Apple Launches Business Connect to Help Grow Your Business

Over the years, Apple has become one of the most dominant technology companies in the world. Now, Apple is making it even easier for small businesses to get a leg up on their competition by launching Business Connect. Business Connect allows small businesses to connect with new customers, build relationships and increase sales with an easy-to-use platform. 

This innovative tool gives businesses access to resources like marketing and advertising materials, customer insights, and more. In this blog post, we'll take a look at how Apple's Business Connect can help small businesses grow their business and reach new heights of success.

What is Apple Business Connect?

Apple Business Connect is the tool to get your business on Apple Maps. It also enables you to "customize how your information appears across Apple apps."

This is essentially Google Business Profile (GBP) for Apple Maps, which many businesses will welcome.

At its inception, Apple Maps Connect was less feature-rich and useful to businesses than its direct competitor, now known as Google Business Profile. It offered a much more basic product that listed your business.

Apple's screenshot below shows there's more to this new version:

What does Apple Business Connect include?

Place Cards

This new Apple Business Connect includes features such as Fully customizable Place Cards. 

These allow you to add photos, header images, logos, and more Manage opening hours with easy-to-use features.

Showcases

Businesses can use this new feature to promote timely offers and announcements in much the same way as Google Posts. 

Customer call-to-action buttons

These will be seen on each Place Card, where applicable, and when set up by the business. These CTA's include:

• Appointment booking
• Call or chat with the business
• Ordering food or groceries through Instacart
• Making a reservation through OpenTable
• Booking a hotel through Booking.com 
• Buying tickets and more!

Insights

Insights within Apple Business Connect also enable you to improve your offering on the platform by better understanding your customers. 

On top of insights about your Place Card, you'll see what people searched before tapping into your location. As Google seems to be removing (and moving) its own Insights functionality rather than developing it further, this could be particularly useful to businesses and agencies managing listings.

How does it affect local business owners and marketers?

You need to spend a few minutes updating your Apple Business Connect if you already have one. If not, then you should get one! It's free space on an app that many people use. To maintain your business accurately and properly on Apple Maps, you should register and keep it up to date.

Now is the time to claim your Apple Business Connect account

Claim your ABC at businessconnect.apple.com if you haven't already.

You can easily claim and manage your Apple Business Connect listing and 70+ other business listings inside your Liftegy account in the "Reputations" tab. Liftegy integrates with Yext for this. 

How can I optimize my Apple Business Connect?

After you have set up and claimed your business location, you can view and edit your Place Cards. 

This means you can:

• Update your location details. 
• Add photos. 
• Publishing showcases. 
• Analyzing Apple Maps performance and engagement.
  

I recommend maintaining Apple Business Connect as you do your Google Business Profile.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Apple's launch of Business Connect is a significant step forward for small businesses looking to expand their reach and customer base. With features like fully customizable Place Cards, Showcases, customer call-to-action buttons, and Insights, this innovative tool provides businesses with the resources they need to connect with new customers, build relationships, and increase sales. Whether you're a local business owner or marketer, now is the time to claim your Apple Business Connect account and optimize it to take full advantage of this exciting new product. Stay tuned for further updates and developments as Apple continues to revolutionize the business world.

Resources

Apple Business Connect: Your guide to getting started - from Search Engine Land

How to Claim and Optimize Your Apple Maps Listing - from Local Marketing Institute