How to get your business to show up on Apple Maps for iPhone or iPads

Down here in Florida, the roads are getting busier because it's getting colder up north, the snowbirds are looking for things to do a place to go, and If they have an iPhone things just changed drastically for local businesses. iOS6 and the iPhone 5 came out and caused a whirlwind of changes for the "local search" market.

It's no doubt that you have heard about the "Apple Maps" debacle. While many of the changes don't bother our clients, they don't seem to realize that without Google Maps Local Search Results their business may not be found. With the recent update on Apple's mobile devices, one business has prevailed overnight. That business's name is Yelp. What does this mean for business owners or marketers? Most of our clients see iPhone/iPad users as an influential segment of their target market. Since the iPhone became a household name, it's been accompanied by Google Maps, this cooperative has also made google places listings a requirement for ANY local business.

So why does all of this matter to businesses?

Smart Marketing involves placing your business where it will be found by your target market. The key is being found! Over the past few years, iPhone users are pre-programmed to use their search function to find what they want, but now this data has changed, while it's an opportunity for businesses to pay attention to where they are showing up, it's also a major shift in the "market" for local search.

So, log onto Yelp.com, set up an account, then create a "business account" Search to find your listing, claim your listing, make sure your listing is contains the right information.

Remington is the Lead Designer and Marketing Strategist for Impulse Creative, An Internet Marketing Agency in Fort Myers, Florida. You can connect with him using the following social networks: Google+, Twitter, Linked In & Facebook