# Insights for Modern Law Explore the Latest Trends, Tips, and Strategies in Legal Tech and Client Communication **Don't Let Google Maps' AI-Powered Ask Button Give Wrong Information About Your Law Firm** Google now shows the new AI-powered “Ask” button in Maps and on Business Profiles. Don't let it give the wrong answers about your law firm. December 19, 2025 [2 min read](/content/post/ai-powered-ask-button-law-firm/index.html) While Google still shows the Q&A functionality on the backend in your Google Business Profile, it no longer appears for people looking your profile or searching for businesses like yours. Google now shows the new “Ask” button in Maps and on Business Profiles. [According to Google’s product team](https://support.google.com/business/thread/392024106?hl=en), “Customers can ask their question directly in Google Maps and get an updated, instant answer based on your answers and relevant reviews.” This Gemini-powered feature has been prioritized in December 2025 and it became more prominent during the summer of 2025. ## What information is used by “Ask Maps” to answer questions? Google pulls information from: - your reviews - your existing Q&A section - all of the other information in your business profile - content from your law firm’s website You can still answer questions about your law firm in your Business Profile. Just know this section is no longer visible to searchers. According to Google: “Business Profile users can continue to answer existing questions about their business in the Q&A section in their Google Business Profile. Your published questions and answers will continue to power Google’s understanding of the real world and may be shown in Maps.” ## What should our law firm change to provide the right answers? Check and update these areas in your Business Profile and on your website to give Google’s AI all of the right information. ### Google Business Profile Make sure this information in your profile is up-to-date: - Law firm name - Business hours - Contact information - Practice areas and services Inaccurate information in your profile will mean that Gemini and “Ask Maps” can’t answer correctly. ### Your website All of the information on your Business Profile must be the same on your website. Don’t provide Google with conflicting information. In particular, make sure the business name listed on Google is the same one found on your website. Review your website’s accuracy and clearly label and update pages like: - Practice areas and services you provide - Attorneys and staff - Legal process FAQs - Testimonials and reviews Remember: AI is only providing the most likely answer to a question, not fact-checking, so you need to give it all the context. Your website is the best place to provide in-depth context about your law firm. ### Other review & informational sites If you maintain a profile on any other review sites, like Yelp, or any directories of law firms, double check that all of your business information is accurate and updated. Make sure that practice areas, business hours, contact information, staff information, etc. show up the same in every place someone might be searching. ## What else should we prioritize to give accurate answers in Google? [Requesting more reviews!](/content/post/why-your-firms-online-reviews-impact-more-than-just-seo/index.html) Google pulls information directly from reviews to populate answers in Maps. Legal marketing experts in particular note that Google seems to prioritize the user-generated answers that reviews already provide. Here’s an example of the impact your reviews have on the answers given by Google’s AI via “Ask Maps.” Rebecca was in a car accident. A few years ago she had to hire a personal injury lawyer for a slip-and-fall incident. But she remembers that the lawyer she hired then rarely contacted her. She felt isolated and confused, even though the case turned out in her favor. The communication was so bad she never referred that lawyer to anyone and mentioned it in her review. In searching Google for other personal injury attorneys in her area, Rebecca comes across your firm. She wants to know upfront if your firm has a history of poor communication with clients. She uses the AI-powered “Ask” button to ask about your communication style. If your firm has hundreds of positive reviews and many former clients mention how great your firm is at staying connected, Google is going to use that information to provide Rebecca’s answer. So if you don’t have a [solid process for requesting reviews](/content/post/turning-clients-into-advocates-how-to-generate-more-positive-reviews-referrals-for-your-law-firm/index.html), now’s the time to start. ### Automatically request reviews Within its client portal and communication tools, Hona provides [automated review requests](https://support.hona.com/en/articles/9462954-how-to-configure-review-requests). Set up these requests to send automatically via text message and the client portal at specific points in your case workflow. ## How to Improve Client Retention in Your Law Firm Today, law firms are investing in AI and automation to scale more efficiently. But the ones building long-term loyalty? _They’re focused on communication._ Because at the end of the day, clients don’t just remember what you did, they remember how you made them feel. ## Step 1: Understand Why Communication Matters Retention isn’t about results alone. How you guide and inform clients along the way plays a key role in client retention and referrals. And the numbers don’t lie: - **22.8% of clients** leave due to a _lack of communication_, making it the second most common reason clients fire their law firm. - **82% of legal consumers** say _timeliness_ in communication is essential when choosing a lawyer. - **The #1 bar complaint** is lack of communication. When communication breaks down, clients lose confidence. No matter the outcome of the case, if a client feels left in the dark, they’ll walk away feeling uncared for. And with that, retention and referrals disappear too. ## Step 2: Use AI to Support, Not Replace, Your Team The client experience starts long before a case is opened, it begins at intake. And too often, that first impression gets lost to missed calls, long wait times, or clunky forms. This is where AI can make a real difference for your firm. Tools like [Voice AI](/content/ai/index.html) can greet every caller immediately, capture key information, and route urgent matters to the right person on your team. That means no voicemail black holes, no frustrating delays, just a fast, helpful response from the start. But here’s the key: AI is a support tool, not a replacement. The human touch and empathy remain essential for client trust. ## Step 3: Automate to Inform Clients shouldn’t have to guess what’s going on. That’s where automation and tools like [Hona’s client portal](/content/engage/index.html) can help. When customized well, client portals become communication hubs that help clients feel informed and cared for: - **Automate case updates, event reminders, and messages** - **Use automation to deliver more personal touches** Small, thoughtful gestures go a long way in a profession where communication often feels transactional. The goal is to make automation feel warm and human, not robotic. This builds client trust and keeps them engaged. ## Step 4: Empower Your Team to Deliver Exceptional Client Care There are moments in every client relationship where tone and empathy matter more than speed. Delays. Sensitive updates. Gray areas. These are not moments to let automation take over. Even a short call or personal note can reinforce trust and show clients that someone’s paying attention. With the everyday communications taken care of, your team can spend more time providing personalized support. When you combine smart systems with a team that knows how to show up, that’s when you start building real client loyalty. ## Conclusion: Build a Simple System That Works You don’t need a major overhaul to improve retention. The most effective firms use simple systems that: - Automate routine communication - Use AI to streamline intake and inquiries - Grow a team trained in empathy and nuance This approach reduces client uncertainty, saves your team time, and ensures nothing important slips through the cracks.