If you are a business owner or a part of any marketing team, you discuss the importance of SEO at least once on a weekly basis. Sometimes even more often when working directly on a digital marketing strategy. Knowing that you need a strong SEO tactic and putting it together/implementing it is a totally different story. While it might seem clear how to get it done, the pure practice of getting it done is much more complex and lengthy. So, be patient and get ready to do the work. However, while you are at it, don’t forget about your business citations. Citations can be a crucial factor in your online rankings and local popularity (on and off-line). For that reason, our AZ Citation Services experts will help you dive deeper into industry-specific platforms for citations, their importance, and maintenance.
What are local citations?
Before we start discussing industry-specific platforms for citations, NAP and so much more, we need to check one important fact. Do you know what is a local citation? If you don’t, no worries. It might be more complex than it sounds.
A citation is a mention of your business’ name, phone number, and address on various platforms. This information can be found on social media apps and websites, applications, directories, etc. The options are almost endless. When done correctly, citations can be an enormous ally when working on your SEO. Yet, when failed to be maintained and distributed as needed, citations can seriously harm your online rankings.
Is building citations an easy job to do?
Now that we all know what citations are we can get down to business. Mentioning a few simple details sure sounds simple. Right? How hard can it be to list a few basic information in a directory of some sort? You would be amazed how often can you run into a “bad” citation. In order for them to be valid, they need to be accurate and consistent on all platforms. In case of discrepancy, they can make more damage to your SEO efforts than not having them.
There are hundreds of local citations sources. Normally we would think the more the merrier. But, if they aren’t correct, this statement can be absolutely disregarded. Quite the opposite! If you don’t keep track of all your citations, you might not even be able to locate and correct them all when the time comes. Yet, this doesn’t imply you should give up on it completely. Start with major ones such as Facebook, Apple Maps, etc.
However, be aware of the fact that both building and updating citations are very time-consuming tasks. That is why you need professionals that can help you with building citations and maintenance and cleanup afterward. Since this, in fact, isn’t an easy job to do, hiring experts will help you save time and ensure your citations are consistent all over the industry-specific platforms for citations.
Ways to check your local citations
We are almost there. Soon we will discuss the importance of platforms for citations. Still, before we get there here are a few ways to keep your citations clean and correct.
1. Do your checks manually
Building high-quality citations is one thing. Once that is done checking them is an entirely different ballgame. As we mentioned there are hundreds of local citations. In some cases even thousands. Thus, it is only natural that not all can be checked. Hence, you will need to prioritize. Start with the most popular platforms and work your way down. Of course, don’t forget to focus on citations that can be found on industry-specific platforms for citations. We suggest you leave the tedious task of maintenance and citation cleanup to professionals to maximize your business efficiency.
2. Utilize automatic local listing checks
There is a way that you can check citations automatically without breaking a sweat. There are tools such as MOZ Local Listing Score that will help you check everything that is needed. By using such tools you can be certain that some crucial data aggregators will be covered. Also, the idea is that such tools do not only focus on the number of your citations but also their accuracy. That would make them a perfect combo for those that want to make sure that their business citations are impeccable. However, the downside of automatic cleanup is the lack of accuracy and diligence that accompany manual work.
This being said, we can not avoid stating the obvious. Even though the process can be slow and time-consuming, going through your local citations manually is still the most effective way of citations cleanup. But you don’t have to do this by yourself. Actually, it would be best if you leave it to professionals! By hiring AZ Citation Services, you make sure all your citations are checked and updated manually, according to the freshest information you submit.
Local citations on different types of platforms
There are plenty of platforms for citations that you can use to improve your local SEO. As well as your general online rankings. Using them all certainly brings certain benefits to the table. Nevertheless, industry-specific platforms for citations can be a game-changer.
Benefits of using industry-specific platforms for citations
Using platforms that cover all industries can be a very effective strategy when building citations. Still, there is a way to improve your citation game and take it up a notch. By using platforms that are concrete to your specific market, you are exposing your business to specific viewers.
For instance, let’s say you own plumbing business. In that case, you would want your citation featured on a platform that endorses plumbers. So, when somebody needs such services they will locate you on this specific platform. It is a simple but effective way to get more eyeballs on what you are selling and where you are located. If you do not know how to do it on your own, AZ Citations Services can help you put together your citation plan.
The second, maybe even more important benefit of using niche-specific directories is the value your SEO efforts gain. Once your company gets enlisted to an industry-specific citations platform, Google gets a clear sign that you are running a legitimate and relevant business. As a direct result of being recognized by this authoritative platform, your website gets more credit. The combined actions lead to a better ranking on Google, which ultimately, of course, gets you more customers.
Your NAP is a key element of your citation
Every citation contains the following components:
- Company’s name
- Full address
- Correct phone number
These details will often be referred to as NAP. Next to them, some platforms will post information such as hours of operations, business category, reviews, etc. Always work on improving your NAP consistency. Having incomplete or incorrect information in NAP can seriously damage your online rankings and your business’ credibility.
Boost your SEO ranking and allow customers to find you easier – Contact AZ Citation Services
In the end, it is evident that citations are a great way to boost customer discovery and overall SEO ranking. Great citations will have a direct positive impact on your revenue and reputation. Creating and maintaining citations sounds fairly simple. Yet, many businesses fail in this department. So, the best advice we can give you is not to underestimate the power of industry-specific platforms for citations and citations in general. Get in touch with AZ Citation Services and make sure they are a regular part of your digital marketing strategy.
