TL;DR: Don’t sleep on Apple Maps. It’s free, fast, and may be the missing link between your business and a local iPhone user who’s ready to buy.

It’s a pattern I see again and again. A healthy local result in Google Maps, but zero results in Apple Maps, or worse, a link to your competition.

graphic showing the Apple Maps icon with the text "Don't forget Apple Maps"

While it is difficult to measure, the general consensus is that 33% percent of iPhone users use Apple Maps regularly. So what does listing on Apple Maps mean for a small business in a city of 75,000 people? Let’s run some hypotheticals.

🧮 Estimated Apple Maps Reach in a City of 75,000 Step 1: Device & App Usage Estimates

  • ~60% have smartphones → 45,000
  • ~50% are iPhone users → 22,500
  • ~33% of those use Apple Maps regularly → ~7,500 active Apple Maps users

📍 Local Discovery Behavior (Industry Averages)

  • Let’s say 1% of local Apple Maps users discover your business monthly → ~75 visits/month
  • 76% visit within 24 hours → ~57 foot traffic visits/month
  • 28% of those convert to a sale → ~16–17 new customers/month

💰 Why It Matters

Even in a small city, Apple Maps visibility could bring in 15–20 new customers monthly — for free — just by showing up in the right place.

This compounds over time, especially if:

  • You add hours, photos, and categories
  • You collect positive reviews (via Yelp/TripAdvisor)
  • You’re in a high-foot-traffic category (like food, retail, services)

Why Apple Maps Still Matters

Apple Maps powers millions of searches daily—not just on iPhones, but across Siri, Safari, Apple Watch, and even some third-party apps. In fact:

  • Every iPhone comes with Apple Maps pre-installed.
  • Siri uses Apple Maps to answer location-based queries.
  • Apple CarPlay relies on it for directions.
  • Many users never install Google Maps.

The Fix: It’s Free and Takes 10 Minutes

You can add or claim your business listing on Apple Maps using Apple Business Connect:

Done.

Pro Tip: Keep it Fresh

Just like Google, Apple likes active listings. Update your hours, post photos, respond to changes. It builds trust and visibility.