Apple recently launched Business Connect to allow businesses to easily claim and optimize their Apple Maps locations. Getting started as a single or multi-location business only takes minutes.
Once you’ve set up and claimed your location, you’ll have access to view and edit your Place Card. This includes:
- Updating your location details.
- Add a photo.
- Publish an exhibition.
- Review your location’s performance and engagement on Apple Maps.
Apple Business Connect offers three different workflows:
- Small business.
- Enterprise brands with 25 or more locations.
- Third-party partners who manage data on behalf of other businesses and may submit this data via API.
In this article, you’ll learn how to get started with Apple Business Connect.
Get started with Apple Business Connect
First, create an Apple ID if you don’t already have one.
Next, go to the Apple Business Connect website, select your business type (small, enterprise or third-party partner) and sign in with your Apple ID.
If you’re a brand that leverages third parties to submit and access data via APIs, you’ll still need to set up and claim your first location in Business Connect. You will then have the option to delegate your account to an agency that can top up your location balance in bulk.
For single locations and small businesses under 25 locations, your first step is to find or create your location.
For enterprise businesses, you should click on the prompt at the bottom that says “Register as Enterprise.”
When you click here, it will take you directly to the Business Verification page where you will need to enter your brand information including your DUNS number. (Apple also has a useful enterprise orientation guide.)
For small businesses (what Apple considers brands under 25 locations), you’ll need to find your location on Apple Maps and either select a matching business that appears in the search results or choose the option to create a new location if your business isn’t listed.
If you’re creating a new location, you’ll need to add your address details and make sure the map pin is above your location’s entrance. You can add exact coordinates if needed.
In the next two steps, you’ll need to add your prime, holiday and special hours.
Special business hours are described as a set of custom or temporary hours, such as periods of time when you have extended or shortened availability.
Then you need to add your main and additional categories, website and phone number. (This is a great resource for finding a full list of Apple’s Business categories.)
Apple notes that additional categories help with search and can be unique by location.
During setup, Apple starts building a preview of your place card. According to Apple:
“When you change information about a location in Business Connect, that information is shown in this preview. It can take up to three days for your changes to be published on the map location card after you send it to Apple for review.”
The final step for setup focuses on authentication. You next need to add your company details for verification so that Apple can determine if you are the right contact to manage this location in Apple Business Connect.
To complete verification, you will need to provide identifiable business documents such as business registration, utility bills or lease agreements and document descriptions.
Your business verification can take up to five days to process.
Once verification is complete, you can begin adding additional information to your Place Card including:
- A unique description of your business location.
- Additional attributes or features of your business. The types of attributes vary by business type but include categories such as:
- Payment options.
- Reservation type (appointment only, walk-in).
- Accessibility features.
- Parking options.
- Toilet type and availability.
- Technological features (wi-fi and air conditioning).
- COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Options.
- Business Model (cooperative, non-profit, membership requirements).
- Security (cooling centers, COVID-19 precautions, shelters).
- Smoking parameters.
- Availability of EV Charging.
- Ambience details (good for kids, couples, groups).
- What kind of pets are allowed or not.
- Links to apps that support functions such as ordering, booking or booking an appointment.
- Your business photo including logo and cover will remain in position at the top of your Place Card. Apple advises that photos will be reviewed and may take up to three days before publication. You can find photo guidelines here.
- Showcase to highlight timely updates, new features and products for your business. Shows expire after 30 days unless you set them to expire earlier, and Apple can take up to three days to review and approve your show. The exhibition includes the following elements:
- Photos and image tags (must be added for accessibility and screen readers).
- Short title up to 38 characters.
- Exhibit description up to 58 characters.
- One or more calls to action, including:
- “Call Now”
- “Get directions”
- “Website”
- “Share this Place”
- “Add to Favorites”
- “Rate This Place” – This allows users to provide feedback on overall ratings, food and beverage, customer service and atmosphere. It also prompts users to recommend this place to a friend or family member.
Note that Showcase is only available for businesses in the United States, but Apple is working to make it available globally in the coming months.
If you manage or own more locations, just click the “Add” button on the top right of the dashboard to start the process over. You can also invite additional users who need access to manage your location.
More ways to interact with Apple Maps users
Business Connect is a very interesting and very welcome innovation from Apple.
It provides a great opportunity for local businesses to engage with Apple Maps users and is designed in a way that makes it easy for businesses of all types and sizes to get started.
You can find more information in the Apple Business Connect User Guide.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily those of Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.
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About the Author
Krystal Taing is the Global Director of Pre-sales Solutions at Uberall. He has over a decade of experience in local search and is passionate about helping brands manage hybrid customer experiences. He is a Google Business Profile Platinum Product Expert and a faculty member at LocalU.
