Apple Maps Connect Ushers In Listings Portal For Businesses

Apple has rolled out a new do-it-yourself listings portal for small businesses called Apple Maps Connect. Through it, business owners or select others working on their behalf can list a company on Apple Maps whenever they'd like, doing so with an instant verification option. This opens up the listings to any business owner who wants to hop on and add their company; Apple is also giving them the chance to sign up for Indoor Positioning technology priority installation through it (though certain terms apply for the latter category).

The change is good news for users as well as businesses, serving ultimately to improve Apple Maps and the quality of available listings. Businesses can provide their own information, and can edit it to ensure that it is accurate. The process is straight-forward and, for most users, instant.

You'll need an Apple ID to sign in to the Maps Connect portal, after which users can click "Add My Business" and enter the listings wizard. Things like the company's address, name, and phone number are needed, quite obviously, with the latter in that trio being used to verify the listing via a phone call and PIN.

From there it is simply a matter of choosing business categories, hours of operation, and any details you'd like about social accounts (Twitter, Yelp, etc.) and the company's website. There's said to be some fraud prevention system in place, though Apple won't go into detail about it. As for the Indoor Positioning technology, Apple has given the ability to sign up for installation, which is limited to companies that meet certain requirements based on visitors, accessibility, the presence of WiFi, and more.

Update: a previous version of this article incorrectly referred to iBeacon rather than Indoor Positioning technology.

SOURCE: Search Engine Land