Your Apple Maps places search results will get much richer after the company introduced Business Connect, a new platform and toolkit for businesses of almost all sizes to edit and manage business cards.
Just as businesses and individuals can claim using Google’s knowledge boxes, businesses can claim their listings via Business Connect but must show proof of ownership.
Most will be able to do this via company phone numbers, where they will receive a four-digit access code to Business Connect. New companies will need to provide some documentation.
Apple business cards
Place cards are popping up all over the Apple ecosystem. You see them, for example, if you search for a local restaurant on Apple Maps, select a location, then swipe the tab up to see all the details, including address, distance, hours, reviews, photos, menu links, and website.
In the new business cards, many details have been tidied up and redesigned. Instead of a large name at the top, there may be a photo of a banner or a photo of the cover with a logo on the left. Things like photos and action buttons like “Call” and “Place Order” remain but are in a new place.
There is now also a section called “Gifts” where businesses can highlight sales, limited-time offers and other incentives.
The “About” section allows the store to tell its own story. It will sit above the pre-existing “Good to know” field, which will still contain other useful information about the store.
One of the really big changes is that companies can edit all this information through the new Business Connect, and they can do it all for free.
In the system, companies can now edit their own photos, add and schedule presentations, update their categories and customize action buttons. Reviews and ratings from Yelp and TripAdvisor will continue to be part of the updated listings. One thing the new system won’t provide is the ability to change or edit third party reviews, ratings or photos related to their business.
Even the business pin on the map will be editable. If the pin is not close enough to the front door, the business owner can move it.
Also new is the ability for these companies to track the performance of these business cards. They will know how people find them and how they interact with the cards. Such knowledge, however, can lead companies to endlessly edit their business cards in hopes of increasing engagement.
Larger companies that manage multiple locations, such as Starbucks or Walgreens, now have a Business Connect API that they can use to provide detailed location information through third-party listing companies.
The redesigned business cards will appear in Maps, Sir, Safari and wherever the original business cards appear.