Apple Maps Now Allows Businesses to Customize Their Listings
A free Business Connect tool announced by Apple today allows businesses to customize their location card in the Maps app with a brand logo, images, and other key information, such as special promotions or seasonal menu items at a restaurant. Businesses can also highlight various actions, such as ordering groceries via Instacart, making a dinner reservation via OpenTable, booking a hotel at Booking.com, and more.
Apple says these new capabilities are available to businesses in the U.S. starting today, and will be available to businesses globally in the coming months, so it will take some time for businesses to update their information. Businesses can also customize the way key information appears across the Messages app, Wallet app, and Siri interface.
Once a business has logged in to Business Connect with a new or existing Apple ID and Apple has verified the business, they can claim their location(s) and begin updating and personalizing their place card using the self-service website, free of charge.
"We created Business Connect to provide Apple users around the world with the most accurate information for places to eat, shop, travel, and more," said Apple's services chief Eddy Cue. "Apple Business Connect gives every business owner the tools they need to connect with customers more directly, and take more control over the way billions of people see and engage with their products and services every day."
More information is available on the Apple Business Connect website.
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Top Rated Comments
Also the free business tool mentioned is the tool for the service providers to integrate Apple Ecosystem - ie it lets companies manage their data from one source they control rather than fragmented data on the web. It's OK to lay down the tinfoil hat.
The idea of being able to look up a place on the Maps app, click the order button, and be able to order something entirely in-app and pay with Apple Pay without having to bother with a third party app, service or barebones online ordering interface... is very nice.
I work around a lot of small businesses, so having more of them partake of this feature to better streamline lunch time would be awesome.
I won't use it, but I don't like the direction Apple is taking. If I wanted ads & my data sold, I would have gotten an Android for half the price of an iPhone.