[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Intro” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Being visible on mapping apps is important to your <\/span>local SEO efforts<\/span><\/a>. That’s why you\u2019ve claimed Google Maps listings for your clients. Have you thought about Apple Maps?<\/span><\/p>\n Apple Maps is a competitor to Google, but make no mistake: it\u2019s a heavyweight in the world of navigation apps. Apple Maps is the default navigation app on every iPhone and iPad. Plus, when someone searches or asks Siri for recommendations, that data comes from Apple Maps.<\/span><\/p>\n For reference, Apple says there are more than 1.5 billion iPhones in use (<\/span>The Verge<\/span><\/a>). That\u2019s a lot of potential customers your clients could be missing out on if they\u2019re not on Apple Maps.<\/span><\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t cost anything to claim an Apple Maps listing, except time. This guide walks you through both setting up a listing and optimizing it.<\/span><\/p>\n [et_pb_section global_module=\"113175 \"][\/et_pb_section]<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”How to claim an Apple Maps listing” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve claimed Google Maps listings for your clients, then you already have an idea of how to claim a listing on Apple Maps.<\/span><\/p>\n To get started, go to\u00a0mapsconnect.apple.com<\/a>. You\u2019ll sign in with your Apple ID. If you don\u2019t already have one, you\u2019ll need to create one, and make sure you can securely access your Apple credentials, including any saved passwords on iPhone<\/a>, to avoid delays during setup.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019re in, you\u2019ll need to select how you\u2019re connected to the business you\u2019re claiming:<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re signing up on behalf of a client, then you\u2019ll choose the second option. Keep in mind that Apple Maps doesn\u2019t allow multiple admins for a business listing<\/a>. You can have<\/span> multiple locations<\/span><\/a> associated with an Apple ID, though.<\/span><\/p>\n You\u2019ll want to coordinate with your client before you claim the listing on Apple Maps. There are some verification steps you\u2019ll need to complete.<\/span><\/p>\n Once you\u2019re logged in to the Maps Connect, you\u2019ll choose your language. Next, you\u2019ll select your business.<\/span><\/p>\n To do this, type in the business name. If it\u2019s already listed on Apple Maps, it should pop up. If the business has a generic name, then you may need to sort through the listings until you find the right one.<\/span><\/p>\n What if the business doesn\u2019t come up? You may need to create a brand-new Apple Maps listing. We\u2019ll go over the steps for that below.<\/span><\/p>\n If the business does pop up, you don\u2019t want to create a duplicate. Instead, select the existing listing by clicking or tapping it. Once you\u2019ve done this, you should see a blue button that says \u201cClaim this place.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Click the button to claim the business listing. You\u2019ll be prompted to enter business information into various fields. These include:<\/span><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve updated this information, you\u2019ll be ready to move to verification.<\/span><\/p>\n If you type in the business name, but it doesn\u2019t appear, you\u2019ll need to create a new listing. Apple makes this very simple. You should see a button that says \u201cAdd a new place.\u201d Click the button.<\/span><\/p>\n You\u2019ll then follow the same steps for claiming an existing Apple Maps listing.<\/span><\/p>\n The final step is verifying the business. Apple wants to make sure anyone editing business information legitimately represents the business. They\u2019ll call or text the business phone number you provide.<\/span><\/p>\n This gives you a unique one-time password (OTP), which you\u2019ll then need to enter to complete your claim.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re claiming a listing on behalf of a client, then it\u2019s a good idea to coordinate with them. You may want to have them claim the listing themselves, with you walking them through the process via a video chat. At the very least, you\u2019ll need them to send or enter the OTP to complete the process.<\/span><\/p>\n You do have two other options to verify. One is \u201cverify later,\u201d which means you can defer verification until your client is free. You can also upload an official document that shows the business\u2019s name and address.<\/span><\/p>\n Verifying later will delay the addition of the claimed business and updated data to the map. Keep in mind that Apple usually follows up about the claim later too.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Updating information on a claimed business listing” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n If you\u2019re claiming an existing business, make sure your information is accurate.<\/span><\/p>\n Apple Maps collects data from many sources. That\u2019s how your client\u2019s business was likely listed to start. Apple scraped data from another source and added it to their map.<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, that information could be wrong or out of date. You\u2019ll want to go over the details carefully and update any information that isn\u2019t accurate.<\/span><\/p>\n This is a very good reason to make sure your clients claim Apple Maps listings for their business. Even if your focus isn\u2019t local SEO<\/a>, having the right information in the mapping app is important for the customer experience.<\/span><\/p>\n Apple Maps wasn\u2019t always as developed or as in depth as Google Maps, which means there are fewer fields for you to edit. The only fields available to edit are those we listed above, under claiming a business.<\/span><\/p>\n Apple does not allow you to upload your own photos. You cannot edit images associated with a business via Maps Connect. The reason is that Apple collects that data from other sites, like Yelp.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”How to optimize an Apple Maps listing” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n If you\u2019re familiar with local SEO, then you already know some of the principles Apple Maps uses.<\/span><\/p>\n The key to almost all local SEO is your NAP: name, address, place (<\/span>Forbes<\/span><\/a>). You want to be sure a local business\u2019s NAP is correct and consistent across locations. Matching between Google Maps and Apple Maps is important. You should also check for other listings, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n The NAP details on any of these listings should match your client\u2019s website and social media profiles.<\/span><\/p>\n Why is NAP so important? Google, Apple, and other companies want to provide the best user experience. When someone asks about local dentists, Apple wants Siri to deliver accurate information. If your NAP is consistent across all profile listings, then Apple is more confident that information is correct.<\/span><\/p>\n This, in turn, boosts local SEO. Since Apple is more confident about the business, they\u2019ll push it higher in the rankings. If the NAP is inconsistent, Siri may not mention it.<\/span><\/p>\n Trying to standardize business profiles can be an arduous task. There are hundreds of websites that list businesses. Trying to keep them all up to date manually is time consuming. That\u2019s why you might want to look at solutions like syndication services or<\/span> white-label SEO services<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n As you might have guessed from our discussion about NAP that the key to local SEO is accurate information. That also means providing more detail can help your clients\u2019 SEO efforts.<\/span><\/p>\n The more complete, up to date, and accurate your information is, the better your Apple Maps listing will perform.<\/span><\/p>\n For that reason, be sure to include the client\u2019s website and any social media profiles they have with their Apples Map listing.<\/span><\/p>\n You\u2019ll also want to provide operating hours, including whether the business is open 24\/7. Unfortunately, you don\u2019t have the option to add special holiday hours, like there is on Google Maps. For Apple Maps, include the client\u2019s standard operating hours.<\/span><\/p>\n Next, think about the business category. Apple Maps has plenty of options, but you\u2019ll want to choose the most relevant category. Being more accurate is always better. Also try to keep business categories consistent across different platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n Really want to boost local SEO? Make sure to optimize across platforms. Apple Maps doesn\u2019t offer a lot of control. If you want better pictures for Apple Maps, make sure you have good photos available on other platforms for Apple to pull from.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Other benefits of claiming a business listing” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n You probably know the benefits of good local SEO include <\/span>more visibility<\/span><\/a> for the business and even higher in-store traffic. Given that Apple Maps handles some 5 billion mapping inquiries weekly (<\/span>Justin O\u2019Beirne<\/span><\/a>), it\u2019s a cornerstone of local SEO strategies.<\/span><\/p>\nHow to claim an Apple Maps listing<\/h2>\n
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Claim an existing listing<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Adding a new Apple Maps listing for a business<\/span><\/h3>\n
Verifying the business listing<\/span><\/h3>\n
Updating information on a claimed business listing<\/h2>\n
How to optimize an Apple Maps listing<\/h2>\n
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The devil is in the details<\/span><\/h3>\n
Other benefits of claiming a business listing<\/h2>\n