When Apple dropped Business Connect, the SEO world buzzed with excitement. Finally, business owners could manage their Apple Maps listing directly, something we’d been waiting on for ages. With over 70 million people using Apple Maps, you can’t afford to skip optimizing your business’s presence on it.
But let’s be real—managing your Apple Maps listing isn’t exactly plug-and-play. If you’re wondering how much effort to put into optimizing your Apple listing or questioning whether Apple Maps even matters compared to Google, you’re in the right place. Let’s break it down.
Step 1: Get Your Apple Maps Listing Up and Running
First things first—you need to claim your listing. If you’re not already in Apple’s ecosystem, you’ll need to create an Apple ID. Then head over to businessconnect.apple.com and log in. From the dashboard, go to “Locations” on the side menu, click “Add” in the top right, and search for your business by name. You can either claim an existing listing or create a new one.
You can also claim your listing directly from Apple Maps by clicking “claim this place” and following the instructions. Verification is a breeze—either via phone (instant) or through a document review (which takes up to five days). If you’re creating a new listing, the document review is your only option.
Step 2: Optimize Your Apple Maps Listing Like a Pro
Optimizing your Apple Business Connect (ABC) listing is a lot like optimizing a Google Business Profile, but with a few key differences. Here’s what you can tweak:
Name, Address, Phone Number: Keep it consistent across all platforms.
Business Categories: Choose the most accurate one because this affects your search visibility.
Operating Hours: Make sure these are correct and up-to-date.
Logo and Banner Image: Upload a 1024x1024px logo and a 1600x1040px banner.
About Description: You’ve got 500 characters—use them wisely.
Apple has a thing for pulling info from other sources, especially Yelp. If your Yelp listing is off, it could mess up your Apple Maps info. Make sure your details are spot-on across the board.
Consistency Is Key: Don’t Get Marked as ‘Permanently Closed’
Apple Maps is ruthless about data consistency. If your info is inconsistent across platforms, Apple might mark your business as permanently closed. Not cool, right? So, double-check your details everywhere, especially on Yelp, because Apple loves pulling data from there.
Reviews: The Apple Maps Wild Card
Unlike Google, you can’t leave reviews directly on Apple Maps. Instead, Apple pulls reviews from third-party sites like Yelp and Facebook. To boost your Apple Maps presence, focus on getting good reviews on those platforms. Once you verify your listing, check where Apple is pulling your reviews from by viewing your listing on an iPhone or Mac.
Watch Out for Duplicate Listings
Duplicate listings are the bane of local SEO, and Apple Maps is no exception. Apple created Business Connect partly to help clean up its spammy, duplicate-filled results. Do a deep search for any variations of your business name, phone numbers, and old addresses to make sure there aren’t any rogue listings out there. If you find duplicates, claim them and contact Apple Maps support to get them removed.
But Does Apple Maps Even Matter?
Short answer: Yes. Google may dominate the search market with 92% of searches, but Apple Maps is gaining ground. A Business Insider report highlighted a shift in public opinion, with more people choosing Apple Maps for its UX/UI improvements and privacy features. And let’s not forget the millions of loyal iPhone users who’ve stuck with Apple Maps through its awkward teenage years.
Apple Maps is also better at protecting user privacy compared to Google. This is a big deal as more people grow concerned about how their data is being used. With new features like offline maps coming soon, Apple Maps is poised to continue its upward trend.
The Bottom Line: Apple Maps Isn’t Going Anywhere
Despite its growing popularity, 58% of businesses haven’t even claimed their Apple Maps listing, according to BrightLocal. Don’t be part of that statistic. Millions of people are using Apple Maps every day, and more are switching over. It’s time to take control of how your business is represented on Apple’s growing platform.
In a digital world where visibility is everything, GMB Fox ensures your business isn’t just online—it’s the first choice customers make. Let us handle the complexities of digital marketing, so you can focus on what truly matters: growing your business.
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