5 Ways to use Local Citation Services to Boost Business Visibility
As a business owner or marketer, you understand the importance of having a solid online presence to attract customers and increase sales. But are you doing everything you can to boost your business online?
With billions of searches taking place on search engines daily, it’s essential to not only be present but also to stand out.
Building local citations is a highly effective method to enhance your business’s visibility and drive more website traffic.
What are local Citations?
A local citation is when your business details, like its name, website, address, and phone number (NAP), are listed online. These are often found in local or general directories or listings. Sometimes, more information like a description of your business, categories you serve, social media links, reviews, or photos and videos can also be included in the business listing for added benefits.
Anyone can create these citations, not just the business owner, and they’re not just limited to directories. Any mention of your business online with your contact details can count as a citation. But if you don’t keep track, these citations can become inconsistent or outdated across different sites, which can confuse customers and hurt your SEO. That’s why managing your local citations, or listings, is important!
In this article, we’ll explore the importance of local citations for businesses and offer five ways to use local citation services and how to efficiently (and speedily!) build citations to grow your business!
Why is local Citation Building important for your Business?
- Boosts SEO: Citations are vital for local SEO as they signal your business’s legitimacy and prominence in your area to search engines, especially with verified business listings.
- Ranks your Business higher: Adding citations and listings across various online platforms and directory hubs convinces Google bots to trust and rank your business higher for local map searches and general Google searches.
- Builds Trust: Consistent and accurate business information across multiple sources builds trust and credibility, boosting search engine rankings and website visibility, particularly with verified listings and channels.
- Attracts more Customers: Small businesses aiming to appear in local map search and general Google search results to attract more customers should ensure accurate and consistent citations across the web.
- Improves Business Visibility: Building business citations improves visibility by enhancing SEO and marketing by getting referenced on more websites and online platforms.
What are the different types of local Citations?
Local citations can be divided into two main types:
1. Structured citations:
These citations adhere to a specific format and can be found on websites such as local directories and review sites. They typically include details like your business name, address, phone number, and website URL.
Structured citations are often referred to as NAP citations because they contain your name, address, and phone number.
Examples of structured citations include Google My Business, Yelp, and Yellow Pages.
Structured citations offer a uniform way to present your business details, which can enhance your local search rankings. They also give valuable backlinks (some do-follow and some no-follow) to your website, which is crucial for local SEO rankings.
However, creating structured citations can take time, and some directories may charge for a premium listing that is verified.
2. Unstructured Citations:
Unstructured citations are when your business is mentioned in different ways on various websites like blogs, news articles, and social media. They don’t follow a specific format like structured citations do.
For instance, this can include your business being talked about on platforms like Twitter or Instagram, in blog posts, or in news and press release articles.
Check this guide out to get ideas on how to utilise this type:
Top 10 Blogs UK Businesses should be featured for PR & Marketing
Unstructured citations offer more flexibility than structured ones and can boost your local search rankings. These may, however, lack full business details and pose challenges in management and monitoring. Incorrect information in unstructured citations can confuse potential customers.
How do local citation services help your business?
Local citation services help businesses manage their online presence by creating and optimising citations across various online directories, websites, and platforms. These services ensure that a business’s NAP and other relevant information are consistent and accurate across multiple online sources. These services may also include features such as monitoring and managing reviews, analysing citation performance, and submitting business information to data aggregators.
5 Ways to use Local Citation Services to boost Business Visibility
Apply these strategies to create and enhance local citations for your business!
1. Take Control of your Google Business Profile
Claim and optimise your Google Business listing to increase your chances of appearing in local search results. Your listing provides key information like your NAP and customer reviews.
To get started, visit the Google Business Profile and follow the verification steps.
Once done:
- Optimise your listing by providing accurate details about your business.
- Choose relevant categories that describe your business accurately.
- Ensure consistency in your business NAP across all platforms.
- Upload high-quality photos to showcase your products or services.
- Write a compelling business description with relevant keywords.
- Encourage customers to leave positive reviews on your Google listing to improve your local search rankings.
2. Local Directories and Niche Sites
Listing your business on local directories and niche sites is an effective strategy for increasing visibility in local and general search results.
By including your business in these directories, you improve your chances of ranking higher on Google and being discovered by potential customers for specific related keywords and phrases.
When creating your listings on these platforms, ensure that your business information is accurate, current, and consistent.
3. Leverage Data Aggregators
Utilising data aggregators involves websites that gather and disseminate your business details across various directories and search engines automatically.
This centralised approach ensures that search engines have accurate information about your business, enhancing visibility and potentially attracting more customers.
As per HubSpot’s recommendations for local SEO in 2023, prominent data aggregators include:
- Data Axle
- Neustar Localeze
- Foursquare
- Factual
Keep in mind that there are numerous other data aggregators available. Some may require payment for listing your business, while others offer free options. It’s essential to evaluate each aggregator based on your budget and business objectives.
4. Maintain your local Citations
Simply creating citations isn’t sufficient; regular monitoring and updates are crucial. Inconsistent or incorrect citations not only result in a poor user experience but can also negatively impact your local search rankings.
Consider utilising a citation tracking tool to stay on top of your citations.
Various tools like Moz Local, BrightLocal, and Whitespark are available to monitor your citations across different directories and platforms, allowing you to rectify any errors promptly.
5. Encourage Customer Reviews to enhance your local Search Rankings
Boosting your local search visibility is achievable by prompting customers to leave reviews.
Positive reviews significantly influence local search algorithms, leading to higher rankings for businesses with more positive feedback.
Here are some suggestions to prompt customer reviews:
Simplify the process: Include direct links to your business profiles on review platforms such as Google, Yelp, and Facebook in follow-up emails, on your website, and across your social media accounts.
Request reviews: Ask your customers directly, whether in person, through social media channels, or via email, to leave a review.
Respond to feedback: Engage with all reviews, both positive and negative. Thank customers for their input and address any concerns they raise.
Conclusion
Local citations in directories and regularly monitoring and updating business listings matter in SEO and marketing. You can do it yourself or hire professionals to maintain accuracy, boost your online reputation, and enhance local SEO for your business. By staying proactive, you ensure potential customers find and engage with your business easily across online platforms like ukbusinesslist.co.uk for example.
Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo & SeekaHost | Blogger and Educator by Passion | Contributor to many Business Blogs in the UK | Fascinated to Write Blogs in News & Education I have completed a journalism summer course at the London School of Journalism and manage various blogs.
