Apple Maps Ads Are Coming And Why You Should Pay Attention
Apple recently announced that ads are coming to Apple Maps, giving businesses the ability to promote their locations directly within Maps search results. Because iPhones have almost a 60% market share of smartphones in the US, this means a significant amount of discovery is already happening on this platform. This means there is already a large built in audience with Apple Maps natively installed on their mobile device.
The rollout will initially focus on businesses with physical locations, but implications extend beyond restaurants and retailers; they represent a significant new opportunity for any brand that depends on local discovery such as healthcare providers to automotive dealers to hospitality brands.
Within maps apps, consumers don’t just search; they search with intent. They are looking for a place to eat, a nearby dealership, an urgent care center, a coffee shop, or a service provider they can visit. Ads within Apple Maps will be designed to be driven primarily by search intent and location context rather than cross-app behavioral tracking. For advertisers this means that success will depend less on audience targeting and more on having a strong local presence, accurate business information, and compelling creative relevant to what consumers are looking for.
Apple Maps ads will allow businesses to appear prominently when consumers are completing these high intent searches, helping to influence decisions at the exact moment consumers are choosing where to go. At this time, according to Apple, businesses will be able to:
- Promote their physical locations directly in Maps
- Reach customers searching for relevant categories
- Set flexible budget and campaign timing
- Drive actions such as navigation, phone calls and online ordering directly from the ad experience
All location based businesses will be able to benefit as Apple Maps could become another valuable acquisition channel alongside Google Business Profile and paid search. Automotive dealerships can compete for nearby shoppers. Healthcare marketers can show for consumers searching for urgent care or specialty physicians. Restaurants can capture “near me” searches.
Although the platform is still in the early stages of rollout advertisers do not need to wait to get ready for the rollout. If you haven't claimed your business through Apple Business Connect, now is the time. Much like Google Business Profile, it allows businesses to manage their location information, photos, logos, promotions, and other details that consumers see in Apple Maps. Then its time to get ready by ensuring that data is accurate and if you have more than one location standardize your imagery across locations for a cohesive brand look. Some things to be on the lookout for as you audit:
- Verify your Apple Business Connect listing
- Ensure your hours, phone number and website are accurate
- Standardize photos and branding across locations
- Select the most relevant business categories
- Encourage customers to leave reviews where appropriate
- Review landing pages and conversion paths for mobile users
What does all of this mean for your business? Apple Maps ads are another example of how local search will continue to evolve. Consumers are now discovering businesses through several different avenues such as Apple Maps, AI assistants, Social platforms, and not just Google. This will create another high-intent touchpoint within the customer journey within Apple Maps and to rethink local marketing strategies and meeting customers where they are making decisions. Contact The Moran Group today to see how Apple Maps ads can fit into your marketing strategy moving forward.
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