Local Citations

Local citations are mentions of your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) across the web. These include listings on directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and the Better Business Bureau, as well as mentions on local chamber of commerce websites, industry-specific directories, and social media profiles. Search engines use citations as a trust signal — the more consistent mentions of your business they find, the more confident they are that your business is legitimate and located where you say it is.

Consistency is the most critical factor with local citations. Your business name, address, and phone number must be exactly the same everywhere. “123 Main St” on one listing and “123 Main Street” on another can confuse search engines and dilute your local SEO strength. Even small inconsistencies — a suite number on some listings but not others, or a different phone number for an old location — can hurt your local search rankings.

For small businesses, building citations is one of the most straightforward local SEO tasks. Start with the major platforms: Google Business Profile, Yelp, Facebook, Apple Maps, and Bing Places. Then expand to industry-specific directories relevant to your business. A dentist should be listed on Healthgrades and Zocdoc; a restaurant should be on TripAdvisor and OpenTable. Local directories like your city’s chamber of commerce website are also valuable.

Audit your existing citations periodically using tools like Moz Local or BrightLocal. Fix any inconsistencies you find, update outdated information, and remove duplicate listings. If you’ve ever moved locations or changed phone numbers, this cleanup is especially important. Clean, consistent citations build a strong foundation for your entire local SEO strategy.