Local citations: sending the right signals to search engines

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

Citations can occur on local business directories, websites, apps, and social media 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 multiple citations to ensure data accuracy.

In reality, there are only a few major data aggregators you'd 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'll find your listing in search results on google.com, the Google Maps app, and partner sites .

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

To help you get the most out of the platform and optimize your Google My Business account, we've compiled a wealth of tips and tricks in The Ultimate Google My Business Guide 2022 to help you shine the spotlight on your business!

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

This listing is most suitable for an aging audience, as products like Edge are pre-installed and recommended by Microsoft on their machines.

Apple — Use Places on Maps. You can find the listing in the Apple Maps app and on partner sites.

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

Learn more about our search engine optimization services.

Primary data aggregators

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

The major repertoires

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 creating local business listings on major business data platforms that serve all industries, your company may want to create listings on websites specific to its unique industry and geography. Examples of these platforms would include chamber of commerce websites or trade association and guild websites.

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

Unstructured Quotes

Additional citations can be built or earned on a wide variety of publications, including blogs, news sites, apps, maps, government databases, and more. These aren't specifically structured for publishing local business listings, but they still serve as a reference for 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 held

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

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

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

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

Ready to dominate SEO and drive more traffic to your website? Don't miss our The Ultimate SEO Guide , a must-have 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 boost your organic growth.

Click here to download your free copy and become an SEO expert! 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!