News · Google and reviews
What changed in Google Business Profile in 2026
Google Business Profile picked up several new features in 2026, and they don't all matter equally for a small business. The ones that do: AI-generated Q&A pulled from reviews and the business's own website, native post scheduling, and WhatsApp as a messaging option as Google phases out its own native chat.
Updated 2026-08-22
What actually moves the needle
Google also adjusted its local search algorithm to weigh brand recognition less and real popularity more: recent reviews, how often the owner replies, and how complete the profile is. A profile with an outdated schedule or the wrong category now loses ranking more directly than it used to.
The flashiest feature, AR store tours for businesses with a physical location, is close to irrelevant for a plumber or electrician who works at the customer's house: there's no storefront to walk through. Keeping the schedule, category, and photos current is worth more time than chasing a feature that doesn't apply to the trade.
What to actually do with this
Three concrete moves: turn on WhatsApp as a messaging channel if you already use it to talk to customers, check that the profile's listed hours match reality (not what got typed in two years ago), and reply to new reviews within days, not months. None of it costs money, and it's exactly what the new algorithm weighs more heavily.