A local citation is any mention of a business’s Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) on another website, most commonly directory sites, review platforms, industry associations, and local chambers of commerce. Citations can be structured (formal directory listings) or unstructured (a mention within an article or blog post).
Citations help search engines validate a business’s legitimacy and physical presence, which is a meaningful factor in local search rankings, particularly for the local map pack.
Building citations on high-quality, relevant, and locally trusted directories tends to be far more valuable than accumulating a large volume of citations on low-quality or irrelevant sites.
Local citation building is included in our Local & Map SEO service.