Whether you own a business, or you have been searching for a digital marketing agency, you have seen the words local citations non-stop. You may have also seen paid search, backlinks, SEO, and more. I know, super confusing right?!
Don’t worry; we’ve all been there. Local citations are not very complicated. Once you get an idea of them, they’re easy to understand. Don’t over think it. A local citation is exactly what it’s called. It is a citation on a local website/online directory.
What is a local citation?
A local citation is a listing of your business on a website. These websites are typically local directories. A website that serves customers as a directory to find businesses’ information, such as name, phone number, address, hours, and more. Some well-known local directories include Yelp, Yellow Pages, Google My Business, Bing, HotFrog, etc.
Essentially, they provide necessary information about a business based on location, hence the word “local.”
You know when you Google “Grocery stores near me”, or when you Google your hair dresser’s address/phone/hours? The information you find is most likely a local citation (unless you are going to their actual website/clicking on an ad).
One of the most powerful local citations is Google itself. And no, this does not mean an ad. Google has a fantastic tool for local businesses that it’s called a Google My Business page.
Let’s say you want to come to Noah Digital Marketing for a free digital marketing consultation, but you don’t know exactly how to get here. So, you Google “Noah Digital Marketing.”
As you can see the first thing that comes up is our ad. On the right side of the screen, you can see our Google My Business page (a local citation). Where it quickly gives searchers immediate access to our address, phone number, and even reviews. As you keep scrolling through the results, you can see more local citations such as Yelp, Canpages, and more.
If you Google “digital marketing agency,” we will come up at the top depending on your location. If you are near our address, then we will be on of the first ones you see thanks to our keywords and local citations, which takes me to my next point.
Why are local citations important?
Coming up on top of local searches is what we refer to Local SEO.
I’m sure you’ve heard all about SEO. Local SEO means merely how high you rank on engines when local people around your business are searching for your products/services. This is extremely important for any local business, if Google doesn’t know your location, then local users can’t find your business!
With a combination of location-based keywords on your website and local citations, you are set to rank at the top of local searches! That is a massive advantage for your business.
Many small businesses do not have any local business listings online, and this is a huge mistake. Every listing you claim for your local business is an opportunity. The more listings, the more dominant you will be on Google, and the easier people can find you when they search.
How do I build local citations?
Building up citations can be a lengthy process. In our resources section, we have a free eBook all about how to come up on top of local mobile searches, where we gathered up a list of high-authority directories for you to cite your website.
Of course, there are directories with different levels of authority. Some of the highest are Google, Bing, and Apple Maps. If you start anywhere, you must start here. These are the most important. Then, we have YelloPages, Facebook, Yelp, and more. These work for every industry and are very generic. Depending on your specific industry there are different directories where you will want to cite your website.
You will have to provide the directory with information about your business such as contact name, email, address, phone number, year funded, number of employees, pictures, descriptions, and more. Make sure you are building all of your citations under the same email address and phone number, so you don’t go crazy trying to figure out what email you signed up with.
If you ever want to edit anything on any citations, you will need your email address to make the change.
Some higher authority directories require verification through the phone or even post-card confirmation to make sure they are listing a credible business that truly exists at that phone number/address.
Start by having a list of high-authority directories. Some citations are free, but some are paid. This is up to you and your budget. You can sort the directories by authority and try each one by signing up. Make sure you are adding as much information as possible to your listing. The more updated the listing is, the more professional it looks to other people searching for your products/services.
Remember: Consistency is key. A consistent NAP is vital for your local SEO.
Inconsistency will affect your ranking. Make sure all your citations, Google My Business, and website have the exact business name, address, and phone number. If you leave people confused and uncertain, they will not be confident in spending their money with you. Discrepancies, or a wrong address/phone number or even information can often lead to a lower ranking on SEO as well because Google isn’t entirely sure about your business yet. If Google is not sure, then your audience is not sure either.
There you go!
It’s not so complicated to see the big picture, right? Always keep in mind the people searching for your business.
Still confused? We got you! Send any questions you may have to [email protected] and we will make sure to answer you as soon as possible!
