Apple Maps: a phased plan to turn local merchants into regular, active users

You are the PM for Apple Maps. Put together a roadmap that gets small business owners engaging more with the product. ```hint Start from the owner's payoff Work out what would bring an owner back to Maps week after week, and what proof they would need that it brings in customers, before you put features in order. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Does engagement mean owners managing their own presence on Maps (claiming and updating their listing), customers interacting with small businesses through Maps, or both? - Which kinds of small business are in scope: storefronts, service businesses that travel to customers, or online-only sellers? - Which markets and what time horizon should the roadmap cover? - Is there a business goal behind this, such as better place data for Maps users or keeping customers in Apple's ecosystem? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A measurable definition of owner engagement and the goal it serves for Apple Maps - A chosen small-business segment with a reason, and that segment's pain points with Maps today - A roadmap sequenced into phases, each with a clear purpose and the reasoning behind the order - Success metrics with guardrails covering data quality, consumer trust and privacy - Risks such as competition for owners' attention, listing fraud and dependence on partners ### Follow-up Questions - Owners already maintain listings on other map and review platforms. How do you win their time? - What would you cut if you had half the team? - How would you show an owner that Maps brought them customers without exposing any individual user's data?