What are local citations in SEO? The beginner's guide to 2024

Have you ever wondered why some local businesses magically appear at the top of Google while others struggle?

It can be frustrating NOT to find your local business in Google Search or on Google Maps, right? 

What if we told you that there is ONE factor that impacts the visibility of your business online or locally? These are called “citations”.

Citations are references or mentions of your business. If you want more customers for your local business, you need QUALITY platform quotes.

In this article, you will learn about SEO citations and how to create these local search citations to improve your visibility.

Are you ready ? Let's get started.

What are local citations in SEO? How to build them in 2024?

What are citations in SEO?

A citation is any mention of your business on the Internet. Usually, a local citation includes:

• The name of your company
• Physical address and 
• Phone Number 

Here is an example of a quote from a company;

As you can see above, the quote above is from Google Business. Likewise, there are many platforms, like Yelp, Facebook, etc., that allow you to create citations for your business. These citations are also called NAP citations because they list the company's name, address, and telephone number.

Benefits of Local SEO Citations

So why do you need to get business citations for SEO?

The MAIN purpose of a citation is to reinforce the local relevance and authority of a business. Here are some of the benefits of local search citations:

• They help your customers and search engines to be properly informed about your business details, including its precise location.
• Anyone can easily contact your business by phone and inquire about the details.
• Citations play a KEY role in SEO local. So if you want your local business to be discovered in local searches, NAP details (name, address, phone) are a must.
• You will attract potential customers when your business is featured on relevant local listings. People searching for “best plumber near me” or “coffee shop in [your area]” are great leads for your business.
• Most citations often include links to your Website, generating free TARGETED organic traffic.

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Where to Get Local Citations for Your Business?

There are THREE main approaches to creating local citations for your business:

• Search engine
• Sites SEO companies
• Unstructured Quotes

Let's briefly discuss the different quoting options available from these two approaches. 

1. Search engines: you can get citations for your business from major search engines like Google, Bing, and Apple. Simply create a free account and you will be able to submit your business information.

When it comes to search engines, Google is the number 1 player. Don't ignore the Google Business Profile listing because Google dominates local search.

2. Main business directories: Local business listings can also be created on popular social and review platforms such as Facebook and Yelp. Here are some BIG players in this category:

This is what the Yelp quote looks like;

The benefit of using business listing sites like Yelp is that you can respond to customer reviews, add or update photos of your business, and provide accurate information about your business.

Additionally, some platforms allow you to delete spam or hateful comments from spammers.

3. Unstructured Inline Quotes: Besides the above two approaches, you can also try getting unstructured quotes for your business.

These are not typical listings on Yelp or Foursquare, but somewhat organic mentions of your business online. Usually, most companies try to get such mentions in blog posts, news articles, online communities, etc.

Try to get such mentions online via a link to your Website. Even if you don't get a link, they are STILL valuable. The best way to get such quotes is to build relationships with other website owners, bloggers and influencers. Offer them something in return.

Here's ONE thing to remember: No matter what business listing or platform you use, make sure you provide ACCURATE and EVEN information everywhere. Please make sure you DO NOT create duplicate or inaccurate listings.

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Best Practices for Local SEO Citations in 2024

Here are some best practices for getting local search citations in 2024.

Use data aggregation tools: One of the best ways to get citations for your local business is to use data aggregation tools. In case you didn't know, these platforms submit your business data to numerous sites simultaneously. SEO.

Here are some options for you:

Encourage customer reviews: Search engines and all citation platforms like Google My Business, Yelp and Facebook thrive on customer reviews.

So make sure you encourage people to leave positive reviews. Not only do these reviews build trust and credibility, but they also serve as valuable citations, improving your local search rankings.

Get listed in Google Business: If you run a local business, you need to claim a Google Business listing. Make sure to add accurate information such as NAP (name, address, telephone number), URL of Website, opening hours and high-quality photos of your business. 

Start a website: One of the best ways to improve your local SEO and get more citations for your online business is to create a website .

If you own a website, you can optimize your homepage and other important pages by adding keywords and relevant descriptions. You can also add social proof, such as customer reviews. 

Follow your competitors: One of the best ways to find new opportunities and platforms to create more citations for your business is to track your competitors' activities.

The key here is to identify all existing citations of your competitors' business across the web. If you don't have endorsements on any of these platforms, get them.

Take advantage of social media: If you want to get local citations for your business, don't ignore social media. You should choose at least one platform, like Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, and actively interact with other people. 

Talk about your business, mention your products, respond to comments and participate in relevant conversations. This can ultimately lead to organic mentions of your business.

Brand monitoring tools: Most importantly, track mentions of your business online. This is how you can easily identify potential citation opportunities. You can use Google Alerts or tools like SEMrush to monitor mentions of your brand. 

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Local Citation SEO FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about citations in search engine optimization.

Recommended reading:

• SEO for Beginners: The Guide
• 3 Surfer SEO Alternatives You Need
• Top 25 SEO Tips and Tricks That REALLY Work
• SEO Friendly Titles: 8 Best Practices with Examples
• 25 Most Important SEO Stats You Should Know
• YouTube SEO 2024: 11 tips to get your videos noticed

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Latest Thoughts 

Local SEO citations are extremely important, especially if you want to rank for local searches related to your business.

Remember: quality > quantity. It's better to have a few high-quality citations from relevant, authoritative websites rather than a bunch of listings in spammy directories.

Local citations are an ongoing process. Keep an eye on your ads and make changes whenever necessary. Do you have any questions? Let us know in the comments.