Business Citations And Directory ListingsCitations And Directory Listings | Google Listing Local SEO


For your business information, citations and directory listings are off-website references that typically include name, address, phone number (e.g. NAP), hours of operation, website URL, and more. In many cases, depending on the directory, there are options for enhanced detail information.  These references will support a business’s competitive SEO and entry into both the ‘map pack’ and organic areas of a search results page.

What Citations And Directory Listings Do For Your Business

 

Have you ever wondered why competitors rank high in search results for local keywords? For many local businesses, SEO is undermined by its listings because the owners have either ignored or simply allowed these references to become inconsistent.

Sure, there are an enormous no. of signals that Google counts when comparing your business to the next one so listings are not the only signal, but one important detail the serious local small to medium-sized business can use to improve its local SEO is by getting its listings and citations under control, detailed and fully accurate!

Wait, what was that? People search and find business websites on Google, SO WHY would a business owner with a website bother chasing other directory listings & citations? Or better yet, how many people ever search for a “Home Builder” on Topix.com, yellowpages.com, or Yahoo.com? Mostly, they don’t; however, Google is a search engine (albeit it also offers a business listings directory of its own) that is looking to satisfy every person’s search in the best way possible.

Google & Bing actually scrape these third party business directories in order to take the consistency & accuracy of your citations and directory listings into account when determining whether or not to include your business in locally relevant search results. They mean to find and then compare the most relevant information available on any subject, locally. When there are lots of accurate references to a particular business, especially when those references are consistent with the website’s info, that is where citations can add a great deal of value.

Logically, a business with a lot of accurate citations online will have a far better chance of ranking high in Google local search results because those references help to demonstrate an accurate local presence. And while Google isn’t disclosing which listing sites they trust or value the most, you can certainly do a quick business-specific search and draw your own conclusions. Many of the ‘search and directory site listings’ for that business are going to be there, especially Google!


Getting Your Business Listings & Citations RightLocal Ranking Factors Directory Listings And Citations

 

But who has the time to register, then manage verification and a per-directory learning curve of options in order to get more listings? Who has the time to update them, for instance, when a phone number changes? It’s even more challenging when you consider that no one knows which citations truly matter to Google, so where is an investment of time best spent?

It’s where a service like ours shines! It is also an easy way to build back-links safely, without running the risk of raising red flags. And while Google doesn’t necessarily count all listing back-links, its algorithm certainly counts some of them!


Our Listing Citation Service Benefits


For some, the management of listings is welcomed support. We can add a business’s information to most of the large meaningful search & directory listing sites, accurate & detailed. It will not only support a better competitive set of signals needed for higher Search Rankings but potentially more leads and customers. Check out our service, which can add that all PLUS a great deal more for your marketing mix! Also note, our Local Business SEO plans include Citations and Directory Listings!