Do Citations Still Matter for Local SEO?

Time to read: 5 minutes

Citations have long been a staple of local SEO work, helping companies to disseminate key facts about their business and put them in front of potential customers. More importantly, however, is how these citations impact rankings in Google’s algorithm, since if you can’t rank highly then those potential customers will never learn about your business in the first place.

But a lot has changed in the digital marketing world over the years, so what is the status of local citations? Are citations still effective? Do they have a measurable impact? Let’s take a look.

About Local Citations

Citations are content sections found on diverse sites across the web, including business platforms, maps, regional directories, industry directories, niche sites, and more. The key portion of a citation is what is known as the “NAP,” which stands for “name, address, phone number,” the elements that nearly all citations share.

However, citations can also include other useful information, such as website links, descriptions of a company, pictures, and other elements. All of these aspects can further enhance a citation beyond the standard NAP (and website links could potentially provide a valuable follow link for your site).

But no matter what information is incorporated as part of a citation, these content sections help customers who are searching for your services, the search engines that are delivering the results, and, of course, your company’s website itself.

So, How Effective Are They?

As Search Engine Journal has reported, Google has confirmed that local search results hinge on the key elements of relevance, distance, and prominence, and that citations are a ranking signal for the Local Pack and localized search results. Having correct citations signals to Google that your business is the best one to show for a user’s search query, which is the name of the game.

To guarantee that your business hits these marks, Google encourages business owners and digital marketers to ensure that company information is complete and accurate, with NAP being present for a business on all major and relevant sites.

Many problems can arise with citation work, obviously, since information can change or become outdated, errors can be made, phone numbers or addresses can change, and even websites and company names can change. To combat this, having a local listings management approach is vital, as it will ensure you are getting the value you need out of your citations.

Case Study and Statistics on Local Citations

To further illustrate the importance of citations in local SEO, we can look to this case study conducted by Uberall.

In the study, all the sites Uberall examined had listings on Google Business Profiles, Bing, Facebook, and Apple Maps. To judge the efficacy of citation work, select sites were chosen that had been listed on a variety of directories, as many as 40, and then compared to a control group of sites that did not have citations on directories beyond the initial four.

The results? Well, unsurprisingly, citations still pack a punch. Uberall found that:

• Businesses that had citations on more than 10 sites received as much as 80% improved visibility in Google search
• Businesses that had citations on more than 10 sites saw a 67% improvement in consumer actions
• Businesses that had citations on more than 30 sites saw consumer action increase by a whopping 136%
• Fully filled-out local profiles additionally increased visibility and led to a 69% boost in a company’s website clicks

So, it’s clear: local citations still serve an incredibly valuable function in the current SEO landscape, and managing your listings should be an element of your marketing team’s approach.

Which Local Citations Do I Need?

Since there are so many sites out there where you could list a website, and since many of them aren’t exactly reputable or valuable in Google’s eyes, knowing where to begin is an important first step.

To start, we would recommend focusing on high-DA sites. DA, or domain authority, is a 1-100 number-based system that factors in many elements of a website to determine its status online, with higher numbers indicating more authority. Focusing on sites with a DA of 60 or above for your citations would be a good place to begin, with the following sites being some great options:

Along with these, you will want to research niche sites for your industry, as they can be incredibly valuable in terms of both connecting with your core audience and signaling to Google the field your company operates within. For instance, Thomasnet is a great option for manufacturers.

Additionally, getting listed in local chambers of commerce sites can go a long way to boosting your visibility in local searches. While not all of these sites will possess high DAs, their location, and its proximity and relevance to your business’s location, will make up for it when it comes to how Google’s algorithm assesses your site.

What Types of Businesses Should Create Citations?

Great question. Typically, if you serve nationally and don’t rely on a physical store or you don’t strictly serve a local community, citations won’t be such a big deal. However, if you are a gym, local roofing contractor, or the like, citations will be important.

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