Ten Things You Need to Know About Citations for Local Search Marketing

How familiar are you or your marketing team with citations?
In the digital space, citations play a crucial role and have a significant impact on a business’ visibility and overall success. Accurate and consistent directory listings are paramount for businesses aiming to thrive in the digital realm.
To unlock the full potential of citations in local marketing, here are some key things you need to know:

Introducing NAP

On day one of the internet, 6th August 1991, Tim Berners-Lee published the first ever website. By 1993-94, local businesses started posting their business information—name, address, and phone number—forming what we now know as NAP. Search engines recognised the importance of this information, and today, NAP has become the foundation of local search marketing.

Understanding Terminology

“Directory Listing”, “Citation”, “Business Listing” are all different terms for the same thing and NAP information is found in citations. Your Google Business Profile is the most important directory listing, but there are many more.
You may have noticed that the first page organic search results often show citations, and businesses with accurate NAP get better rankings from search engines.

Why Citations Are Important

Since the 1990s, NAP has evolved to include additional elements such as website links, logos, business hours, email addresses, directions, more detailed information about services, store photos, and customer reviews.
Despite these advancements, the original value of NAP remains intact. It confirms that your business is genuinely located where you claim it to be, operates during the stated hours, and can be contacted as described. Furthermore, NAP serves as a critical point of initial contact for potential new customers.

Citations Throughout the Business Life Cycle

Over time, businesses may encounter various challenges, such as changing website URLs, rebranding, ownership transfers, relocation, or altered trading hours. If these changes are not reflected in the citations, search engines will continue to find conflicting directory information, ultimately affecting the business’s ranking. The importance of accurate NAP information cannot be overstated, as local citations account for 7% of the ranking factors for both local pack results and organic results.

What Happens If You Have Inaccurate or Inconsistent Data Across Many Citations?

• Search engines check the information held in all the directories and if there is a disagreement between directories, then the ranking goes down.

• Google often uses data from a directory listing in Google My Business, and if the data on the directory listing is incorrect, then Google may pull inaccurate data. Note that some directories also pull data from other directories to populate their own site, this can lead to a snowball effect where inaccurate information appears on many more sites.

• Inaccurate opening hours or times can result in a bad review (e.g. “They weren’t open when they said they would be”). According to Google, inconsistent or inaccurate directory information puts off 80% of people, because no one wants to waste their precious leisure time travelling to a destination that might not be open.

Not All Citations Are Equal

Search engines assign ratings to directories, and there exists a strong correlation between the number and quality of citations and rankings. The top five directories are Google Business Profile, Facebook, Bing, Apple Maps, and Yelp. Additionally, it is advisable to examine the first two pages of Google search results for your business’s niche and geographical location. Search keywords related to local marketing and your brand to assess the accuracy of your business information and identify relevant directories. Furthermore, aim for listings in around 50 directories specific to your industry and the top 50 directories for your country.

Interesting Fact About Yelp

Presently, Google dominates the search landscape, with 90% of searches occurring on its platform. Google often includes directories like Yelp in their top organic search results.

Cleaning Up Existing Citations

HyperZone provides a solution to address this issue, as manually ensuring the accuracy of all citations can be a labor-intensive task. For instance, claiming or verifying the business account often requires significant time investment and multiple emails and phone calls. It is also crucial to check for accurate information in live citations, including social media platforms and mentions on other websites.

The End Game – 100 Citations

Congratulations, you have 100 plus citations in relevant channels, and each listing is accurate and consistent. Now what?

The real fun begins when your local SEO experts step in, enhancing your hyperlocal visibility to potential customers actively searching on their mobile phones, with the intent of making an immediate booking or purchase. Right here, right now.

Citations and Local Search Marketing

Harnessing the power of citations, in conjunction with other local marketing strategies, should yield tangible results within a span of 30-45 days. Expect increased footfall at your venue, enhanced customer engagement through website visits, phone calls, and walk-ins. If you’re eager to learn more, book a free demo with OmniHyper Partnerships Director Nick Hollows (nick@omnihyper.com)

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The End Game – 100 Citations

Congratulations, you have 100 plus citations in relevant channels, and each listing is accurate and consistent. Now what? The real fun begins when your local SEO experts step in, enhancing your hyperlocal visibility to potential customers actively searching on their mobile phones, with the intent of making an immediate booking or purchase. Right here, right now.