SEO focused heavily on keyword placement and backlinks. AI-powered search prioritises accurate, comprehensive, and consistent business information.

Structured data becomes essential. Schema markup, consistent citations, and well-organised website content help AI systems understand and represent your business accurately.

Ask Maps connects to Google’s broader AI strategy including AI Overviews in Search and the Search Generative Experience. The optimisation work you do for Ask Maps will benefit your visibility across all these AI-powered features.

Voice search integration is expanding rapidly. As more customers use voice commands while driving or walking, AI-powered responses become the primary way people discover local businesses.

The businesses that succeed in this new environment will be those that focus on comprehensive, accurate data rather than trying to game traditional ranking factors.

Take Action This Week

The shift to AI-powered local search is happening whether Ask Maps is available in your region or not. The businesses that prepare now will have a significant advantage when these features roll out globally.

Start with your Google Business Profile. Complete every section, add detailed attributes, and upload fresh photos. This foundation work improves your local search performance immediately.
Add FAQ and LocalBusiness schema to your website if you haven’t already. This structured data helps all of Google’s AI systems understand your business better.
Audit your citations across major directories and fix any inconsistencies. This cleanup work pays dividends across all local search features.

The future of local search is conversational, AI-powered, and focused on helping customers get specific answers about your business. The question isn’t whether this change will affect you – it’s whether you’ll be ready when it does.

Pick one optimisation tactic from this guide and implement it this week. Your future customers will thank you for it. Get in touch with our team if you want to dominate your competition in the AI era!