Local SEO update: Apple Maps action links
Apple Maps recently launched a new feature called “custom action links”. These appear on hotel locations' Apple Maps listings. When a business claims and verifies their Apple Maps listings they then have the ability to update this action link to a “Book Now” CTA that directs users to the hotel’s official website. If a hotel business does not claim and verify their listing the action link will direct users to OTAs. The below example shows a click on the Book Now action link opening up opens to visit TripAdvisor and Booking.com. This is valuable real estate and potential direct traffic that is lost to OTAs if this is not claimed.
How to claim & verify your Apple Maps listing business access
Note: Apple Business Connect is Apple’s management platform for business listings that appear on Apple Maps. Apple requires a phone call to the business (or legal document) in order to verify. GCommerce advises all clients to own their own listings and then provide access to GCommerce as a third party service provider for local seo. Once the client claims and verifies their Apple Business Listing, please share the access with GCommerce so we can manage the listing for you as part of your Local SEO service.
How to claim your listing:
- Log into Apple Business Connect: https://businessconnect.apple.com
- Create an account if you don’t have one yet
- Search for your business
- Verify the information is correct
- Request verification
How to provide access to GCommerce:
Client to provide access to GCommerce organization as a Third-Party Partner (Apple documentation instructions found at the bottom of this page)
They will need the GCommerce ID which is: 1508882734666096128