Any company looking to bring in customers and to achieve profits can benefit a lot from local SEO. It is important to them and achieves better local visibility and accessibility of your company locally. This means that you are thinking of the customers that are nearest to you and that are potentially your first customers. In this area, citations are one of the most important local SEO strategy tools you can utilize yourself or have professionals such as AZ Citation Services implement. They are simple but are also shrouded in misconception and are therefore often not used by the majority of the business. Given their value and importance we should get to the bottom of some of the most notable citation building myths.
What are citations and how do they work
Simply put, citations are a listing of your basic NAP data (name, address, and phone number) in local directories, listing, or ads. These are the most important information that you can present and are relevant to your potential customers in your vicinity. Having NAP listed makes you stand out from the crowd. Furthermore, it makes you more likely to get the business from both potential customers that are close by. Also, it makes getting repeat business from old customers more likely also.
Citations are important if you are thinking about them through Google Maps and Google My Business aspect. These are the platforms that are used to a large degree to do searches and find a business online. Since this is the case then your company has the interest to have its NAP listed on Google Maps for example. This will make anyone searching for the type of service you provide in the area get your contact data easily. Since the data is displayed automatically you can then stand out from your competition in the area and get the business from new customers.
Confusion and importance and value of citations
However, there is a lot of confusion about citation. Many believe they are not effective and tend not to use them. There are also some notions about how complex they are and time and effort-demanding. But, if you look past the citation building myths you can use them freely and efficiently when you spot the opportunity to advance your business.
They truly are a valuable SEO tool that can increase your visibility. In this way, it can improve the chances of your business becoming successful.
Common citation building myths
There are many citation-related myths that are present today. The key ones are that citations are not important and that Google my Business is not important to have. These are the most common misconceptions about this issue. Citations have a great role in making your business visible. Having a GMB makes you a step above your competition and more approachable to your customers. In addition, there are more myths to consider:
- You must use our loft number
- Minor business name differences
- NAP cleanup troubles
- No risk in canceling service
- It is the only SEO tool you need
- Ignore the inaccurate citations
- GMB is a citation
Loft number importance
Many believe that listing a precise suite number of your business is of crucial importance. That simply is not true. The reality is that Google does not even support a suite number as it gets it eliminated immediately. So you are not obliged to correct this issue if you notice a mistake. Google aims at the location of your point marker and not the text you enter in the field. So, your citations do not have to be that exact and give you a headache.
Name discrepancies
If there are mistakes or discrepancies of your business name in different listings this is not a big problem. Many believe that it would lead to confusion. The reality shows that there are not different companies listed with minor name discrepancies. In reality, Google is smart enough to recognize that these discrepancies occur and ties the citation to the address or a correct phone number and not the name.
NAP cleanup
There is also erroneous thinking that any NAP change is tied into a significant NAP change across multiple domains and websites. NAP cleanup does not have to be complex. In reality, one change of NAP data in a basic directory listing will initiate a change across all platforms. This is because Google does not index hundreds of smaller directories’ URLs for any small changes. It can register one change and then updates all of the listings accordingly.
Cancel your citation service
Many who are considering canceling the citation service should think twice. The way citation services work in reality leads to a citation of wrong data. Those that cancel the service can experience their old and incorrect listing data to surface. This can cause trouble and create problems for a business. In addition, as these citations are important it is a wise decision to keep this service active.
Citations are not an only SEO tool
This tool is great to increase your visibility and online presence. However, citations have a limited reach. Once you are listed on over 50 important websites and platforms you achieve a certain ranking and visibility. Above that, you are in a realm of additional possibilities that present themselves through additional SEO tools. So, be sure not to mistake Citations for a whole SEO toolbox at your disposal.
GMB is a citation
Well, a google my business account is a service that is well beyond only citations. it is your business profile nested at the heart of the most used search engine. In this manner, it is much more than a citation of your NAP data. it is your business profile that is basically supported by citations of your business. The more citations from different domains, the better support to your business profile you get.
So, although citations are a great tool for your business that is easy to use there are a lot of misconceptions about it. As seen there are a lot of citation building myths that have yet to be debunked. It is important to do proper research and find the truth underneath the myth. Citations are a tool easy to use, that is also a bar of an SEO toll box and not its replacement. So, research them and try to use them to the benefit of your company and business.
