If you’re a business owner, you’re probably already aware of the importance of being found by local customers online. One way to improve your local SEO and increase visibility to potential customers is by getting more citations. But what exactly is a citation? Simply put, a citation is a mention of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites. These mentions can come in the form of business directories, review sites, and even social media profiles.
Why are citations useful for local SEO?
Citations act as a trust factor for search engines like Google. When search engines find consistent NAP information across various websites, they trust that your business is legitimate and can be relied upon to provide accurate information. This can lead to increased visibility in the search engines, with your business potentially appearing in the map results at the top of Google.
Now that we’ve covered what citations are and why they’re important, let’s discuss how to get more of them.
Set up a new email:
Before you get started with creating new citations, it’s a good idea to set up a separate email address. This will ensure that any emails from the citation websites don’t clutter up your primary inbox. A simple Gmail address should suffice.
Create a list of citation targets:
To get started with creating citations, you’ll need to create a list of citation targets. A great place to start is by looking at BrightLocal’s list of top citation sites. You should also look at local business directories in your area, as well as your local chamber of commerce.
Submit your website:
Armed with your list of citation targets, you can start manually submitting your website to the citation sources. These platforms typically use structured data, so make sure you provide your business name, telephone number, address, website URL, and a description of your business.
Ensure NAP consistency:
As you add your new listings, make sure you ensure that your NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) is consistent. These should match your website and also the details on your Google Business Profile. NAP consistency acts as a trust factor for search engines like Google, helping you to be more visible for local search results.
Speed up the process:
If you don’t want to go through the manual process of adding listings, there are paid services that can do it for you. Companies like Moz Local, Whitespark, and Yext offer this service.
Look for other opportunities:
In addition to creating citations, there are other opportunities to generate links. For example, if you’re an E-Commerce store and you stock products from a number of brands, check each brand’s website and see if they list their stockists. If they do, ask if you can be included here with a link to your website.
Creating citations is an important part of local SEO. By following these tips, you can increase your visibility to potential customers and improve your overall online presence. Whether you choose to do it manually or utilise a paid service, getting more citations can help your business stand out in a crowded online marketplace.
