Mastering Apple Business Connect Categories

Categories in Apple Business Connect are vital for making your business stand out on Apple Maps. They help customers quickly identify your business type and offerings, making it easier to find what you need. For multi-location marketers, understanding and utilising these categories effectively can significantly boost your business visibility and customer engagement.

Why Categories Matter

Choosing accurate categories for your Point of Interest (POI) ensures that your business appears in relevant searches. Apple has recently expanded the number of top-level categories and subcategories, aligning with user behaviour and expectations. This update is a perfect opportunity to revisit your business categories and ensure they accurately reflect your offerings.

How to Add and Update Categories

Primary Category

Choosing the right primary category for your business is crucial, as it highlights your main function and appears on all location Place Cards. For instance, an Indian restaurant might opt for “Indian cuisine,” or get more specific with “Bengali cuisine” or “Chaat restaurant.” This selection also dictates the “Good to Know” attributes, such as amenities and experiences.

For small to medium-sized businesses, the primary category remains the same across all locations. If you manage a single-location business, you can update the primary category through the location profile. For businesses with multiple locations, changes should be made on the business category page, ensuring consistency across all associated locations.

Enterprise businesses, however, have the flexibility to assign different primary categories to each location, reflecting their specific functions. Updates can be carried out on either the business or location categories pages, providing tailored information for each site.

Additional Categories

You can refine your business profile by adding up to four additional categories, which help to specify your services or products in greater detail. These categories complement your primary category, giving a more comprehensive overview of what your business offers. For both small businesses and enterprises, these additional categories can be updated through either the business or location profiles.

Removing Categories

While primary categories cannot be removed, additional categories can be easily managed. Remove unwanted categories through the business or location categories page by selecting the “-” next to the field.

Special Considerations for API Users

Businesses collaborating with Third-Party Partners via the Apple Business Connect API may have more than four additional categories. While you can’t add more categories directly through the Business Connect portal, you can update or remove them as necessary. Exercise caution when removing extra categories, as you won’t be able to re-add them without using the API.