About a month ago, we reported Google was testing question and answer sections in the local results. I emailed Google about this three times, Google was radio silent about it. Then over the weekend, Google announced it in the Google My Business Help forums that this is live for Android users now.
Google said "we’re excited to announce that Google is bringing Questions and Answers to businesses." This allows businesses to post FAQs in the local panel, as well as answer questions posed by their customers. This is currently only available for Android users. Google wrote this helps:
- Add frequently asked questions and answers so that users searching for your place on Google Maps on Android can easily get the answers to common questions about your business.
- Answer questions from potential customers - if you have Google Maps on Android, we will send you a push notification when a new question has been asked about your business so you can share an answer.
- Thumb up questions and answers from other people to bring attention to helpful contributions from the community. When new questions and answers are posted to your listing from the community, we will notify you.
Here are screen shots of how it works:
Mike Blumenthal has an excellent FAQ on this feature over here.
Google explained that over "the next few days, you'll only be able to see the questions and answers feature on your own listing." "Over the next week we'll start rolling out this feature more broadly, so that you'll see the feature on listings other than your own, and other people will be able to ask and answer questions about your listing," Google added.
I personally do not see this feature in the Google My Business console, but I am told it might be just visible in Android for now...
Forum discussion at Google My Business Help.
