Have you explored the relatively new feature “Question & Answers” that is available on Google local business listings? While this feature was introduced by Google last summer, not all businesses are still fully aware of its existence or not have embraced it as a way to connect with clients.
Where is the “Question & Answers” Feature on Google Maps?
When you conduct a local search and click on a business listing in Maps or the search results, you’ll see the Q&A section right below the business information.
In the section, you will see questions people have asked and the answers, which are posted from either the business itself or the public.
There is also an option to upvote questions with a thumbs-up button, which will move those questions closer to the top of the section.
How Can Google Map’s “Question & Answers” Feature Help Small Businesses?
This feature is a great opportunity for business to connect with potential and/or existing customers on a more personal level. Small businesses, in particular, may find this feature really useful by providing quick answers to people who are nearby or for people who are planning to visit them.
How to Make the Most of Your Local Business’ Q&A Section:
- First, it’s time to start taking full control. Whenever there is a new question, the business should react fast and try to answer on the question directly without waiting for people in the public to post answers that might not be correct or can damage the reputation of the business.
- You can write your business’ own frequently asked questions and even directly respond to them, which is really helpful for potential clients to make quick decisions on the go. To let Google mark your answers as being from the business owner, make sure that you’re logged into your Google My Business account when you do this.
- Use some of the questions you are asked in your own web content. This feature is a great generator of content for your blog or FAQ section. You can expand more fully on some of the frequently asked questions that you get from the Google Map visitors. This can also help you rank organically for some of the queries you now know are being used often by your target audience.
- Address any spam or irrelevant questions by reporting this content to Google immediately.
- It is not yet clear whether the Q&A feature can really impact local pack rankings however, there is a high possibility that it will eventually happen, as it happened with businesses that have many positive reviews showing up more often on top of the local pack. Therefore, be responsive and let people know that you are listening and ready to help.
- Unfortunately, businesses are only alerted about questions if they open the Google Maps app on an Android phone, which means you have to make sure are you are logged into the Google Maps app with your GMB account to get push notifications. As for the iOS users, for now there is no other option but to check their account regularly, however that might change soon.
Now it’s your turn! Please share your thoughts and if you already use this feature for your business in the comments below.
