A citation is any mention of a business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) across various online platforms. These mentions are often on websites, directories, social media profiles, or review sites and do not necessarily include a link back to the business’s website. Citations are very important for local SEO as they help search engines verify the legitimacy and relevance of a business within its geographical area.
Citations can contribute to improving a business’s visibility in local search results by enhancing its credibility and authority. However, consistency is key, so having uniform NAP information across different citations helps to establish trust with both users and search engines. Discrepancies in this information can lead to confusion for potential customers and may negatively impact rankings.
There are two main types of citations: structured and unstructured. Structured citations appear in dedicated business listings like Google My Business or Yelp, where specific fields are provided for NAP details. Unstructured citations might occur in blog posts or articles that mention the business without following any set format.
