Local citations are an essential part of search engine optimization (SEO). They improve a business’s ranking in local search results, and can increase its discoverability. They also act as a form of online branding and provide credibility to the business.
Creating local citations requires time and expertise, so it’s important to find a good service provider to help you with the process. A reliable service will ensure that the citations are accurate and consistent across different platforms. They will also remove citations from websites with poor reputations and add them to trusted citation sites.
A local citation is a listing that includes your name, address, and phone number on a directory or search engine. It helps your business stand out from its competition and increases the likelihood that customers will contact you.
Citations are essential to search engine rankings and can make a significant impact on a business’s revenue. Moz calls them “high-stakes assets,” and it’s important to build and maintain a robust local citations strategy.
The best way to start building local citations is to get your business listed on Google Business Profiles and Bing Places first. These are the two major search engines that most people use when searching for local businesses.
After registering your business on these two services, you’ll want to submit your NAP information to other directories. You can do this manually, but it’s much faster and more efficient to use a data aggregator tool that submits your information to directories for you.
You can also reach out to other businesses in your industry and ask them to add a link to your website. This is another great way to build a strong local citation and increase your website’s domain authority.
In addition to adding your NAP info to directories, you can also include a link to your social media pages or website on these citations. In addition, you can use a citation management service that will track your citations and make sure they are accurate and updated regularly.
Local citations are a crucial component of local SEO, and they’re especially effective in competitive niches. When someone searches for a service in your area, a local citation can be the difference between getting their business and losing it.
Using a local citations service can be an efficient and affordable way to boost your business’s rankings, but you need to be careful about what type of citations you’re buying. A quality local citation service will focus on both structured and unstructured citations, including listings on directories and blogs.
Structured citations are the most important of the local citations, and they typically include your NAP info on directories like Google Business Profiles, Bing Places, Facebook, and industry-specific directories. Some services even offer direct-to-site citations, which means your business can be listed on websites that require manual submissions.
While structured citations can be useful for local SEO, they don’t always translate to increased traffic and sales. They can sometimes be a waste of time and effort, so it’s important to evaluate your budget before investing in a local citations service.