# How to get recommended by Siri

> When someone asks Siri for a business, the answer comes from Apple's own web crawler and Apple Maps. Here is what Apple says about both, and what to set up so you're the answer.

Updated September 28, 2026 · AI Syndicate team · https://www.aisyndicate.com/blog/how-to-get-recommended-by-siri/

**Quick answer:** **Siri** answers from two Apple sources: **Applebot**, the crawler behind search in Siri, Spotlight and Safari, and **Apple Maps place cards**. To be recommended, claim your place card in **Apple Business**, which is free, keep it complete, and make sure Applebot can crawl and render your site. Apple lists five things its search ranking weighs.

## Where does Siri get its answers about businesses?

Apple has two sources worth knowing, and both are Apple's own.

- **Applebot, for the web.** Apple says the pages Applebot crawls "power various features, such as the search technology integrated into many user experiences in Apple's ecosystem including Spotlight, Siri, and Safari." The same data may also help train the Apple foundation models behind **Apple Intelligence**. [Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/119829)
- **Apple Maps place cards, for businesses.** A place card shows a business's name, hours, photos and actions. Apple says business information managed in **Apple Business** appears across Apple Maps, Siri, Wallet, Mail, Safari and Spotlight. [Apple Newsroom](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/03/introducing-apple-business-a-new-all-in-one-platform-for-businesses-of-all-sizes/)

So "Siri, find a plumber near me" and "Siri, what does this company do?" can draw on different sources. The first leans on Maps, the second on the web. A business needs both in order.

## How do I claim my business in Apple Maps?

Use **Apple Business**. Apple launched it on April 14, 2026, in more than 200 countries and regions, as one free platform that replaced Apple Business Connect, Essentials and Manager. If you had already claimed a location in Business Connect, Apple says your "claimed locations, place card information, photos, organization information, account details" moved over automatically. [Apple Newsroom](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/03/introducing-apple-business-a-new-all-in-one-platform-for-businesses-of-all-sizes/)

In Apple Business you can:

- **Claim each location** and confirm its name, address, phone number, website and hours.
- **Add photos and a logo** so the place card looks like your business, not a blank pin.
- **Add actions**, such as booking or ordering, where they apply.
- **Post showcases**, which are short promotions tied to a location and a date range.
- **See location insights** on how people find and use your place card.

Apple Support puts it simply: "If you have a business (large or small), you can use Apple Business to help your customers find it in Apple Maps, Wallet, Siri, and more." [Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/maps/add-or-update-information-for-your-business-mps0fb242419/mac)

> **Match the details everywhere.** The name, address, phone number and hours on your place card should match your website and your Google Business Profile word for word. When AI engines see the same facts everywhere, they state them with confidence. When they see conflicts, they hedge or get it wrong. See [Why AI gets your business wrong](/blog/ai-wrong-about-your-business/).

## What should I know about Applebot and robots.txt?

Apple's Applebot page answers the questions site owners get wrong most often: [Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/119829)

| Question | What Apple says |
| --- | --- |
| My robots.txt doesn't mention Applebot. What does it follow? | Your Googlebot rules. If robots.txt doesn't mention Applebot but does mention Googlebot, Applebot "will follow Googlebot instructions." |
| What is Applebot-Extended? | A robots.txt name that lets you opt out of your content being used to train Apple's foundation models. It "does not crawl webpages." |
| If I block Applebot-Extended, do I disappear from Siri? | No. Pages that block Applebot-Extended "can still be included in search results." |
| Can I block my CSS and JavaScript? | Don't. If they are blocked, Applebot "may not be able to render the content properly." |
| How do I know a visit is really Applebot? | Check that the visit reverse-resolves to `*.applebot.apple.com`, or match its IP against the list Apple publishes. |

The practical rule: **never block `Applebot`** if you want to show up in Siri, Spotlight or Safari. **`Applebot-Extended` is your choice**: block it to keep your content out of Apple's training, allow it if you want Apple Intelligence to know you. We sort every AI crawler by job in [Which AI crawlers to allow](/blog/ai-crawlers-robots-txt/).

## What does Apple say decides its search ranking?

Apple is unusually direct here. Its Applebot page lists the factors its search ranking may weigh: [Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/119829)

| Apple's factor | What it means for you |
| --- | --- |
| Aggregated user engagement | People who land on your page find what they came for and stay |
| Relevancy and search term matching | Your pages use the words customers actually say, like the service plus the city |
| Link quantity and quality | Other reputable sites link to you |
| User location signals | Your location and service area are clear, so nearby searchers are matched to you |
| Webpage design characteristics | Pages load, render and read well, on phones especially |

Apple doesn't publish weights, so treat this as a list of what counts, not a formula. The factor local businesses most often miss is **location**. Write the cities you serve in plain text on your pages, and make sure your place card's address and service area are correct.

## What should be on my Siri checklist?

| Check | Done when | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Location claimed in Apple Business | Your place card shows you as the verified owner | Apple Newsroom |
| Place card complete | Hours, phone, website, photos and logo are filled in | Apple Newsroom |
| Details match everywhere | Name, address, phone and hours match your site and Google profile | Our advice |
| `Applebot` allowed | robots.txt doesn't block it, and doesn't block Googlebot either | Apple Support |
| Decided on `Applebot-Extended` | You chose to allow or block training on purpose | Apple Support |
| CSS and JavaScript crawlable | robots.txt doesn't block the files your pages need | Apple Support |
| Service area written in text | City names appear on your pages, not only in a map image | Apple Support |
| Pages match what people ask | Titles and headings use the service plus the city | Apple Support |
| Reputable sites link to you | Local directories, partners and press point to your site | Apple Support |

## How do I check whether Siri recommends me?

Start with the place card. **Location insights** in Apple Business show how people interact with it. [Apple Newsroom](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/03/introducing-apple-business-a-new-all-in-one-platform-for-businesses-of-all-sizes/) For everything else, ask the questions your customers ask, on an iPhone, from inside your service area, and note who Siri names.

Doing that by hand every week gets old fast. Our [Prompt Simulator](/prompt-simulator/) runs one question across 12 engines, Siri included, next to ChatGPT, Gemini and the rest. As our [methodology](/methodology/) page explains, a voice assistant's answer can't always be read live, so we measure the model that answers on that surface and label the result a reconstruction.

## FAQ

### Does Siri use Google?

For web results, Apple says the search technology in Siri, Spotlight and Safari is powered by what its own crawler, Applebot, collects. [Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/119829) Business details come from Apple Maps place cards, which you manage in Apple Business.

### What happened to Apple Business Connect?

It was replaced by Apple Business on April 14, 2026. Apple says existing Business Connect data, including claimed locations, place card information and photos, migrated automatically. [Apple Newsroom](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/03/introducing-apple-business-a-new-all-in-one-platform-for-businesses-of-all-sizes/)

### Does blocking Applebot-Extended remove me from Siri?

No. Apple says Applebot-Extended does not crawl webpages, and pages that disallow it can still be included in search results. It only controls whether your content helps train Apple's foundation models. [Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/119829)

### Is Apple Business free?

Yes. Apple says the base service is free. Paid add-ons such as extra iCloud storage and AppleCare+ for Business are optional. [Apple Newsroom](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/03/introducing-apple-business-a-new-all-in-one-platform-for-businesses-of-all-sizes/)

## Sources

1. [About Applebot](https://support.apple.com/en-us/119829) — Apple Support. Read Sep 28, 2026.
2. [Introducing Apple Business, a new all-in-one platform for businesses of all sizes](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/03/introducing-apple-business-a-new-all-in-one-platform-for-businesses-of-all-sizes/) — Apple Newsroom. Read Sep 28, 2026.
3. [Add or update your business information in Maps on Mac](https://support.apple.com/guide/maps/add-or-update-information-for-your-business-mps0fb242419/mac) — Apple Support. Read Sep 28, 2026.