Google discontinues Business Profile Q&A API effective November 3

Google announced on September 17, 2025, that it will discontinue the My Business Q&A API on November 3, 2025, according to notifications sent to developers through the Google for Developers platform. The decision affects businesses and third-party applications that manage questions and answers programmatically through Google Business Profile listings.

The email notification, which surfaced in local search forums, stated that Google is "in the process of updating the Q&A functionality and user experience." However, the company provided no specific timeline for replacement functionality or detailed migration guidance for affected businesses. The announcement represents another significant change to Google's business management platform following previous feature deprecations throughout 2024 and 2025.

According to the communication, businesses will lose the ability to read or post questions and answers using the API after November 3, 2025. The existing Q&A data remains accessible through the API until the discontinuation date, allowing businesses time to export historical information. The deprecated API previously enabled automated management of customer inquiries across multiple business locations through a single interface.

Technical infrastructure implications

The My Business Q&A API operated through the mybusinessqanda.googleapis.com service endpoint, providing REST resources for managing questions and answers at the location level. According to Google's developer documentation updated October 16, 2024, the API supported creating, deleting, listing, and updating questions through the v1.locations.questions resource. Businesses could also manage answers through the v1.locations.questions.answers resource using delete, list, and upsert methods.

The API facilitated programmatic management of customer questions across multiple business locations. Marketing teams utilized these capabilities to maintain consistent response times and standardized answers across franchise networks and multi-location businesses. The discontinuation affects businesses that integrated Q&A management into customer service workflows and automated response systems.

Google's developer documentation indicates that businesses requiring API access needed to request specific quota allocations through the Google Business Profile API access process. The company typically assigned zero quotas initially, requiring manual approval for implementation. This controlled access approach suggests limited adoption compared to other Google Business Profile API endpoints.

PPC Land's analysis of Google's Business Profile evolution demonstrates how the platform continues consolidating features and streamlining management capabilities. The Q&A API deprecation follows the July 31, 2024, discontinuation of the Google Business Profile chat feature, indicating Google's strategic focus on specific communication channels.

Current Q&A functionality remains active

Despite API discontinuation, the Q&A feature continues operating through Google Search and Maps interfaces. According to information shared by local search expert Joy Hawkins on May 28, 2025, Q&A functionality displays in specific search scenarios across Google's platforms. The feature appears when users click on businesses from map pack results and during all Google Maps searches.

The current implementation excludes Q&A from direct search results that generate knowledge panels without map pack displays. For example, searches targeting specific business locations that produce single results bypass Q&A display on Google Search. However, broader queries generating map pack listings maintain Q&A functionality when users access individual business profiles.

Business owners retain full access to Q&A management through the Google Business Profile interface and can continue posting and responding to customer questions manually. The existing web interface provides complete question and answer management capabilities without programmatic limitations. Businesses can monitor customer inquiries and maintain response protocols through the standard dashboard.

Google confirmed that Q&A functionality "is still available to businesses and consumers" through native platform interfaces. The discontinuation specifically targets programmatic access rather than eliminating the feature entirely. This approach aligns with Google's strategy of maintaining consumer-facing functionality while reducing developer API surface areas.

Marketing industry impact

The API discontinuation affects agencies and software providers managing multiple client locations through automated systems. Marketing technology platforms that integrated Q&A management into broader reputation management suites must redesign workflows to accommodate manual management requirements. The change particularly impacts franchise management systems and multi-location retail operations that relied on centralized Q&A oversight.

Previous Google Business Profile API changes created similar disruptions for marketing professionals managing client accounts. Google's comprehensive business links policy updates implemented on September 3, 2025, required significant technical infrastructure adjustments for compliance with automated verification systems. The Q&A API deprecation continues this pattern of reducing programmatic access while maintaining consumer functionality.

According to the deprecation schedule published August 28, 2025, Google replaced the accounts.locations.reportInsights method from Google My Business v4.9 with the new Business Profile Performance API. The transition introduced the fetchMultiDailyMetricsTimeSeries method, enabling multiple DailyMetrics retrieval in single API requests. This demonstrates Google's approach of providing enhanced replacement functionality rather than simple feature removal.

The timing aligns with Google's broader platform modernization efforts across advertising and business management tools. Recent API developments demonstrate the company's focus on AI-powered automation and centralized management capabilities. The Q&A API deprecation follows this strategic direction by consolidating management through primary interfaces.

Business Profile Performance API enhancement

Concurrent with the Q&A API announcement, Google updated the Business Profile Performance API with new multi-metric capabilities. The enhancement, documented October 16, 2024, introduced the fetchMultiDailyMetricsTimeSeries method for retrieving multiple DailyMetrics objects through single API requests. This functionality replaced the deprecated v4 reportInsights method that ceased operations March 30, 2023.

The Performance API operates through the businessprofileperformance.googleapis.com endpoint, providing enhanced analytics capabilities for business profile metrics. According to Google's technical documentation, the API enables merchants to access performance reports about their business profile presence across Google Search and Maps. The service requires proper quota allocation through the GBP API access request process.

Current Business Profile Performance API capabilities include daily metrics time series data and search keyword impression analytics. The v1.locations resource provides getDailyMetricsTimeSeries functionality, while the v1.locations.searchkeywords.impressions.monthly resource enables search keyword analysis. These features support businesses seeking detailed performance analytics without question management capabilities.

Google's approach to API evolution demonstrates prioritization of analytics and measurement functionality over content management features. The Performance API receives continued development and enhancement while content management APIs face deprecation. This strategic direction indicates Google's focus on providing measurement tools rather than comprehensive content management platforms.

Historical API deprecation patterns

The Q&A API discontinuation follows established patterns in Google's Business Profile platform evolution. Previous deprecations included the My Business Business Calls API, which ended May 30, 2023, and specific location association methods discontinued at the same date. The InsuranceNetworks and HealthProviderAttributes API methods faced deprecation June 17, 2024, with discontinuation July 1, 2024.

Google's deprecation schedule typically provides 90-120 day notice periods for API changes. The Q&A API announcement on September 17, 2025, with a November 3, 2025, discontinuation date, follows this established timeline. Previous Business Profile API transitions maintained similar notice periods, allowing businesses time to adjust operational workflows and export necessary data.

The accounts.locations.reportInsights deprecation exemplifies Google's replacement approach to API evolution. The company introduced enhanced Business Profile Performance API functionality before discontinuing legacy methods. However, the Q&A API deprecation announcement provided no equivalent replacement functionality, suggesting different strategic priorities for content management versus analytics capabilities.

Support ended designations in Google's deprecation schedule indicate that API versions continue functioning but receive no updates or bug fixes. Discontinuation represents complete service termination with error responses for all requests. The Q&A API faces discontinuation rather than support ended status, indicating Google's intent to eliminate the functionality entirely.

Timeline of events

• October 16, 2024: Google publishes updated My Business Q&A API documentation
• March 30, 2023: Google discontinues accounts.locations.reportInsights v4.9 method
• May 30, 2023: My Business Business Calls API and location association methods deprecated
• November 21, 2022: Google announces Business Profile Performance API migration from v4 reportInsights
• July 31, 2024: Google Business Profile chat feature discontinued
• September 3, 2025: Google implements stricter business links verification policies
• September 17, 2025: Google notifies developers about Q&A API discontinuation
• November 3, 2025: My Business Q&A API scheduled for discontinuation

Summary

Who: Google Business Profile platform users, developers, agencies, multi-location businesses, franchise operations, and marketing technology providers utilizing programmatic Q&A management capabilities through the My Business Q&A API.

What: Discontinuation of the My Business Q&A API on November 3, 2025, eliminating programmatic access for creating, reading, updating, and deleting questions and answers on Google Business Profile listings while maintaining manual management through web interfaces.

When: Google announced the deprecation on September 17, 2025, with implementation scheduled for November 3, 2025, providing approximately 47 days for businesses to adjust workflows and export existing data.

Where: The change affects the mybusinessqanda.googleapis.com service endpoint globally, impacting all businesses and developers using the API for Google Business Profile Q&A management across Google Search and Maps platforms.

Why: Google cited ongoing updates to "Q&A functionality and user experience" without providing specific details about replacement features, continuing the company's pattern of consolidating business management capabilities while reducing developer API access points.