It hasn’t been very long since Apple launched Apple Maps Connect (it released back in October), which is intended to let individual business owners edit and add local business listings straight into Apple’s database. At this point, what Apple Maps Connect isn’t intended for is webmasters or outside agencies to manage multiple locations or listings on behalf of their clients.
Not surprisingly, a question did arise on the matter. SEO Andrew Shotland had asked Apple about submitting ” a few hundred locations” on behalf of a client. Apple responded by saying that “bulk uploads” were only going to be accepted for businesses “with at least 1,000 locations.”
Apple then directed Shotland in email to a list of third party providers who apparently have direct access into Apple now on behalf of clients:
- DAC Group
- Factual
- Location3 Media
- Marquette Group
- Neustar/Localeze
- Placeable
- PositionTech
- SIM Partners
- SinglePlatform
- UBL
- Yelp
- Yext
- Yodle
As of this time, Apple isn’t “endorsing” any of these companies specifically, but reliance on them by apple to manage multi-location submissions is a privileged spot.
So here’s the situation in a nutshell:
- If you’re an individual business, you will be able to submit directly to Apple Mapps Connect.
- Are you a brand/marketer who manages the presence of at least 1,00 locations? you can “bulk upload” directly to Apple.
- If you have multiple locations, but you don’t have 1,o00 of them, you will have to deal with one of the entities listed above.