What is Local SEO?

Local SEO consists of a number of factors that help you address your local audience by better rankings in search engines. It’s not just optimizing your address or your social media strategy; it’s all these things combined that we call local SEO.

optimize your business - list on:

Apple Maps

Why is Local SEO important?

To put it simply, buyers don’t want to invest in large corporations, they want to invest in their community. In fact, 72% of mobile searchers looking up local information then visit a store within 5 miles of their location. Shoppers are taking upon themselves to be more informed using the technology at hand, and a big piece of that is web research before a purchase. If you have a good local standing, and a positive company message to the community, the customer has a much higher likelihood to convert at your shop.

Should I List My Local Business on Apple?

Luckily, Apple wants you to help improve its Maps app by manually adding your company -- and a bunch of its juicy defining data -- to the Apple Maps app’s local business listings. And, to give you a leg up in getting the job done, there is a free self-service data entry portal called Apple Maps Connect.

It’s a win-win: Apple sharpens it’s database, and you get to advertise your business for free within it. The biggest benefit for business owners, in theory at least: More local customers delivered directly to your doorstep through the app. Apple Maps Connect users can also add their company’s website URL, Facebook, Twitter and Yelp pages to their profiles.

How Do I List My Business on iPhone Maps?

Here’s how to add your company to Apple Maps in eight quick steps:

1. Go to https://mapsconnect.apple.com/.

Log in with your Apple ID and password. If you don’t have an Apple ID, you’ll have to get one. There’s no way around it.

2. Select your relationship to your business.

You’ll be prompted to do this on the Add a New Business Page, which you’ll be automatically directed to after you log in. You can either select “I’m the business owner or “I’m authorized by the business owner.”

3. Enter your basic business details.

This is where you key in your business name, primary business phone number and business address.

4. Verify your business phone number.

You will be prompted to allow Apple to call the number you supply. The call will provide you with a PIN code from Apple. If needed, you can opt to “Verify Later.”

5. Confirm your business location.

There are three categories to choose from, each with several business types within, from “Accountants” to “Video/Film Production” and just about every imaginable company type in between. If you don’t see a category that fits, you can suggest one.

6. Confirm your hours of business.

Demarcate the hours you’re open from Apple’s list of seven days and you’re set. If you’re open 24 hours, there are checkboxes for that, too.

7. Add your company website and social media accounts.

Simply type or cut, copy and paste the URLs for them into the fields in the Add More Details section.

8. Review your business information.

To confirm that everything is kosher, click “OK” and you’re done. New listings should appear within Apple’s Maps app within a week at most. If additional verification is required, expect to hear from Apple soon.

Voila- you’ve taken a step towards Local Search Engine Optimization!

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