Apple Business Connect: The Local Listing Platform Your Google Strategy Might Be Missing
I’m honestly surprised more businesses aren’t using Apple Business Connect. It’s free, easy to set up, and a great way to get in front of iPhone users—but most people I talk to haven’t even heard of it.
I actually started noticing it more while on road trips with my family. We’d be looking for places to stop, and I’d tap through business listings in Apple Maps. Some really stood out. They were clearly taking advantage of features of the program, offering promos, photos, and other business information.
Apple Business Connect is a free web-based platform from Apple that lets businesses manage their business presence across key Apple apps: Apple Maps, Siri, Wallet, Messages, and more. Businesses can create a branded place card featuring their business’s logo, photos, hours, links to their website, appointment buttons, and even current promotions.
“…whether you’re operating in-person, remotely, or as a hybrid model, you’re eligible for Apple Business Connect.“
Why Businesses Should Sign Up
If your business already maintains a presence on Google, it’s time to add Apple to the mix. Apple Business Connect gives you access to a highly engaged, high-spending user base (iPhone owners) and offers tools designed to build trust and drive action across Apple’s ecosystem.
- Reach a powerful audience: Leverage visibility across devices used by over 1 billion Apple users worldwide.
- Build consumer trust with branded visuals, logos in emails, call screens, and payment prompts to add credibility.
- Flexible engagement tools: Showcase deals, enable direct ordering, reservations, and link actions straight from your place card.
- Data-driven improvements: Access analytics on impressions, button clicks, and customer trends to sharpen your marketing approach.
Who Should Sign Up?
- Any business with a physical location—retailers, restaurants, service providers.
- Online-only brands without an address can join too, thanks to recent platform updates (apple.com, lifewire.com, appleinsider.com).
- Multi-location enterprises and agencies managing portfolios of 25+ sites. (There are special account/ verification options for agencies that manage multiple clients and businesses that have more than 25 locations).
That means whether you’re operating in-person, remotely, or as a hybrid model, you’re eligible for Apple Business Connect. If iPhone users are part of your target audience (and they probably are), this platform deserves a spot in your marketing strategy.
Google Maps vs. Apple Maps: Why Your Business Should Show Up on Both
Google Maps continues to dominate the navigation space, with an estimated 67% market share and over 200 million business listings worldwide (source).
But Apple Maps is far from irrelevant, especially for iPhone users. Apple Maps is the default navigation app on over 1 billion Apple devices, and in the U.S., it’s the preferred mapping app for nearly one in three iPhone users.
Google is essential for reach, but ignoring Apple Maps means missing out on a massive, loyal iOS audience, especially as Apple continues to expand its ecosystem of local business tools.
How to Get Listed in Apple Business Connect: A Step-by-Step Guide
Getting your business on Apple Maps is simpler than you might think—and best of all, it’s completely free. There are no premium features, no ads, and no hidden costs (source).
Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Sign In or Sign Up
Go to businessconnect.apple.com and log in with an existing Apple ID or create one specifically for your business.
Step 2: Choose Your Business Type
- Small Business: Fewer than 25 locations
- Enterprise: 25 or more locations (Apple offers bulk tools and support for large organizations)
Step 3: Add Your Business Information
You’ll be prompted to enter:
- Legal business name
- Address (or online-only if applicable)
- Phone number
- Website
- Business hours
- Primary category and attributes
Step 4: Prepare Your Assets
Have the following materials ready:
- Basic business details: Name, phone, hours, address or URL
- Branding assets: Logo, cover image, and a few location or product photos
- Promotional assets: If you plan to use Showcases, you’ll need banner images and headlines
- Verification tools: Either DNS access to your domain, a valid phone number, or official business documentation
Step 5: Verify & Submit
Apple requires verification, which you can complete via:
- A phone call
- Adding a DNS TXT record
- Uploading legal documents
Step 6: Wait for Approval
Most businesses are reviewed and published within 3–5 business days. Once approved, your Apple Business listing will appear across Maps, Siri, and other Apple services.
Promotion & Engagement Opportunities
Once your Apple Business Connect listing is live, you can do more to promote your business. Apple offers you the opportunity to promote offers, drive actions, and build trust across its ecosystem.
- Showcases: Promote limited-time deals, events, or product launches (visible up to 30 days).
- Custom Action Links: Add buttons like Order Now, Book Appointment, or Visit Website.
- Branded Communications: Leverage upcoming features like Branded Mail, Caller ID, and Tap to Pay branding (onthemap.com, apple.com, theverge.com).
- Team Members & Role Management: Assign internal team members or third-party partners with specific roles and permissions, ideal for agencies or multi-location businesses to manage listings collaboratively
- Insights dashboard: Monitor views, actions, direction requests, and phone taps to refine campaigns, and you can use GA4 UTM parameters for better audience insights.
These tools make Apple Business Connect more than a directory, it’s a platform to connect, convert, and communicate with high-intent iOS users.
What’s Next for Apple Business Connect
Apple isn’t just catching up, it’s actively expanding how businesses can connect with consumers across its ecosystem. Recent updates and future-facing features signal that Apple Business Connect is evolving into a full-fledged engagement platform, not just a listing tool.
- Apple now welcomes online-only businesses, offering brand visibility even without storefronts (ignitingbusiness.com, appleinsider.com).
- New trust-building tools are rolling out: branded email, Caller ID, Tap to Pay branding—all at no added cost (theverge.com).
- As Apple continues building out Apple Intelligence and its local services, business cards may become even more integrated and discoverable within the iOS experience.
Apple Business Connect is on a clear path to deeper integration across iOS. Businesses that claim and optimize their listings now are positioning themselves to benefit from these evolving features and the growing influence of Apple’s ecosystem.
Is Apple Business Connect Right for Your Business
Apple Business Connect is a free, strategic complement to your Google Business Profile. It enhances visibility across Apple’s ecosystem and boosts brand perception, which is especially important for iPhone users. Given its cost-free nature and straightforward listing setup, it’s a smart move for any digitally aware business.
If you would like help getting your business listed on Apple Business Connect, or if you want to learn more about promoting your business online, reach out to me today.
Get your business on Apple Maps with Apple Business Connect—free tools to boost visibility, trust, and engagement across Apple’s ecosystem.