How To Get Started With Local Listings and Citations

If you’re a business owner with a physical address for your business, you need to be on top of your local listings and citations. Why? Because these are two of the most important ranking factors for local SEO. In other words, if you want to rank well in search engines for local searches, you need to make sure your business is listed in all the right places, with all the correct information.

Fortunately, getting started with local listings and citations is relatively easy. In this article, we’ll show you how to get started with both so that your business can start ranking higher in search engine results.

What are local listings and citations?

Local listings are online directories where businesses can list their name, address, and contact information. Think of them as the digital equivalent of the Yellow Pages. Citations, on the other hand, are simply mentions of your business on the web, even if your business isn’t listed in a directory. Both local listings and citations help search engines verify your business’ identity and location, which is vital for ranking in local search results.

How to get started with local listings

It’s easy to get started with local listings; all you have to do is fill out some basic information about your business. The most crucial thing is that all of your listings be consistent. This implies using the same company name, address, and phone number (NAP) on all platforms.

If you have multiple locations, you’ll need to create a separate listing for each one. And if you move or change your phone number, be sure to update your listings accordingly.

The easiest way to create local listings is to use a service, which will help you submit your business information to all the major data aggregators. If you are on a tight budget, you can also do it yourself by visiting each platform and creating an account.

After you’ve generated your listings, keep checking on them frequently to ensure they’re accurate and current. You should also claim any unclaimed listings that pop up and correct any errors you find. When you claim and optimize your local listings, you can improve your chances of showing up in the local search results. And that means more customers finding and coming to your business.

How to get started with citations

There are a few different ways to build citations for your business. The first is to list your business on popular directories, such as the ones we mentioned above. You can also get it by being listed on other websites, such as review sites and local news articles.

Whenever you issue a press release for your business, keep in mind to include your name, address, and phone number. This will help search engines verify your business’ identity and location, which is significant for ranking in local search results.

Another way to get citations is to create them yourself. This can be done by writing guest posts on other blogs and including a link back to your website or by listing your business on review sites like Yelp or Google Business Profile.

Finally, you can also get citations by asking your customers and clients to leave feedback on popular review sites, such as Google Reviews, Yelp, and Angie’s List. These reviews will not only help improve your rating on these sites, but they’ll also help build citations for your business.

Why are local listings and citations important?

• Improve your search engine results visibility.
• Increase the likelihood of prospective customers finding you.
• More reviews and ratings to further improve your exposure and reputation.
• It will help you rank higher in local search results, which are increasingly important as more and more people use mobile devices to search for businesses.
• It can help you be different and stand out from your competitors.
• It’s a low-cost strategy to promote your business.

Wrapping up

Creating local listings and citations may seem like a lot of work, but it’s easy to do. And the benefits are well worth the effort. By taking the time to create and maintain these listings and citations, you can improve your visibility in search engine results, build trust and credibility for your business, and increase traffic to your website. Ultimately, this can lead to more customers and sales for your business. So what are you waiting for?

Get started with your local listings and citations today.
Contact us if you need more information.