Did you know TripAdvisor can still be useful in 2026?
I thought this service was dead. A relic from the 2000-era travel. Who still uses it, right? Personally, I haven’t for ages. But this doesn’t mean it is useless.
I found one use case where TripAdvisor can be very much needed in 2026: Ratings on Apple Maps are sometimes pulled from TripAdvisor. Which will help you having a solid profile. Why does it matter?
Here comes Apple Maps
While Google Maps is the uncontested leader for Maps usage. And therefore the first target when it comes to improving your local SEO. Apple Maps usage in Europe seems to be in the broad scale between 5-15% of the market share. Exact data is hard to come by.
Apple Maps share is also bigger in the United States than in Europe. But it is the default option on all iPhones. Not to be overlooked, in my opinion.
Here are some examples of what TripAdvisor reviews look like in Apple Maps.
AI & native integration
Apple Maps is natively integrated on all Macs and iPhones. But more importantly, in Siri/Apple Intelligence.
The use of Apple Intelligence and recommendations from Apple Maps is probably limited for now. But for me the trend is clear. For GEO (Generative Search Engine Optimization), citations and reviews are very important. They are crawled and used by LLMs. Letting Apple know what your customers think about your business is crucial.
Here are examples of Apple Maps results in Siri (on a MacBook).
Rankings impact your visibility and CTR
Better reviews on TripAdvisor will translate into a better ranking on Apple Maps. Also, a higher average review score will undoubtedly boost your click-through rate (CTR).
How to get your business listed on Apple Maps? The 2-steps actions plan
If you’ve already optimized your Google Business Profile, the next step is to claim your location on Apple Business Connect.
1. Get your location verified on Apple Maps
It works a bit like Google My Business, but you’ll need to claim your brand first before claiming your location.
- Visit to Apple Business Connect
- Create your “brand”.
- Claim your location.
Note: Ideally, the business owner should create the listing entry. Transferring ownership in the future can be a hassle.
2. Resurrect your TripAdvisor
It is not very clear when Apple Maps uses third-party reviews and when they use their own. Check similar businesses and look where the reviews come from. If none of your competitors show TripAdvisor ratings. You can probably skip the TripAdvisor profile creation.
- Claim your listing on TripAdvisor
- Get (good) reviews, which is the harder part.
And wuala.
The bottom line
Is Google still the king of search? Yes. But ignoring Apple Maps is like leaving the back door of your business locked while customers are knocking.
The traffic might be smaller, but the intent is high, and the competition is low. By optimizing for the “TripAdvisor Bridge” today, you’re positioning your business to be the first one found by the next generation of iPhone and AI users.
Need help auditing your local presence? Get in touch with GRAAAF today and let’s make sure you’re visible everywhere your customers are looking.