The Truth About Creating Apple Maps for Businesses
Have you ever heard of Apple Maps for Businesses? I am betting you didn’t even know it was a thing. Well, it is, and it’s an important asset to grow your biz. At least 200 million users are out there right now looking up directions to a business.
Apple Maps main goal the past few years has been to become a rival to Google Maps, a tough act to follow. In our experience, Google Business is extremely easy to work with when it comes to listing your business.
However, the blogs and help online are FALSE. Do not go into the light.
Creating a listing for Apple Maps businesses is not what it seems. The inconvenience of the numerous verification codes for claiming/verifying a business, is just the beginning. You also have to verify your business as an organization at the very start. Then plaster on the meager amount of information online about the process. You are in for a roller coaster of a ride.
So, I bet you're wondering just how hard this process really is? Here is our experience as an SEO company that has done 1,000’s of Google and Bing and Yelp Map listings. Just last week we were creating and claiming a business on Apple Maps for a client. We ran into some issues during the verification process. This was not our first rodeo. We weren’t surprised when something went awry.
We reached the call limit while verifying a business listing
Got locked out of the account
Wondered when we could try again
Most sites or devices will usually give you a window or a timer until you can try again.
Apple does not.
After an extensive Google search and visiting many help forums with no answers, the next steps we took were:
Chatting with an Apple Bot
Went to the big boss, the “Official” Apple Support Team
By the end of the 15 minute phone call, we were hit with a big:
“I don’t know.”
Apple doesn’t have a specific window of time set for a lock out. We were told, “It could be 24 hours, it could be more. Just keep trying.”
This was extremely frustrating. When you’re being paid to work for someone, you must provide clear times and solutions to any problems that arise and Apple did not allow us to give that to our client. Apple couldn’t even give that to us themselves.
There’s another issue with verification. If you don’t have a phone number for your business, you must provide documentation of your proof of ownership. For example, while creating Apple Maps for a client that rents out a lake house that only books via email…
We thought, “No problem”
Requested a document
Sent it in, and waited
It ended up taking three tries to verify ownership. Apple was very picky about what documentation was good enough.
The time it takes to complete this process is varied and can depend on things outside of your control. Which makes just starting even harder.
When you have a question, there are no answers to be found through Apple Support bots or forums.
When you do find an answer, it’s to email or call someone else.
When you call them, there are still no answers.
Now you’ve spent almost 45 minutes troubleshooting and you’re still in the same place you started.
Apple Maps Support
The Ups and Downs of Apple Maps (Mostly Downs)
Ups:
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No location tracking
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Consumes less data than Google Maps
Downs:
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Easy to get locked out of account
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Not very user-friendly
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The process is long
DataGorilla Marketing is writing this Blog with you in mind! Trust us, there is nothing else out there with these step by step directions. We read other articles. They said it was simple. They are wrong.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how adding your business to Apple Maps works. At times this process is a lot like a Choose Your Own Adventure, without the fun.
– If you already have one, skip to step 5 –
2. After creating your Apple ID, you will need to verify your email address.
3. After verifying your email address, you next verify your account with your phone number.
4. After creating your Apple ID, you log in. Every time you log in, you must verify with a code sent to your phone number.
5. Go to Apple Maps Connect and search for your business.
– If you find your business, skip to step 12 –
It is very important you type in NAP (name, address, phone number) to ensure you will not be creating a duplicate listing. Read more here about how important NAP really is.
Sign Up and Verify Your Organization
Apple uses Apple Business Connect to verify organizational ownership.
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Go to businessconnect.apple.com and log in with your newly created business Apple ID.
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Accept the Apple Business Connect Terms of Service.
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Select your entity type (Small Business, Enterprise, or Third-Party Partner representing a client).
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Enter your legal organization details, including legal business name, D-U-N-S Number (if requested), business address, website URL, and primary phone number.
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Verify ownership: Choose a verification method when prompted:
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Automated Phone Call/SMS: Apple sends a verification code to the registered official phone number.
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Document Upload: Upload official documentation showing your business name and address (e.g., utility bill, lease agreement, tax registration, or business license).
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Wait for Apple’s review team to approve your organizational profile (typically takes 1 to 5 business days for document reviews).
6. Create a listing for your business by clicking “Add a missing place”.
7. If you had to add your business, you will be prompted to login with your Apple ID again and need verification that comes via phone as always. After getting signed in, you will fill out your business information.
8. Once you have filled out your business information, you will need to verify again with your phone number.
9. Once you have verified, you will see your listing on your Apple account under “Places”. Click Verify.
10 After clicking “Verify”, you will be prompted to fill out some contact information for your business and choose a primary contact.
11. Verify with phone number AGAIN.
12. After clicking claim, you will be directed to signing in with your Apple ID.
13. Next you verify with the business number you provided. This can come via text or phone call.
14. Find “Verify Ownership” and then you will be prompted to provide some information about your business.
15. Choose a primary contact for your business.
16. Once again, verify with a code sent to your business phone number. If you’re lucky, this will be the last time you have to do this.
17. Confirm different social media profiles, fill out details fields and web links.
It’s very clear that adding your business to Apple Maps is not a quick or easy process. Depending on whether you use a phone number at your business, this can be a nightmare to get through. Plus, Apple Maps has yet to add a posting feature for businesses. It should not be this difficult to create a business listing. Hope this saves you the hours of research that it took us. GOOD LUCK!
Creating an Apple Maps Business listing became the bane of our existence. Don’t let it happen to YOU.