It looks like Apple is thinking about expanding its ad offerings in a big way, and this could have a big impact on local business marketing. In today’s Tech News Tuesday episode, we’re talking about Apple’s potential move into paid search ads on Apple Maps.
Apple Maps is already a pretty established player in the mapping world, but it’s always played catch-up to Google Maps and Waze when it comes to local search ads. Now, Apple is reportedly eyeing paid search ads as a new revenue stream, which could change the way businesses get found in local searches.
Right now, when people search for businesses on Apple Maps, the results are mostly organic with some paid placements here and there. But with Apple adding paid search ads, it’s going to give businesses the opportunity to place their location right at the top of search results. So, imagine a user searching for, “best pizza near me,” and suddenly your restaurant is one of the first things they see. It’s a big visibility boost, especially if you’re in a competitive area.
Target Apple Users in Maps Search
Since Apple Maps is the default map application on iOS, this could shake up the local search ad game. If businesses can bid on keywords like “coffee shop near me” or “best Italian restaurant,” they’ll be able to directly target consumers who are ready to make decisions. Apple’s loyal user base — over 100 million active users just in the U.S. — gives advertisers a huge potential audience.
Apple is still committed to user privacy.
What’s interesting here is Apple’s commitment to privacy. While Google and other platforms track users across multiple sites and apps to target them with ads, Apple has built its reputation on privacy-first policies. So, businesses could still target relevant customers in Apple Maps, but possibly without the invasive tracking we often see with other platforms.
Apple could definitely leverage its privacy policies to make this a more appealing option for users. However, if Apple rolls out too many ads or pushes organic results too far down, users might not be too thrilled.
Apple is always finding new ways to monetize its software, and paid search ads in Apple Maps could be a big piece of that puzzle. Plus, if this works well, Apple might roll out paid search ads across even more platforms — like Apple News, Apple TV+, or Siri. If they can make this work without alienating users, Apple could transform local search advertising in a big way.
For now, make sure your business is showing up organically on Apple Maps, but claiming your listing on Apple Business Connect.
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Links in this episode: Apple Maps Paid Search Ads Could Transform Local Business Marketing
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