New Google review rules: what Gulf businesses must change in 2026

For a restaurant, clinic, salon, gym or shop, the Google Business Profile often matters more than the website, because it is what customers see on Maps and in local search. In 2026 Google made the review rules stricter, gave owners AI tools, and let Maps answer local questions with AI.

Two review habits Google now bans

Google's Maps content policy now rules out two practices that many Gulf businesses treat as normal, often through staff review targets:

• Giving staff a set number of reviews to collect.
• Asking customers to write reviews that mention a staff member by name.

The penalties for fake or manipulated reviews are public. A profile can have new reviews paused, existing reviews hidden for a period, and a warning shown on it.

How much fraud Google says it stops

In April 2026 Google published its figures for 2025. Out of more than a billion reviews published, it blocked or removed 292 million that broke its policies. It also blocked 79 million bad edits to profiles, restricted 782,000 accounts and removed 13 million fake Business Profiles. It added new protections:

• Review scams and extortion are detected earlier, with reviews paused for a time and customers shown a notice.
• Edits to profiles are screened with Gemini, now live worldwide.
• Verified owners get an email before a suggested edit goes live.

Gemini and other owner tools

From June 2026, owners can connect a Business Profile to the Gemini app, which can answer questions about performance, draft review replies, and update opening hours or posts. Google says it is rolling out globally.

In selected regions and categories, owners can also review and reject information Google has gathered about their business, including through automated calls or messages. Trade reports say Business Profile data (interactions, website clicks, calls, directions, messages, bookings and menu views) can now be linked into Google Analytics 4, but we found no announcement from Google itself.

Ask Maps, and the Q&A section that disappeared

Ask Maps launched in March 2026. It uses Gemini and information on more than 300 million places to answer questions asked in everyday language. It opened in the US and India, then in August reached more than 150 countries and territories in English. We could not confirm that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are among them. The old questions and answers section on Business Profiles was retired at the end of 2025.

What is still true, and what is rumour

Google's help page still names three local ranking factors, relevance, distance and prominence, and says more reviews and positive ratings can help. Three popular claims have no Google source and come from blogs: that AI only cites businesses with 150 or more reviews, that local ranking now depends on popularity, and that most small businesses need video verification from July 2026.

Some of the newest local features, including booking through AI Mode, Google calling businesses on a person's behalf and new local carousels, are limited to the US or Europe for now.

What to do this month

• End staff review targets and requests that name staff members, and remove both from training material.
• Reply to each review in its own language, Arabic or English.
• Update opening hours ahead of Ramadan and public holidays.
• Turn on alerts for suggested edits, and check the profile after any change you did not make.
• Add photos, menus, services and booking links, which feed both Maps and AI answers.
• If you have several branches, audit every one, not only the flagship.

Our GCC marketing calendar lists Ramadan, Eid and national holidays, so opening hours can be changed before each one.

If your listings need a tidy-up, or you want a review process that stays within Google's rules, we are happy to talk it through at ALXO.