What are Citations?
“Citations” is an internet term used to reference your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) listings on the internet. Citations are any mentions of your business on the web, with or without a link back to your site. Google uses these local citations to evaluate the online authority of your business. These citations could be anything from the Yellow Pages directory, your local Chamber of Commerce, business association pages, Yelp, etc.
Why are Citations Important for Local Businesses?
Citations are important for your business for a number of reasons such as higher rankings in the local search results, increased website traffic, and they validate that your business is a part of the community. However, there are also plenty of issues that come with not building your citations properly. Therefore, you need to be well-versed in how to properly build a local citation before you begin.
Building citations is one of the most time-consuming tasks in the world of Search Engine Optimization. However, they are a key component of the ranking algorithms in Google and Bing. Additionally, these citations can dramatically improve your local search engine rankings. But only if they are done right.
Here are a few things that could reduce the online visibility of your business:
- Inconsistent citation information and/or formatting regarding the business name, address, and phone number.
- Duplicate Google Business Profile (previously Google My Business) or BING listings.
- Search engine guideline violations.
Why Choose Ontario SEO?
Ontario SEO has a highly specialized SEO team who is well-versed in the importance of building quality local citations, as well as how to build them properly. We have the time and the talent to dedicate towards finding and building your citations to bring you the highest return on your investment possible.
Interested in getting started with a local citation-building campaign? Call us at 519 204 0541 to learn more.