How to Answer Questions on Google My Business

Your Google My Business profile has a powerful, often overlooked feature that acts as a direct line to your potential customers: the Questions & Answers section. Answering these public inquiries correctly can build trust, boost your local search ranking, and give you a direct hand in shaping your brand’s narrative. This guide breaks down exactly how to find, answer, and master the GMB Q&A to win over the people searching for businesses just like yours.

Why Answering Google My Business Questions is a Game-Changer

Before jumping into the "how," it's worth understanding the "why." Ignoring the GMB Q&A section is like leaving your front door unattended. Potential customers are walking up, asking questions, and if you don't answer, someone else might - and their answer might not be a good one.

Here’s what makes this feature so valuable:

• It Builds Trust and Transparency. When you provide a swift, helpful answer, you show potential customers that you're an active, attentive business that cares about their needs. It removes friction from their customer journey and makes them more likely to choose you over a competitor.
• It Boosts Local SEO. Google loves fresh, relevant content. The GMB Q&A is a goldmine for user-generated content filled with keywords and long-tail search queries related to your business. When you answer a question about “gluten-free options” or “wheelchair accessibility,” that exchange can help your profile rank higher for those specific searches in the future.
• It Gives You Control Over Your Brand Message. Anyone can answer a question on your GMB profile - a well-meaning customer, a misinformed Local Guide, or even a competitor. By being the first and most authoritative voice to respond, you ensure the information is accurate and aligned with your brand.
• It Creates a Public FAQ. Every question you answer adds to a living, breathing FAQ on your profile. This saves you and your future customers time, as people with common inquiries can find the answers without ever having to contact you directly.

How to Find and Answer GMB Questions: A Step-by-Step Guide

Tracking incoming questions isn't complicated, but you need to know where to look. Google doesn't offer a tidy dashboard for this, but you can stay on top of it through a few different methods.

Method 1: Respond Directly from Google Search

This is the most direct way to find and answer questions as they appear on your live profile.

1. Make sure you are logged into the Google account used to manage your Business Profile.
2. Search for your business name on Google. Your Business Profile panel will appear on the right side of the search results (on desktop) or at the top (on mobile).
3. Scroll down in the panel until you see the "Questions & answers" section. You may see a link that says "See all questions (#)." Click it.
4. Here you can see unanswered questions. Simply click "Answer" below the question you want to address and type your response.

Method 2: Using the Google Maps App

For managers on the go, answering via the Google Maps app is often the fastest route.

1. Open the Google Maps app on your smartphone and ensure you're signed into your manager account.
2. Tap on your profile picture or initial in the top right corner.
3. Select "Your Business Profiles."
4. If you manage multiple locations, select the correct one.
5. Navigate to the "Customers" tab and then select "Questions."
6. From here, you’ll see a list of outstanding questions waiting for your reply. Tap on any question to provide your answer.

Method 3: Turn On Your Email Notifications

This is a passive but essential method. Don't go looking for questions, let them come to you.

1. Go to your Business Profile Manager dashboard.
2. In the left-hand menu, click on "Settings."
3. Make sure that "Customer messages" and "Questions & answers" notifications are toggled on.
4. Now, Google will send an email to your primary account whenever a new question is posted, allowing you to click a link directly in the email to go and answer it.

Pro Tip: Upvote helpful questions and answers! Both questions and existing answers have a small "thumbs up" icon next to them. Upvoting good questions makes them more visible, and upvoting your own accurate answer helps establish it as the definitive response.

Best Practices for Writing the Perfect Answer

Knowing how to answer is just as important as knowing where. A poor response can be worse than no response at all. Follow these guidelines to make every answer count.

1. Answer Quickly

Timeliness is everything. The GMB Q&A isn't like email, it's a public forum where speed demonstrates attentiveness. Aim to answer all new questions within 24 hours. A rapid response prevents other users from jumping in with potentially incorrect information and impresses the person who asked.

2. Be Authoritative but Personable

Strike a balance between a professional and a friendly tone. You are the business authority, so your answer should be confident and clear. But you're also talking to a person, so avoid corporate jargon.

• Do: "Hi Sarah! Yes, we have a large parking lot behind our building that is free for all of our customers. We look forward to seeing you!"
• Don't: "Parking is available."

Signing off with your name or the business name (e.g., "- The Team at Bright Blooms") adds a nice personal touch.

3. Be Accurate and Thorough

Vague answers create more questions. Be specific. If someone asks about your return policy, don't just say, "Yes, we accept returns." Detail the return window and any conditions. If a question is about a specific product, check your inventory before answering.

If the answer is a bit long, that’s okay. It's better to provide a complete response than a short one that leaves room for interpretation. You can also link to relevant pages on your website for more detailed information, like your booking page or menu.

4. Handle Tricky or Inappropriate Questions Gracefully

Sooner or later, you’ll encounter spam, an off-topic question, or something downright negative. Here’s how to handle it:

• For irrelevant or spam questions: Don't answer them. Simply click the three dots next to the question and select "Report question." This will flag it for Google's review.
• For negative or critical questions: If the question is a legitimate critique disguised as a question (e.g., "Why is your service always so slow?"), treat it with the same care as a negative review. Answer politely, apologize for their poor experience, and offer a path to resolve the issue offline. For example: "We're very sorry to hear you had this experience. Our goal is to provide prompt service, and we clearly missed the mark. Please give our manager, David, a call at [phone number] so we can learn more and make things right."

5. Optimize for Keywords (Without Overdoing It)

Your answers are indexable content, meaning they can appear in search results. Think about the terms people use when looking for your services.

If you're a coffee shop and someone asks, "Do you have non-dairy milk?," a great answer incorporates keywords naturally:

• Good: "Yes, we do! We offer a great selection of non-dairy and vegan milk alternatives, including oat milk, almond milk, and soy milk for all of our lattes and espresso drinks."
• Bad (Keyword Stuffing): "Yes, our coffee shop has non-dairy milk. We have the best espresso drinks with oat milk. Our baristas make vegan coffee drinks with dairy-free alternatives."

The goal is to be helpful first. The SEO benefit will follow naturally.

The Proactive Strategy: Build Your Own FAQ

Here’s the single most powerful strategy for the GMB Q&A: don't wait for questions to be asked! You can seed your own Q&A section by asking and then immediately answering your own most common questions. This allows you to preemptively address customer concerns and highlight valuable information.

From a different Google account (like a personal one), post questions to your own profile and then switch to your business account to answer them authoritatively. This instantly creates a useful, self-built FAQ.

Great starter questions to ask and answer yourself include:

• Is there free parking available?
• Are you pet-friendly?
• Is Wi-Fi available for customers?
• Do I need to make a reservation?
• What is your return policy?
• Are your premises wheelchair accessible?
• Do you offer gift cards?

By getting ahead of these common queries, you make it easier for customers to choose you while controlling the first impression they get from your Q&A section.

Final Thoughts

Mastering your Google My Business Q&A section is a low-effort, high-impact way to engage directly with potential customers. By providing fast, accurate, and friendly answers, you build trust, improve your local SEO, and control your brand’s narrative where it matters most - right on the search results page.

Engaging properly with customers means being present where they are, from Google's public Q&A to comments on Instagram Reels or mentions on X. We know staying on top of all those conversations across every platform can feel like a losing battle. That's why we built the smart inbox in Postbase to pull all of your comments and DMs into one clean, manageable view. It simplifies community management so you never miss an engaging moment with your audience.