A local search citation is a mention of your business name, address, and phone number on the web. These citations are important for SEO and can improve your ranking in local searches.
In local SEO, citations are one of the most crucial and often overlooked factors that can boost your rankings for local queries in search engines like Google and Bing. Citations are also a great way to get the word out about your business and generate new leads and sales.
Getting your business listed on popular and quality citation sites is an excellent first step to building a strong local citation base. These citations are often the most trusted by search engines, and they can help you rank well in local searches.
There are a variety of sources for local citations, from industry-specific and geographically relevant directories to social media profiles. These sources are all valuable, but it’s crucial to be selective and hone in on quality options.
1. Build a list of core sites for local citations
Start by adding your business to popular and authoritative local directories such as Google Business Profile and Bing Places. This will give you a great start for both local and national organic searches. Once you’ve done that, it’s time to consider whether or not you want to bolster your citations in additional areas.
2. Find a data aggregator that offers a centralized directory of citations
A data aggregator is a website that gathers information about businesses and feeds it to dozens, even thousands, of websites and services. These aggregators use RSS technology to quickly and efficiently blast business information out to their users, and they’re a great option for businesses that are looking to increase their local citation base.
3. Check your citations for accuracy
Having consistent NAP information on all citations is extremely important when it comes to local search. This is because many consumers lose trust in a company when they see inconsistencies in the NAP information across different platforms. This is especially true if your NAP data is inaccurate, and it could have a significant impact on your search engine rankings.
4. Keep your citations up-to-date
In order to ensure that your citations are always accurate, you must take the time to update them whenever you make any changes to your business or the details you’ve provided to a site. You may need to do this manually or through an automated tool.
5. Become an expert at building local citations
To succeed with local citation building, you need to be a master at the craft. This requires a knowledge of how the different types of local citations work and what they can do to improve your local search citations rankings.
A good place to start is by identifying your top competitors and looking for places they have built a strong network of local citations. You can easily do this by performing a search for your competitors’ addresses in quotations in Google or other search engines, and compiling a list of URLs and websites where they’ve published their information. This will allow you to see where and how they’ve built their citations, and it will also provide you with the resources to build your own network of local citations.