Definition
A local citation is any online mention of a business's name, address and phone number, such as a directory listing, map app or industry association page.
Local citation explained
Local citations appear on general directories, map services such as Apple Maps and Bing Places, industry directories, chambers of commerce, review sites and local news. They help confirm that a business exists at a particular location, and some also send customers.
Citation work has two parts:
- Cleaning up: finding existing listings and correcting outdated or inconsistent details, and removing duplicates.
- Building: adding listings on the most relevant and trusted platforms for your country and industry.
Quality and relevance matter more than volume. A few accurate listings on platforms your customers actually use, and on trusted industry directories, do more than hundreds of low-quality directory submissions. Citations on trusted platforms also feed the data sources AI assistants use when asked for local recommendations.
Example
Your law firm is listed on the local bar association site, two legal directories and Apple Maps, each with slightly different details. Correcting them to match your Google Business Profile exactly, and adding a listing on a respected regional business directory, is local citation work.
Why it matters
Accurate citations reinforce your location details across the web and help customers find you on the platforms they use.
Related service
Local SEO
Google Business Profile, local pack and location-page work for businesses that serve customers nearby.
Local SEO servicesPublished by Vidern, founded and led by Malhar Shah. Updated .
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Related terms
- NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number)NAP is a business's name, address and phone number, which should be identical everywhere online so search engines can trust your local details.
- Google Business ProfileA Google Business Profile is a free listing that shows a business's details, location, hours, photos and reviews in Google Search and Maps.
- Brand mentionA brand mention is any reference to your company, product or founder by name on another website, forum, video or AI answer, whether or not it links to you.
- Local packThe local pack is the map and list of businesses Google shows for local searches such as “plumber near me”, drawn from Google Business Profiles.