A local citation refers to the online mention of a business that includes details like the business name, address, and phone number. These local citations appear on websites, local directories, social networks, or apps. These may be structured or unstructured in the form of blogs, news, articles, and without any listing.
Types of Local Citations
- Structured Citations: Listings with business details in a specific format that are found in directories and industry-specific websites.
- Unstructured Citations: Mentions of the business in articles, blog posts, or forum discussions without structured formatting but still featuring the business’s NAP information.
Why Are Local Citations Important?
Local citations are a key ranking factor for local SEO. The search engine uses them to verify a business’s legitimacy and relevance for location-based search queries. Multiple, consistent citations from trusted sources signal to Google that the business is credible and can improve search visibility for local queries.
How to Build Local Citations
- Submitting to Major Data Aggregators: Submit NAP data to aggregators are the wide distribution to various directories.
- Submit to Major Citation Sources: List your business on high-authority directories like Yellow Pages and Apple Maps.
- Target Local and Industry-Specific Websites: Look for local directories and niche industry directories to build targeted citations.
- Unstructured Citation Opportunities: Find where the mentions of your business in blogs, news articles, or other content.Â
