Apple relaunches Apple Business Connect

[keyserholiday]

Looks like Apple is adding a lot of new features to compete with GBP. Story compliments of Barry "Rustybrick" Schwarts.

 

[NexstarNickR]

I know this is a little bit of a left-turn for the conversation, but how do people feel about the platform as a place for discovery?

I work with companies in the Trades / Home Services industry (residential plumbers, electricians, HVAC). A Google Business Profile is important because some people do use the maps for discovery/search, but the bigger value is that these map listings show up in Google's main Search Engine results, giving discoverability of the maps and GBP listing through standard Google search.

Apple Maps is not integrated into search engines (we are all still waiting for Apple to launch their search engine). Do we have any insights as to how many people are using Apple Maps for discoverability? Anecdotal evidence tells me most people use it only as a GPS device once they know what they need/where they want to go.

 

[Annika Neudecker]

Has anyone had luck with getting tracking parameters into URLs on any part of their listing? Action links, posts, main site links? I've tried adding them to the action links but haven't seen any hits yet and I'm not sure if it's because Apple isn't displaying the action links yet or because they're scraping them out.

Update: I've been in two back to back webinars today and got two different answers to this question! In the first webinar, hosted by a major local listings platform, they said that UTMs cannot be used and are stripped out of any data sent over via the API. In the second, hosted by BrightLocal, they said that UTMs can be added to Apple Maps but didn't specify whether that was only if you added them manually or if it's done via API. I can verify that manually adding them works. I added a set to one location and they are presently reflecting on the live listing.

Really curious which is true, or if it's both - you can add them manually but not upload them via API. Has anyone tested sending UTMs to Apple via an API connection?

 

[Claudia]

I have a problem with that too. In addition, Apple put all my profiles under one company, so I'm looking for a way to separate and transfer them.
If you find such a way, please let me know

I contacted support with this same issue. I asked them to delete a business but they suggested I create a new login all together. I started over with a new Apple Id. There are a lot of missing features.

 

[Orlando Sydney]

Update: I've been in two back to back webinars today and got two different answers to this question! In the first webinar, hosted by a major local listings platform, they said that UTMs cannot be used and are stripped out of any data sent over via the API. In the second, hosted by BrightLocal, they said that UTMs can be added to Apple Maps but didn't specify whether that was only if you added them manually or if it's done via API. I can verify that manually adding them works. I added a set to one location and they are presently reflecting on the live listing.

Really curious which is true, or if it's both - you can add them manually but not upload them via API. Has anyone tested sending UTMs to Apple via an API connection?

I added utm to weblink the other week and just checked it is still there. Under the 'Info' tab --> website
Whether it is stripped out on the live site, no idea

 

[Orlando Sydney]

Looks like Apple is adding a lot of new features to compete with GBP. Story compliments of Barry "Rustybrick" Schwarts.

As at today in AU, 'Showcases Not Available' still

 

[Scott ClientClicks]

I'm now having the same issue with not being able to set distinct cover photos for branches of the same business. Are there any Apple support communities or ways to contact support?

According to their docs, it seems like we should be able to set distinct cover photos and logos:
Locations are associated with a business. When you set up your first business, you can set specific information for all locations, such as the logo and cover photo (called a Place Card Header). When you add locations, you can use a different logo and cover photo for each location.

Manage location information in Apple Business Connect

You can manage location information for your business in Apple Business Connect.

support.apple.com

 

[sarmcl]

Update: I've been in two back to back webinars today and got two different answers to this question! In the first webinar, hosted by a major local listings platform, they said that UTMs cannot be used and are stripped out of any data sent over via the API. In the second, hosted by BrightLocal, they said that UTMs can be added to Apple Maps but didn't specify whether that was only if you added them manually or if it's done via API. I can verify that manually adding them works. I added a set to one location and they are presently reflecting on the live listing.

Really curious which is true, or if it's both - you can add them manually but not upload them via API. Has anyone tested sending UTMs to Apple via an API connection?

@Annika Neudecker Have you had any lucks with UTMs? I am looking closely at this now and I dont see ANY traffic being listed in Search Console. Also, I am noticing that any newer clients I have added to AM----it wont even allow UTM parameters to be added. I keep getting "invalid URL". Really sucks bc its hard to show clients the traffic theyre getting unless we just use Apple's Insights they provide.