Are Local Citations Costing You Leads?
One Small Detail Could Be Undermining Your Entire Local SEO Strategy
Local SEO is critical for businesses that rely on foot traffic, local calls, or regional customers. If you've claimed your Google Business Profile and done some basic SEO work—but aren't ranking locally—local citations could be the missing link.
In this week’s deep dive, we’re unpacking:
✅ What local citations are
✅ Why consistency matters for SEO
✅ How to audit and improve your listings
✅ Tools and strategies for effective citation management
This is Part 3 in our Local SEO Series. If you missed the first two:
What Are Local Citations?
A “citation” is any online reference to your business's Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP). They appear on directories, social media platforms, local listings, and websites.
Citations help search engines verify that your business is legitimate and locally relevant. When your NAP is consistent across hundreds of sites, you earn trust. When it's not, you lose credibility—and potentially rankings.
How to Fix Your Local Citations
Start With an Audit
Use tools like Moz Local, BrightLocal, or Whitespark to find discrepancies in your NAP info.Clean Up Your Listings
Correct inconsistencies, delete duplicates, and update outdated entries.Get Listed in Niche Directories
If you’re a medical practice, contractor, or legal firm, seek out industry-specific directories in your area. These boost both credibility and visibility.Monitor and Maintain
It’s not a one-time task. Your business info can be altered by users or auto-sync errors. Recheck quarterly.
Next Steps
Don’t let minor details like a wrong ZIP code or abbreviation sabotage your rankings. Local citations are foundational and fixable.
📖 Read the full article on our blog
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