• by Laurie Sullivan , Yesterday

Apple will launch an advertising platform for Maps this summer, allowing agencies and brands to run campaigns in the company’s Maps app.

Company engineers designed the ads platform to make it simple for any type of business to upload photos, add promotional messages and set budgets with no minimum media buy.

“Ads on Maps,” which builds on Apple’s privacy approach to advertisers and its App Store advertising platform, will initially launch in the U.S. and Canada, the company announced Tuesday.

The advertising platform offers marketers with experience running ads several custom options such as targeting by location or time and day.

The platform also gives advertisers with less experience a roadmap to start reaching consumers under varied pricing models.

APIs will enable advertisers to manage campaigns and pull reports programmatically to measure performance.

A user’s location and the ads they see and interact with in Maps do not link with a user’s Apple Account. Personal data remains on a user’s device, is not collected or stored by Apple, and is not shared with third parties.

Apple does not work with or have a demand-side platform (DSP) because it is a closed auction system, so it usually manages a more direct relationship with advertisers. The ads are served through other means such as sophisticated APIs and user interfaces.

A company like Apple does not need to work a DSP or supply side platform (SSP) when it owns all three layers of the ad stack. Apple controls the inventory, ad placement such as search, and advertiser and user experience.

Apple uses first-party data, and controls the demand interface, and they run the ad auction internally.

The ads will serve in Maps during key search when users are looking for a business in or around a specific location.

Advertising on the platform does not require a long-term commitment, and agencies on behalf of their clients -- or any size business running ads -- can start and stop the campaign at any time.

Ads on Maps will become available through Apple Business, which will launch as a full set of services on April 14 in 200 countries and territories worldwide.

Businesses must first claim their location on Apple Maps.

When Ads on Maps launches this summer, businesses will have access to the automated experience of creating ads through Apple Business in a few simple steps.

Current Apple Ads advertisers and agencies will also have the option to buy ad media through their existing Apple Ads experience. Apple Business also features built-in mobile device management, tools to easily configure employee groups, device settings, security, and apps with “Blueprints” to get started.

Apple Business allows users to set up business email, calendar, and directory services with their company’s domain name. The goal for Apple Business is to help companies expand their reach and connect with local customers across Apple Maps, Mail, Wallet, Siri, and more.

The company is sunsetting Apple Business Essentials, Apple Business Manager, and Apple Business Connect once “Apple Business” launches.

Business Essentials customers will no longer be charged their monthly service fee for device management after the Apple Business launch date. Existing Business Connect data — including claimed locations, place card information, photos, organization information, account details, and more, will automatically migrate to Apple Business at launch.