Local citations: sending the right signals to search engines

A local citation is any online mention of a local business's full or partial name, address, and telephone number — also known as NAP data.

Citations can occur on local business directories, on websites, on apps and on social platforms . Citations help people discover local businesses and can also impact local search engine rankings.

Specifically, having high-quality core citations can help you rank accurately on Google 's local search interfaces. Local businesses can actively manage many quotes to ensure data accuracy.

In reality, there are only a few major data aggregators that you would probably want to check out. These include big players like Facebook, Google and Apple.

Search engines

Google — Use Google My Business to list local results. You will find the sheet in search results on google.com, on the Google Maps application and on partner sites .

This sheet is the most interesting to guide you in terms of potential traffic.

To help you take advantage of the platform and optimize your Google My Business account, we have accumulated a number of tips and tricks in The ULTIMATE Google My Business 2022 Guide to shed light on your business!

Bing — Use Bing Places or Bing Places for Business. You'll find the listing in search results on Bing.com, the Bing Maps app, and on partner sites.

This sheet is best suited for an aging audience, as products like Edge are pre-installed and recommended by Microsoft on their machines.

Apple — Use Places on Maps. You will find the sheet in the Apple Maps application , and on partner sites.

This sheet is most interesting if your target audience is a clientele that is wealthier than the average population.

Learn more about our search engine optimization services.

Primary data aggregators

The main platforms include Foursquare , Data Axle and Neustar/Localeze , but the simplest and free platform is Foursquare.

Major directories

Top local business listings can also be created on popular social sites and can focus on reviews like those found on Facebook and Yelp .

Geographic and industry-specific platforms

In addition to building local business listings on leading business data platforms that serve all industries, your business can look to build listings on websites specific to its industry and unique geography. Examples of these platforms would include chamber of commerce websites or professional association and guild websites.

The Whitespark tool is the most effective for finding industry citations by analyzing your local competitors.

Unstructured Quotes

Additional citations can be constructed or obtained on a wide variety of publications, including blogs, news sites, apps, maps, government databases, and more. These are not specifically structured for local business listing publishing, but still act as a reference to your business. You can either intentionally develop these citations for your business or simply earn them based on merit, public interest, and information sharing.

Properties owned

Your website is the most authoritative representation of your online business data.

Additionally, quotes and listings for local businesses frequently appear without any action being taken by the business. Citations may result from automated aggregation and data feed from local business results platforms.

This reality of the web is particularly important for local businesses, requiring them to take control of their data and ensure its accuracy to ensure that inaccurate data is discovered and corrected, thus preventing loss of customers, loss of revenue and any negative impact on local search rankings.

It's virtually impossible to be on every platform out there. However, important platforms are easily accessible on several free resources.

Ready to dominate SEO in 2023 and attract more traffic to your website? Don't miss our ultimate guide to SEO in 2023 , an essential e-book that reveals all the winning strategies for optimal online visibility!

Learn how to improve your search engine rankings, attract a targeted audience, and propel your organic growth.

Click here to download your free copy and become an SEO expert in 2023! Don't miss this opportunity to transform your online presence and generate more success for your business . Download our guide now !

Request your free exploratory call to discuss your SEO!