Apple’s split from Yelp in 2021 may not seem like a big deal, but it offers an opportunity for small business owners to get their information listed on a new (or at least improved) online local business directory. Here is what you need to do to add your business to Apple Maps and how doing so can help you find more local customers.
How to Add Your Business to Apple Maps
Follow this 12-step process to add your local business to Apple Maps:
- Go to the Apple Business Register
- Create an Apple ID account for your business or log in to an existing account
- Search for your business in the search bar
- If not found, click “Add a missing place”
- Enter information like your business name, phone number, and business category
- Click “Next”
- Click “Verify Ownership” on the top of the page and add any extra information Apple needs
- Enter your business’ primary contact on the “Choose a primary contact for your business” page
- Click “Save and continue”
- Allow an automated call from Apple to be made to your business’ phone number on the “Verify that you own this place” page
- Enter the four-digit pin code given in the automated call
- Wait for Apple to review your information and approve your business. If approved, your business will be added to Apple Maps
Advantages of Being on Apple Maps
With Apple products being among the most popular on the planet, Apple Maps is one of the best local directories for connecting consumers to businesses in their area. Here are some of the big advantages of adding your business to Apple Maps.
One of the Largest Mapping Apps
Apple’s reach is massive. The company has over 1.8 billion active devices across the iPhone, iPad, and other Apple products. Of all active phones in the United States, nearly half are iPhones, and three out of four of those iOS users actually rely Apple Maps since it’s conveniently pre-installed on their devices (unlike other navigational apps like Waze or Google Maps, which would require iOS users to manually find and download them).
So registering your small business with Apple Maps puts you on the map for millions of potential customers. Considering this app receives over five billion requests every week, not being listed on Apple Maps could cost you plenty of local business.
Free to Set Up a Local Listing
Unlike other pay-to-play marketing solutions, it is free to set up a local listing on Apple Maps. All you need to create your Apple Maps business listing is an Apple ID, which requires very little setup and won’t cost you a penny.
Helps with Local SEO
When you create a local business listing in Apple Maps, you’re registering your business information (name, address, phone number, etc.) with one of the largest mapping tools available. When the app verifies your local citation, this shows search engines like Google and Bing that you’re a reputable business, and these strong signals make your business more likely to show up in local search engine results.
Offers a Look Around Feature
Similar to Google’s 360 Tour, Apple Maps offers users a “Look Around” feature. This allows people to see the inside of your business before arriving to get an idea of how your storefront looks. Not only is this helpful for potential customers trying to locate your business, but having photos of your business registered in Apple Maps makes it more likely that they’ll get pulled into search engine results.
Works with Siri
Voice search is on the rise. In fact, 46% of consumers use voice search daily to find a local business on their smartphone, so there’s a high likelihood that someone has searched for your business through voice search. What makes this especially important is that Apple Maps is integrated with Siri. So by registering your business with Apple Maps, Siri can pull your business as a recommendation whenever a user is looking for local products or services in your area.
Easy-to-Use Review System
The most important benefit that comes with being listed on Apple Maps is that it uses an in-house rating and photo system in place of what Yelp once provided. As part of the iOS 14.6 update, Apple’s own review system allows customers to rate a business with a simple thumbs up or thumbs down based on their experience. Users can also add photos to their reviews, which are verified by real people before they’re officially posted to Apple Maps. To further prevent abuse, Apple will only accept ratings from those who have physically been to the establishment, which is tracked through location services.
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