Local citations and NAP consistency: what still matters

A citation is any mention of a business's name, address and phone number (its NAP) on another website: directories, review sites, maps, industry associations, local news. For businesses that serve a local area, citations help customers find them and help search engines confirm that the business is real and where it is.

How they fit into local search

Google says local results are based mainly on three factors: relevance (how well a profile matches the search), distance (how far the business is from the searcher or the searched location) and prominence (how well known the business is). Prominence includes information Google finds about the business across the web, such as links, articles and directory listings.

So citations are part of the picture, but they are not a lever you can pull endlessly. A complete Google Business Profile, genuine reviews and a useful website usually matter more. See Google Business Profile: a setup guide.

Why consistency matters

If your details differ across the web (an old address, a different phone number, the business name written three ways), customers may call the wrong number or visit the wrong place, and search engines have conflicting information about you. Consistent details avoid both problems.

Which citations are worth having

• The major maps and platforms: Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Apple Business Connect.
• The main directories and review sites in your country.
• Industry-specific directories and associations your customers actually use.
• Local sources: chambers of commerce, local news, sponsorships.

Quality and relevance matter more than quantity. Hundreds of low-quality directory listings help nobody. For how to judge a directory, see SEO agency directories: which are worth listing on.

Auditing and fixing

1. Decide on one exact format for your name, address and phone number, and use it everywhere, starting with your website and Business Profile.
2. Search for your business name and phone number, including old numbers and addresses, to find existing listings.
3. Fix the important ones first: maps, the main directories, and anything that ranks for your business name.
4. Remove duplicates where a platform allows it.
5. After a move or rebrand, update the main listings straight away and work through the rest over the following weeks.

Discuss local tactics in the Local SEO community.