What Are Local Citations? How To Boost Local Search Visibility

If you run a local floral business in New Jersey, do you benefit from showing up in a Google search in Hawaii? Probably not—it would be much more beneficial to appear in the search results of someone who lives in Trenton or New Brunswick, rather than Honolulu or Hilo.

This isn’t specific to New Jersey florists. If your business offers local services or operates brick-and-mortar stores, showing up in local search results is essential. Building local citations on key websites and mapping apps is one of the best ways to boost your visibility. Here’s an explanation of local citations and how they can help your business.

What are local citations?

Local citations are mentions of a business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) in online directories, apps, and websites. They can include general-purpose websites, results from online search engines, mapping apps (e.g., Google Maps and Apple Maps), and social media platforms.

Local businesses invest time in building citations because people increasingly use the internet to research the businesses in their community. A 2023 survey revealed 32% of respondents used the internet multiple times per week to research local business listings. And businesses need local citations for their NAP to show up in local search engine results.

Here are the main types of local citation building:

• Business directories. National and local business directories contain extensive business information that customers use for research. Popular platforms include Yelp and Google, along with legacy brands like Yellow Pages.

• Social media platforms. Many people conduct local search queries on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

• Industry-specific directories. Some local business associations maintain directories of companies in their industry. There are also industry-specific websites that serve this purpose on a national scale (e.g., Healthgrades for doctors or Psychology Today for mental health professionals).

• Local blogs and news sites. Getting featured in a local blog post can boost your online visibility. These sites are unlikely to publish extensive business details, but even a mention on some important sites can introduce you to potential customers.

• Chamber of Commerce sites. An easy way to build local citations is to list your business in a Chamber of Commerce directory. These listings should include your name, business description, and contact information.

• Maps and navigation services. You can get your business listed on mapping apps and websites like Google Maps and Apple Maps, along with proprietary mapping services that are built into certain models of cars. Customers can use these to get directions to your business.

• Data aggregators. Data aggregators collect business data and distribute it to a wide network of other online directories and platforms. Examples include Neustar Localeze, Birdeye, and Data Axle. Uploading your information to these aggregators can lead to your inclusion in many local listings.

Why local citations matter

Local citations boost your business’s online presence in a few ways. The most notable of these is local search engine optimization (SEO). Local SEO citations boost visibility in your community—a boon for businesses that sell products and services in person. Here’s why building local search citations is a vital part of growing your business online:

• Increased online visibility. Appearing on local sites and relevant business directories gets more eyes on your company.

• Improved local search rankings. Citation management can play a big role in a local SEO strategy. The more business listing sites that publish your business name, address, and phone number online, the more likely that search engines will view your site as credible and worthy of inclusion in local search results.

• Backlinking opportunities. The number of inbound links to your website is a key ranking factor for Google and other search engines. If local citation sources link out to your website, that can boost your local SEO.

• Bolstered trust. When shoppers find your business listed on multiple sites, they may view it as well-established and trustworthy—so long as the information is accurate and consistent. Ensuring your business appears on as many information sites as possible, with accurate information and operating hours, creates a positive first impression for your customers.

How to build and check local citations

1. Create listings on different sites
2. Pursue structured and unstructured citations
3. Use local citation finder tools
4. Optimize your Google Business Profile
5. Monitor for accurate and consistent citations
6. Leverage citation management tools

Small businesses rely on local citations to improve local rankings and convert more customers. However, ensuring consistent citations across different sites can be a time-consuming process, and not all citations provide the same benefits. Here’s how you can take advantage of local citation opportunities to grow your business:

1. Create listings on different sites

Local citations are as much about quantity as it is about quality. You’ll definitely want listings on core sites for businesses, like Google and Yelp, but listings in smaller directories can also boost your local rankings.

2. Pursue structured and unstructured citations

Pursue a mix of both structured and unstructured citations. Structured citations contain standard business information (e.g., your NAP and your website) in an easy-to-consume format. Unstructured citations are mentions of your business on blogs, news sites, or event pages that don’t follow a strict format. You can pursue unstructured citations by networking with bloggers and influencers, or even by hiring a publicist to get your business earned media attention and mentions in news articles. 

3. Use local citation finder tools

You want as many people as possible to know that your business exists and be able to contact you. Data aggregators and local citation finders distribute your structured citations to a vast network of different sites. This can be considerably easier than manually building your unstructured citations. You can also use tools like BrightLocal’s Local Citation Finder to uncover additional local citation opportunities. 

4. Optimize your Google Business Profile

Google makes it easy to set up a Google Business Profile (GBP)—a primary factor influencing your local rankings on Google Maps and local search. Be sure to claim, verify, and fully optimize your GBP, ensuring that it contains your business hours, industry categories, services offered, and photos.

5. Monitor for accurate and consistent citations

As you build up local citations across various sites, it’s important that they all contain the same business information. Your NAP, business hours, website, and services offered should be consistent from one website to the next. If you have a brand logo, make sure it appears wherever possible to create a consistent image for shoppers as they encounter your business across various websites.

6. Leverage citation management tools

Maintaining your existing citations can be time-consuming. Thankfully, you can make use of citation management tools to help you in this endeavor. These tools can monitor citations, remove duplicate listings, and ensure that your NAP stays uniform across the board. They can also alert you to local citation opportunities you may not have been aware of. Popular citation management tools include Uberall, Moz Local, and Bright Local.