Local Citations and what they are all About

By local citation what is meant is the name, address and phone number of a local business that is listed online. These citations can be found on business directories, apps and websites and of course on social platforms. Citations are helpful to users in that they can help to find local businesses and this can also have an impact on SERPs. It is important for local businesses to manage their citations so that accuracy is ensured.

Local Citations – Different Types

It is common to find local business owners creating different citations on the important data platforms which go on to publish this data. Popular platforms include GMB, Acxiom, Infogroup, etc. Local business listings are also found on social media platforms such as Facebook and Yelp.

Other places where a company can build listings is on websites which are in the same industry. It could be websites of the chambers of commerce or other professional associations. Supplementary citations can be earned on other news sites, apps, blogs, etc. These citations may either be developed or can be earned by merit from sharing of relevant information.

It is also true that citations flow freely from one site to another. Hence it is important the accuracy of this data is maintained for the health of your business and its profits. You can prevent customer loss and profit loss which are undesirable after effects. If you own a business in California, you can contact an SEO Company in San Francisco for this.

Why do the Local Citations Matter

Local citations affect SERPS in either a positive or a negative way. If the data encountered by Google is consistent, the ranking improves. Otherwise, it affects ranking negatively. From the customer’s point of view, when the citations are accurate, a local business can be easily discovered. This improves traffic, increases transactions and conversions. Inaccurate citations will, in turn, push customers away. Any business can seek the help of the Local SEO Expert to maintain citation integrity.

An active approach can be effected by:

• Setting up the citation on popular and reliable platforms
• Correction of inaccurate data
• Closure (permanent) of duplicate listings
• Edit data as soon as the business is rebranded
• Manage reviews actively

Strive for accurate representation of the business across the web.at the end of it all, it is important to realize that not actively managing the citations is not good business practice and does not augur well in the long run.