GBP is so 2022. Welcome, Apple Business Connect.
SEO…. exciting stuff? Not really.
But one change in the world of SEO (or Search Engine Optimisation for the non-IT geeks) is starting to hit marketers’ desks across the globe.
Apple has launched its own service, Business Connect, as a competitor to Google Business Profile.
And it’s a huge opportunity for small business owners as the gold rush for this new platform begins.
The concept is simple, to give small business owners the same level of presence across the Apple eco-system as Google gives them across the broader internet.
Do we think Apple Business Connect will become bigger than Google Business Profile? Realistically, probably not. Google Business Profile dominates the search listings for businesses both local and national.
Apple has been on a crusade over the past few years to give users greater control of their data, this saw a massive impact on advertising and retargeting on platforms like Meta.
So in our opinion, Apple Business Connect holds opportunities to reconnect with those potential customers on the Apple iOS platform.
According to theverge.com Apple has over 1.8 billion active devices worldwide. That’s a huge market, untapped until now.
Apple Business Connect will be the default way businesses get presented in many iPhone and iPad system apps including Messages, Maps and the Safari Browser.
Apple has laid on features especially for the multi-location business, allowing easy management of 25+ locations through a dedicated portal.
Business Owners and Marketers are rewarded with all kinds of tracking information to help improve your local SEO and deliver better content to prospective customers.
Within a few clicks, you can find out exactly what people were searching for before clicking on your business.
Another interesting metric is the total number of clicks between search and arrival at your business. If you attended my EC Local Meeting on Mapping Your Customer Journey, this will be a great way to try and shorten the links between question and answer for your customer.
There are super tracking URL’s too to help work out what’s working and what’s not when it comes to linked content.
It really is worth taking just a few moments to register your business and get your head around this new Local SEO tool for small businesses.
Find out more and register for Apple Business Connect –
https://businessconnect.apple.com/
