Mastering Local Citations: The Ultimate Guide to Boost Your Local SEO Rankings

To maximize the benefits of local citations, we recommend the following five-step approach:

Get listed with the ‘big three’ data aggregators
Submit to core sites and platforms
Target popular industry and local sites
Pursue unstructured citations
Maintain citation consistency and accuracy

Step 1: Get Listed with the ‘Big Three’ Data Aggregators

Data aggregators collect information about businesses and distribute it to various websites. By getting listed with the main data aggregators, your business information will appear across multiple platforms, increasing your online presence. In the US, the three main data aggregators are:

Express Update (by Infogroup)
Neustar Localeze
Factual

Step 2: Submit to Core Sites and Platforms

While the ‘big three’ data aggregators distribute your information to many websites, they don’t cover all relevant platforms. To further enhance your online presence, submit your business information directly to core sites such as:

Apple Maps
Facebook
Yelp
Bing Places
Yellow Pages
BBB
Foursquare

Step 3: Target Popular Industry and Local Sites

Identify and submit your business information to popular industry-specific and local platforms. Examples include:

TripAdvisor (for hotels)
FindLaw (for attorneys)
Realtor.com (for real estate agents)

Don’t forget to explore local citation opportunities as well, such as your local Chamber of Commerce and other local business associations.

Step 4: Pursue Unstructured Citations

Unstructured citations are contextual mentions of your business, often found in blog posts, forum discussions, and press releases. Collaborate with local bloggers, participate in industry forums, and leverage press releases to increase the number of unstructured citations for your business.

Step 5: Maintain Citation Consistency and Accuracy

Ensure that your business information is consistent and accurate across all platforms. Inconsistent or incorrect information can negatively impact your search rankings and may confuse potential customers.

By following these steps and maintaining a comprehensive, consistent, and accurate local citation strategy, you’ll increase your chances of outranking competitors in local search results and boost your online visibility to potential customers.