If you want your business to be
one of the first few search results that Google displays, you need to make the
search engine believe that your business is authentic and credible. Google rewards
certain web content that it evaluates as reliable. The ones it thinks of as
false or redundant get pushed down the SERP. This is where the importance of
building local citations comes in. Local citations are an SEO strategy that can
yield enormous benefits for your business through its online presence. If you
are unsure about what they are or how to benefit from them, here is a brief
overview of what a Google map citation for local SEO means.
What are local citations?
If you have tried to build a web
presence for your business that attracts local customers, you have likely asked
yourself this question—for local SEO, what is a
citation?
A local citation is a mention of
your business on any part of the web. Also known as a Google Map citation, a local
citation provides the essential details of your business on various websites.
It kills two birds with one stone. Google believes that your business is legit
and rewards you with higher visibility. Higher visibility snowballs into the
inflow of more local customers.
What should a local citation
include?
·
When it comes to local citations, there are a
few things you need to keep in mind. A mere mention of your business won’t accomplish
anything fruitful. There are three mandatory things that every local citation
of your business needs to include.
·
These three elements are usually called the
NAP—name, address, and phone number. NAP identifies your business as having a
valid physical location and contact information. This raises your credibility
score, making it more likely for local people to see your services when they
are searching for them.
·
Make sure that your address is as detailed as
it can be. The mention of a street address, city, state and zip code is a
must.
·
Other relevant details like your website URL
can also be added if available.
·
The NAP your local citations provide to
potential customers should be consistent. Incorrect spellings, varying
addresses, or contact information confuses your local customers and Google
loses trust in your business.
·
It is also important to verify the reliability
of your citation sources. A mention of your business on a site that itself does
not provide credible information can negatively impact your local visibility
and SEO. When you opt for local citation services of a digital
solutions provider, they usually take care of these intricacies.
Where can you build a Google Map
citation for local SEO?
You have got a lot of options when
it comes to online platforms where you can publish your local citations. Here
are a few you can consider:
·
Social media platforms like YouTube, Twitter,
and Facebook
·
Niche-specific industry directories like Trip
Advisor and general business directories like Yellow Pages and Yelp
·
Local blogs
·
Local newspaper websites
Since local citations are meant to
be seen by local people, all citation sites might not yield the best results
for you. For instance, if you have a business in Singapore, here are some
location-specific sites that will suit you better:
Keeping track of the citations:
Now that you know what local
citations are, you must also understand the difficulty in keeping a
record of them. A free local citation checker like Moz Local comes to your aid. You will
be able to track your business listings on all major search engines and also be
able to correct inaccuracies across the web. An easy way of managing each of
these tasks is, however, by availing local citation services offered
by a leading digital marketing agency
like Fenzo Digital. Being a one-stop solution to your digital needs, the
cumbersome job of building a local citations portfolio would be the least of
your worries!
Sources: https://fenzodigital.com/blog/why-local-citations-are-necessary/
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