How are you managing Apple Maps Connect across a bunch of clients?

[BrendanT]

So question about Apple Maps Connect.

We don't have a good way to manage it across the board. Gmaps is easy, if we need to we setup a Gmail account for the client that becomes the owner of the listing and then share out manager access to where we need to.

As far as I can see Apple has no management features. Our solution right now is to setup new Apple IDs for each client and setup the listing under that but it feels kind of messy and also feels like Apple may not like it and decide to KO the accounts.

How are you managing Apple Maps Connect? Got a better solution? Am I missing something?

 

[Eric Rohrback]

Hey Brendan,

I'm not the best to respond to this question, so I'll try to ping a few people to jump in and help. I just wanted to make sure this didn't slip too far, because it is a good topic to discuss.

I feel like setting up a dedicated apple ID for the business would be OK, but then again I'll have to read through the 800 page TOS. If you don't see any problems against doing that, why not go the same route as you would take with GMB?

 

[JustinB]

Just a recap for others who aren't familiar with Apple Maps,

I am a fan of SEJ's classic article on Apple Maps, and how they walk you through the verification process in this article.

Of course, Apple Maps pulls data from different sources, which this article talks about.
Data for Apple Maps is likely coming from a few different sources and here in the UK the primary one is Yelp. Other providers are Factual and TomTom, with Axciom and OpenStreetMaps also believed to be potential sources. Taking control of your listing on Apple Maps will help but it?s also highly recommended that you check out those additional sites and make sure everything is correct and up to date.

Definitely make sure a citation audit has been completed, and large data sources corrected and that might help some of the info on the apple maps business verification process line up with what's being inputted that way the account lasts and Apple doesn't boot it.


Since Apple is basically wanting other businesses to claim their own listings and clean up their map app in the mean time I don't see them making it easy for agencies any time soon to be able to claim businesses in an easier way.

 

[James Watt]

Thanks for sharing those links Justin! Andrew Shotland posted some interesting related stuff a few days ago for anyone else who wants to go further down that apple maps ranking rabbit hole. Google+ is apparently either confusing or just flat not set up for linking to content from outside Google+. I was thinking of linking to it anyway, so this thread's probably a good spot. Since I can't figure out how to make a link though, here's what Andrew posted:

Hey Austin, as best we can tell, Apple Maps, and in fact Apple's entire Spotlight Search index, appears to be relatively slow in terms of updating rankings.I expect this to change with the next version of the OS or perhaps with a mid-year update that comes out at the next WWDC.

That said, here are a few things that should help over time:
- Definitely get more positive Yelp reviews and make sure your Yelp profile, your Apple Maps Connect profile and your profile at all of the other main data providers is at 100% (photos, videos, descriptions, etc.). I list all of the data providers at applemapsmarketing.com - guess I need to update the page that has them all.
- I would test getting a lot of people to search for your listing on their phones doing a category query (e.g. insurance agent pleasanton) and then click on the business. It's not clear the algorithm is taking this kind of behavior into account yet, but for sure they are tracking it.
- Do similar for SIRI queries - search for category + business name and click on result.
- Close eyes and pray

On a side note, does anyone know how to link to a Google+ post directly?

 

[JustinB]

On a side note, does anyone know how to link to a Google+ post directly?

The link is in the timestamp of the post, right click and copy url, PRESTO!

 

[James Watt]

Seeing where it is now, I don't feel so bad I couldn't that out on my own. That's a really strange UI decision on Google's end. Thanks Justin! Appreciate the help.

 

[Priya Chandra]

Hi James,

In classic G+ there's also a 'Link to Post' option in the drop down arrow that appears when you mouse over the top right of a post (again not the easiest way to find a link!).

New G+ has a nice easy to find share button at the bottom right of a post (next to the comments button) - that gives you the option to share a post in a number of places, as well as getting the link itself.

 

[James Watt]

Thanks Priya! Guess there were a few ways to link out that I missed. Sorry everyone for derailing the thread. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming about apple maps connect...