How to list your business on Apple Maps: A quick guide

While the majority of local SEO efforts tend to go into optimizing for Google Maps, listing your business on Apple Maps is well worth doing too. Around 30 to 40% of people jump directly to map apps for local business info these days, and if they’re an iPhone user, that could well be the default navigation app on the device: Apple Maps. 

The new Apple Business Connect makes it easier than ever for owners to customize their locations and the popularity of Siri for local search means Apple Maps is certainly not a business listing opportunity to ignore. And with the help of an affordable local SEO tool like Semrush’s Listing Management to get your business on the platform quickly, there’s really no sense in putting it off any longer.

Why list a business on Apple Maps?

Despite its embarrassing launch in 2012, which saw CEO Tim Cook apologizing for a host of inaccuracies, including entire towns and cities being given the wrong names, Apple Maps has grown into a reliable player in the navigational tech arena. 

By shifting strategy to one of collecting its own data from businesses instead of relying on third-party directories like Yelp, Apple Maps may yet be a serious contender for Google’s cartography crown. Apple Maps has come a long way since its shaky iO6 debut, leveraging data to provide information not only to users of the platform itself, but also Messages, Wallet, and Siri. That's more than a billion users, according to Apple. Apple’s Place Cards, which are similar to Google Business Profiles, give your business tons of customizable buttons (branded “Actions”) to order food directly, make reservations, book an appointment or buy tickets. The tech giant has really upped its map game and could soon see iPhone users choosing it over the long-reigning Google Maps. But with Google still dominating the market, is Apple Maps really worth it? Instant upload: Citation building is an important part of your local SEO strategy, so optimizing your Apple Maps profile should be a top priority. Streamline your online visibility with Semrush Local and get your business in front of iPhone users today.

What can an Apple Maps business listing do for my local SEO?

If getting your business in front of one billion Apple users isn’t enough incentive to set up an Apple Maps business listing, there are plenty more benefits to convince you of its value in your local SEO strategy. Being present on Apple Maps can help your rankings on Google. Directories, including Google Business Profile, check your NAP data (name, address, phone number) to verify your details and determine whether you’re a reliable business worth ranking. 

Apple Maps is also another place to collect reviews and build your online reputation, something that’s particularly important on this specific platform. Failing to build an average rating of more than 4.5 on Yelp (and perhaps Apple Maps too as the platform grows) could lead to Siri overlooking your business entirely, according to Semrush's 2020 Voice Search for Local Businesses Study. Voice assistant use has skyrocketed in recent years ( 146% increase from 2019 to 2023), so optimizing your business for Siri is a good idea. Plus, Apple Business Connect offers insights similar to Google Business Profile, showing you how users are interacting with your Place Cards to help inform your local SEO strategy. 

Wide distribution: Semrush Local's Listing Management tool not only publishes your business details on Apple Maps, but also on 70+ other top directories to really kickstart your local SEO.

How do I set up an Apple Maps business listing?

Apple launched Apple Business Connect to allow small businesses to update their Place Cards easily. It’s essentially Apple’s answer to Google Business Profile Manager (which itself has since evolved into a simple dashboard on Google Search and the Google Maps app). To list a business on Apple Maps or claim an existing one: 

1. Log in to Apple Business Connect with your Apple ID from a desktop or laptop computer. 2. Read and agree to the terms and conditions. 

3. Choose between “Small business” or “Enterprise.” 

4. Search for your business to check if there’s a location already present on the platform. If there isn’t, select “Add location with this name.” 

5. Make sure your address is accurate and consistent with your other business listings. 

6. Drag the map pin so it’s directly on the front entrance to your premises.

7. Choose your language and location name; again, being sure it’s consistent with your other listings. 

8. Choose your primary category and add additional categories, if relevant. 

9. Add your website URL. 

10. Upload your business hours, including any special opening times for holidays. 

11. Select your verification method. 

Phone call is the quickest, or you can submit business documentation for Apple to review (it can take up to five business days). Businesses must wait until their location is verified before they can optimize their Place Card. Once verified, businesses can go ahead and add: 

Photos: Upload up to 100 pictures of your location. Photos should be of high quality and help the user learn more about what to expect when they visit. 

Actions: These features make your Place Card more engaging by giving users a quick visual cue to book a reservation or order online.

Showcases: A bit like posts in Google Business Profile. Here, you can add promotions, news and events. Posts expire 30 days after publication to encourage owners to keep their Showcase fresh. 

Good to Know: Let your customers know useful information like parking availability, accepted credit cards, pet policies and wheelchair access. Using all the opportunities available in Place Cards to tell people about your business can make all the difference for your conversion rate, so you might as well make sure it’s as complete as possible. 

The easy way: For busy businesses and those with multiple locations, there’s Semrush Local's Listing Management tool . The platform connects to Apple Business Connect via an API which syncs up your business details to the platform and makes sure it’s always accurate.

What if my Apple Maps business listing is wrong?

As with any business listing, you should update your Apple Maps business listing if there’s anything wrong with it, whether that’s an incorrect phone number, an old address or it’s a duplicate profile that needs to be suppressed. Inaccurate business listings are not only confusing for customers looking for a reliable local business, they can also impact your local rankings by signaling to search engines that you're not communicating information effectively. Editing an Apple Maps business listing that’s wrong or out of date is quite simple once you’re set up with Apple Business Connect. To edit an incorrect Apple Maps business listing: 

1. Sign in to Apple Business Connect. If you’re not the administrator of the location, you’ll need to claim and verify it following the steps above. 

2. Select “Info” in the sidebar. 

3. Then “View Profile.” 

4. Now correct anything wrong in your Apple Maps business listing, or select “Remove Business” to get rid of it completely. Edits can take up to three business days to be approved. 

Always right: Semrush Local's Listing Management tool constantly scans all your citations to make sure there are no inaccuracies. If your Apple Maps listing is wrong, the tool alerts you so you can sync it up with your other listings in a few clicks.