Local citations are mentions of a business that include its name, address and phone number (NAP), with or without a link to its website. The term comes from local SEO. Google’s documentation does not use it.
Types
According to reports, local SEO practice distinguishes two types.
- Structured citations sit in directories and platforms with fixed fields, such as business directories, review sites or Bing Places.
- Unstructured citations appear in running text, for example in a news article, a blog post or a club website.
Relevance for local visibility
Google names prominence as one of three local ranking factors and says it depends on information such as how many websites link to a business and how many reviews it has. Citations are not named. They can confirm a business’s details in several places, and Google does not say how much weight they carry. It matters that the details match the Google Business Profile and the website.
Example
A plumbing company moves and updates the address in its Google Business Profile. The regional directory still lists the old one. That entry is an outdated citation and should be corrected. The example is invented.
Sources
- Improve your local ranking on Google - Google Business Profile Helpsupport.google.com
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