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SEO Library Local SEO 1 min read

Citation (Local SEO)

In short

In local SEO, a citation is any online mention of a business's name, address and phone number (NAP) — on directories, social profiles, maps apps or websites — with or without a link.

Last reviewed · Iftikhar Qureshi

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Types of citations#

  • Structured citations: business listings on platforms with fixed fields — Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, Justdial, IndiaMART, Sulekha, Yelp, Facebook.
  • Unstructured citations: mentions in news articles, blog posts, event pages or supplier lists.

Why citations matter#

Search engines cross-check business details across the web. Consistent citations on trusted platforms support prominence — one of Google’s three local ranking factors — and help customers find accurate information wherever they search.

Building and cleaning citations#

  1. Fix the core first: Google Business Profile, your website, Bing, Apple Maps and Facebook.
  2. Add major national directories relevant to your country (in India: Justdial, IndiaMART, Sulekha, TradeIndia).
  3. Add industry directories — Practo for clinics, Zomato/Swiggy for restaurants, Houzz for interiors, Clutch for agencies.
  4. Add local sources: chambers of commerce, local news sites, association member lists.
  5. Audit for duplicates and old details and merge or correct them.
Quality over quantity Twenty accurate citations on relevant, trusted platforms help more than 300 entries on spammy auto-generated directories.

Related: NAP consistency, local pack, local SEO guide.

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