Where do customers go when they need to find something?
These days, they turn to the internet or to navigation apps to help them find a restaurant, learn about a local business, help them compare products and services, and more. With the advancements in technology, how we find a location and an establishment has changed greatly. To find a new restaurant nearby, customers need only to type in a few keywords and the information they need will be provided instantly.
With the marketplace filled with businesses of similar nature, getting your business found can be challenging. Equally challenging is growing and cultivating your online presence to make it easier for people to find you.
How do small businesses enter the picture? For customers, a new location always poses a certain level of uncertainty. Questions such as “How far is your business?”, “What do you have to offer?” often come into play with every search.
You must fully optimize all the details about your business on GPS apps and interactive online maps if you want your business to get found and grow.
In this guide, we’ll share with you the top five reasons why you should add your business to Apple Maps and what you need to do to optimize that listing.
The Growth of Apple Maps
Apple Maps has come a long way since it was first introduced in 2012. While the first version was riddled with bugs, by 2015 Apple Maps became the most used navigation app on the iOS platform.
Apple Maps is also continuously improving and was rebuilt from the ground up. With this upgrade came new features such as more comprehensive navigation and holistic views of roads and structures, including incredible details of pedestrian pathways and foliage. New features such as Look Around and Collections let you explore major U.S. cities, such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas, and allow you to build and share a list of your favorite establishments, respectively.
Other new features users can look forward to including One-Tap Navigation via Favorites, real-time transit, and indoor maps.
Why You Should Add Your Business to Apple Maps
With over 23.3 million active users, Apple Maps is gaining traction and is becoming one of the most widely used navigation apps, alongside Google Maps.
Aside from having a big following and making continuous improvements, there are other reasons why you should consider adding your business to Apple Maps.
Improved local search function
Apple Maps is rolling out new features on iOS 14 that will help put small businesses on the map. Aside from its partnership with Yelp, users will be able to submit reviews and images. This will push businesses to strive to get positive reviews and make their storefront look more appealing to generate business.
Apple Maps also lets users input keywords on the app itself and get information about a local business. For example, if you are a plumber and a user searches for “plumbers near me”, your business will show up on Apple Maps, along with other pertinent business information such as your address, contact details, and hours of operation, provided that you’ve set up your business correctly on the app.
Unlike on Google Maps, the local listing for Apple Maps is minimal and includes the following:
- Business name
- Address
- Verified contact details
- Business category
- Business location that lets you identify the closest marker or landmark to your business
- Business hours
- Your website
- Your accounts on other platforms (social media, etc.)
If your business relies on physical locations such as landmarks for it to be located, then it’s best to optimize the information you have placed on Apple Maps for local search. Note that the information displayed on Apple Maps comes from Apple and not from Google, so if you also have a listing on Google My Business, this will not necessarily affect your Apple Maps listing—which is why you need to set up your business on the app correctly.
Gives you valuable data
While Apple Maps provides users with important data, it also provides business owners with data they can use to grow their business.
Aside from letting you edit and update your listing, the app also lets you see data such as who has contacted your shop, who your customers are, and who left reviews. For business owners, this information can be used for marketing as it gives you a better understanding of your customer demographics.
Look Around Feature
The Look Around feature may seem like additional work but it’s a functional feature that you can use to your advantage. As a business owner, you want your customers to easily find your business. Look Around lets your potential customers more easily navigate their surroundings, even when they’re in an indoor location. With this feature, you can greatly improve customer experience and bring them closer to your doorstep.
However, its function is still limited, and it is not yet available to all indoor businesses.
Integration with wearable tech
Apple has wearable technology that makes it easier for users to navigate on the go.
Apple Maps is integrated with the Apple Watch and makes directions easier for its users to follow. If you’ve set up your listing correctly on the app, finding your business is just a matter of following directions that come with vibrating prompts.
Lets you reach potential customers
Apple Maps does not just provide customers with your business location and information, it also lets you reach potential customers. Think of it as advertising: you make your business stand out more for the world to see. By making your listing attractive to customers, such as adding attractive photos and complete and up-to-date business information, you are inviting them to give your business a try. Plus, this will give you an edge over the competition.
Make your business more visible today with Apple Maps
Ensure your business is listed properly on Apple Maps so that you can make your business more visible and connect more effectively with your clients!
To learn more about listing your business on Apple Maps visit imapping.com
