Although Apple Business Connect for Apple Maps is a relatively new business listing platform, by now you should hopefully have at least added your business to Apple Maps.
If you haven't yet claimed your Apple Business Connect listing, you could potentially be missing out on getting found by at least half of iOS users (the number of iOS users estimated to use Apple Maps as their go-to navigation app)!
But taking ownership of your business's Place Card on Apple Maps is just the first step towards increasing your visibility among iOS users. There are some best practices you should follow to improve your ranking on Apple Maps.
How To Rank Higher on Apple Maps: 5 Best Practices
- Ensure Business Info Is Complete and Accurate
- Add a Logo and Banner Image
- Get Reviews on Third-Party Sites
- Look Out for Duplicate Listings
- Take Advantage of Showcases
- Track Your Ranking with Local Falcon
Ensure Business Info Is Complete and Accurate
Just like with optimizing your Google Business Profile, the first step towards optimizing your Apple Business Connect listing is to ensure that all the business info is filled out as completely and accurately as possible. Here's the main business information to fill out:
- Business name
- Business address
- Business phone number
- Business categories
- Business hours
- "About" description
When it comes to filling out your business information for Apple Maps, it's crucial to ensure it's consistent with the information across other platforms, including both Google Maps and other directories, such as Yelp or Tripadvisor.
Ensuring consistency in business info across online listing platforms contributes to building local citations and maintaining NAP consistency, both of which are important parts of executing a successful overall local SEO strategy.
Add a Logo and Banner Image
Apple Business Connect listings also allow you to add a logo and a banner image for your business. Doing so can help optimize your Apple Maps listing as well as make your Place Card stand out among the competition, increasing the chances of potential customers choosing your business over others.
Get Reviews on Third-Party Sites
Apple Maps reviews work a little differently than Google Maps Reviews. While Apple Maps does sometimes allow users to rate places directly from the app, this functionality is still limited to select areas.
Instead, Apple Maps pulls the majority of reviews from third-party platforms, including:
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Yelp (most heavily weighted in the U.S.)
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Tripadvisor (popular for restaurants, hotels, attractions)
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Vagaro (for spas, salons, and wellness businesses)
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Foursquare (general businesses, global coverage)
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Booking.com and OpenTable (hospitality and dining)
To boost your Apple Maps visibility, focus on asking happy customers to leave reviews on the platform that matters most in your industry. For example:
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A restaurant should encourage OpenTable and Yelp reviews.
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A hotel should build Tripadvisor and Booking.com reviews.
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A salon might prioritize Vagaro.
By diversifying where your reviews appear, you'll strengthen your ranking signals in Apple Maps.
Look Out for Duplicate Listings
Duplicate listings aren't just confusing for users. They can also actively hurt your Apple Maps rankings. If Apple's algorithm sees multiple profiles for the same business, it can struggle to decide which to prioritize, leading to lower visibility.
Examples of duplicate issues:
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A business moves to a new location, but the old address is still live.
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A rebrand or name change creates multiple versions of the same business.
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Different departments or practitioners at one address mistakenly create their own listings.
Best practices:
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Regularly search your business name and address in Apple Maps to check for duplicates.
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Use the "Report an Issue" button inside Apple Maps to request removal.
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Monitor other directories (Yelp, Foursquare, Tripadvisor) since duplicates there can trickle into Apple Maps as well.
So, make sure to monitor Apple Maps for duplicate listings and report any you find using the "Report an Issue" functionality within the Apple Maps app to get them removed.
Not only does this ensure your customers don't get confused, it also mitigates issues with inconsistent business info that can hurt your local citation and NAP consistency profiles, ultimately detracting from your local SEO efforts as a whole.
Take Advantage of Showcases
"Showcases" are a unique feature in Apple Business Connect that you can use to promote specific products or services and prompt customers to take a desirable action, such as calling or getting directions to your business.
Creating Showcases on Apple Maps may help boost your business's visibility when people search for the specific types of products and services that you're promoting. They can also help convert more leads into customers by pushing users to take an action directly through the Apple Maps app.
Examples of how businesses use Showcases:
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Retail: Promote seasonal sales ("Back-to-School Sale: 20% Off Shoes").
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Restaurants: Highlight new menu items ("Try Our New Vegan Burger, Available Now").
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Gyms & Studios: Advertise special offers ("1 Free Yoga Class for First-Time Visitors").
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Events: Share upcoming events ("Live Music Friday Night at 8 PM").
Since Showcases appear right where people are making decisions (within Apple Maps), they not only increase visibility but also drive action-oriented engagement (calls, directions, reservations). Updating these regularly sends a freshness signal to Apple, too.
Apple Maps vs Google Maps for Businesses
It's natural to wonder whether investing time into Apple Business Connect is worth it when Google Maps dominates local search. Here's a quick comparison:
| Feature | Apple Maps | Google Maps |
|---|---|---|
| Market Share | 2nd largest (default on iOS devices) | Largest (global default) |
| Reviews | Pulls from Yelp, Tripadvisor, Vagaro, etc. | Native Google reviews only |
| Customization | Logo, banner, Showcases | Posts, photos, services, menus |
| User Base | Strong with iPhone/iPad users | Universal across devices |
| Navigation & Search | Integrated with Siri and iOS apps | Integrated with Google ecosystem |
Takeaway: Google Maps should remain your top local SEO priority, but Apple Maps is steadily growing, especially with Apple's loyal iOS base. Ignoring Apple Maps means missing out on a high-intent segment of customers.
Track Your Apple Maps Ranking with Local Falcon
Whenever you're working on optimizing your Apple Business Connect or your Google Business Profile, you should also be tracking your performance with Local Falcon.
By running local rank tracking scans for Apple Maps within your target area(s) at regular intervals, you can keep track of trends, see how optimizations are working, and monitor your performance alongside that of your top competitors.
How Important Is Apple Business Connect Optimization?
Remember that Apple Maps is currently the second most popular navigation app, taking a backseat only to Google Maps, and it's only gaining in popularity as Apple adds more features and continues to improve its functionality and accuracy.
So, although Google Business Profile optimizations should still be your top priority when it comes to doing local SEO, it's more important than ever to include Apple Business Connect optimization in your greater plans.
Integrating Apple Maps listing optimization into your local SEO strategy now can set you up for long-term success in local search, as the Apple Maps user base continues to grow and more competitors catch onto Apple Business Connect platform.
And don't forget to start tracking your ranking on Apple Maps using Local Falcon!
FAQs About Improving Apple Maps SEO
How do I rank higher on Apple Maps?
You can improve your Apple Maps rankings by completing your Apple Business Connect profile, keeping NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistent across all platforms, collecting reviews on third-party sites, avoiding duplicate listings, and using features like Showcases.
Does Apple Maps use reviews to rank businesses?
Yes. While Apple Maps reviews are limited to certain regions, Apple heavily relies on third-party reviews from Yelp, Tripadvisor, Vagaro, and others. The quantity and quality of those reviews can directly influence rankings.
What is Apple Business Connect?
Apple Business Connect is Apple's free tool for managing your Apple Maps business listing. It allows you to update business info, add a logo and banner, publish Showcases, and track customer engagement.
Is Apple Maps SEO important for local businesses?
Absolutely. Apple Maps is the second most-used navigation app after Google Maps and comes pre-installed on every iOS device. Optimizing your listing helps capture high-intent Apple users searching locally.
Apple Maps vs Google Maps: which drives more business?
Google Maps typically delivers more overall search traffic, but Apple Maps captures a loyal base of iPhone and Siri users. Businesses serving affluent or Apple-heavy demographics benefit most from Apple Maps SEO.
How long does it take for Apple Maps updates to show?
Updates to your Apple Business Connect profile usually appear within 24 to 72 hours. However, third-party review updates may take longer, depending on the source platform.
