How to Get on Bing Places and Apple Maps

Most local businesses pour all of their listing effort into one place: Google. That makes sense, since Google still handles the majority of local searches. But it is not the only map your customers use, and the ones who use a different map are often invisible to you. Getting set up on Bing Places and Apple Maps is a small, one-time effort that quietly widens your reach, and this guide walks through exactly how to do it.

Why Google Isn’t the Only Map That Matters

Google is the giant, but a meaningful slice of searches happen elsewhere, and those searches still turn into phone calls and walk-ins. Two platforms are worth your time beyond Google.

Bing quietly powers more than people realize. It is the default search engine in Microsoft Edge, it feeds results into Windows search, and it has historically supplied answers to voice assistants and other Microsoft products. Anyone on a Windows computer who has never switched their browser is likely using Bing without thinking about it. That is a real audience, and competition on Bing is usually thinner than on Google, so a complete listing can stand out more easily.

Apple Maps is pre-installed on every iPhone and iPad. When someone taps a map link, asks Siri for directions, or searches for a nearby business on their iPhone, Apple Maps is usually the default. With how many people carry iPhones, being absent from Apple Maps means a large group of local customers simply cannot find you the easy way. Apple Maps data also feeds into Siri and Spotlight search, so one listing covers several touchpoints.

Think of it this way: your Google listing is your storefront on the busiest street, but Bing and Apple Maps are two other busy streets where your competitors may not have shown up yet. Claiming those spots is part of a healthy local SEO foundation.

How to Claim and Set Up Bing Places for Business

Bing Places for Business is Bing’s free equivalent of a Google Business Profile. The setup is straightforward and, in many cases, faster than starting from scratch.

Step 1: Check for an import shortcut

Go to bingplaces.com and sign in with a Microsoft account. If you already manage a Google Business Profile, Bing offers an option to import that listing directly. This pulls your name, address, phone, hours, and categories over in a few clicks, which saves a lot of typing and keeps your details consistent.

Step 2: Add or confirm your details

If you are not importing, search for your business first in case a listing already exists. Then fill in or confirm your business name, full address, phone number, website, hours, categories, and a short description. Add several clear photos of your location, team, or work. Complete listings with photos consistently perform better than bare-bones ones.

Step 3: Verify

Bing verifies ownership by mail, phone, or email depending on your business type. Verification is what makes your listing eligible to appear and lets you manage it, so complete it rather than leaving the listing pending. Once verified, revisit every few months to update hours around holidays and to add fresh photos.

How to Add and Manage Your Business on Apple Business Connect

Apple manages business listings through a free tool called Apple Business Connect (it replaced the older Apple Maps Connect). This is where you control how your business shows up in Apple Maps, Siri, and Spotlight.

Step 1: Create your account

Go to businessconnect.apple.com and sign in with an Apple Account. If you do not already have one, you will create it here. Apple asks you to confirm you are authorized to manage the business, so use an account tied to the company rather than a throwaway.

Step 2: Find or add your location

Search for your business. If Apple already lists it, claim it; if not, add it as a new place. Enter your name, address, phone, website, hours, and category. Apple lets you pin your exact spot on the map, which matters for storefronts and offices where the default pin can land in the wrong place.

Step 3: Verify and enrich

Apple verifies ownership through a phone call, a business document, or another method depending on your situation. After verification you can add a logo, cover photo, and “Showcases,” which are small promotional cards for offers or announcements. These extras help your card feel active rather than abandoned.

Keep Your NAP Consistent Across All Three

NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number, and consistency across every platform is one of the most underrated local ranking factors. Search engines and map providers cross-check your details against other sources. When your address is formatted one way on Google, slightly differently on Bing, and with an old suite number on Apple Maps, it creates doubt about which version is correct, and that doubt can hold your listings back.

A few simple habits keep things clean:

Pick one canonical version of your name, address, and phone number, write it down, and copy it into each platform exactly, down to “Suite” versus “Ste” and “Street” versus “St.”

Use the same phone number everywhere so that customers and algorithms see one consistent contact. If you use call tracking, keep the display number consistent across your listings.

Update all three when anything changes. New hours, a move, or a rebrand should trigger edits on Google, Bing, and Apple on the same day, not weeks apart. The same discipline that keeps your Google Maps marketing accurate should extend to the other two.

Realistic Effort and Payoff

Here is the honest picture. Setting up Bing Places and Apple Business Connect is mostly a one-time job that takes an afternoon, plus a quick check-in every few months. Neither will send you the volume that a well-optimized Google profile does, and it would be a mistake to expect it to.

What you get instead is coverage. You stop losing the Windows user, the Edge default-search customer, and the large group of iPhone owners who never leave Apple Maps. For a local business, even a modest number of extra calls or visits per month easily justifies an afternoon of setup, especially since the work compounds: once your listings are accurate and verified, they keep working without ongoing spend. It is low-cost insurance against being invisible on the maps you were not thinking about.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bing Places for Business free?

Yes. Bing Places for Business is completely free to claim, verify, and manage. There is no cost to keep your listing active, and you can update details anytime through your Microsoft account.

How do I get my business on Apple Maps?

Sign in to Apple Business Connect at businessconnect.apple.com with an Apple Account, search for your business or add it as a new location, enter your details, and complete Apple’s verification. Once verified, your listing appears in Apple Maps, Siri, and Spotlight.

Do Bing Places and Apple Maps really affect my visibility?

They affect visibility with the people who use those platforms. Bing reaches Windows and Edge users, while Apple Maps reaches iPhone and iPad owners. You will not match Google’s volume, but you capture customers who would otherwise never see you.

Why does NAP consistency matter so much?

Map providers cross-check your Name, Address, and Phone number against other sources to confirm you are legitimate. When those details match everywhere, they trust your listing and rank it more confidently. Mismatches create doubt that can suppress your visibility.