Every ambitious business owner is in constant search of the best possible way to develop a successful business. If you want to ensure satisfied customers, you need to offer high-quality products and services, that’s for sure. But before you actually gather a group of those who will spread the word about what you do, you need to reach them somehow. And, to gain their trust, too. Well, that’s where we come to the point of online marketing. The better your business ranks among the local search results the bigger are your chances to get customers. So, let’s enter the core of all that. We’ll help you learn about the concept of citations, and understand why citations are important to build an effective SEO.
Defining the term of citations
Every time your business is mentioned somewhere online, that counts as a citation. Since creating a good and credible image of your business is very important, you need to take good care of these online mentions. Generally speaking, building citations is your main tool for gaining a good reputation. When people look up some products online, they usually tend to consult various sources before they make the final decision. If they find the same product mentioned several times and on several sites, the chances are high that it would be their choice. Therefore, we can conclude that the more you are present online, the more people can trust you.
However, it’s not only about being present a lot…
Naturally, we came to the question that everyone is interested in. That is how many citations you need for your business to be successful? The number of citations is important, indeed. It would be much easier for your customers to find you if there are more online mentions of your business.
However, in this case, quantity is not something that will lead you to the top. The quality of your citations counts as well. In fact, having several high-quality citations, built on the relevant sources will be more efficient for your SEO than a large number of citations whose value can be called into question.
What is a good citation and why citations are important to build an effective SEO?
In the process of creating a good citation, it is important to understand the basis of online visibility. Luckily, nowadays with AZ Citation Services, it is possible to find all the answers in just one place.
The first thing you will have to write in a citation is your business’s NAP. This abbreviation stands for Name, Address, and Phone number– the basic information everyone would spot the moment they encounter your business online. Not only will they help the users figure out the basic sphere of your business, but they’ll also be the first source of the contact information necessary to get in touch with you. That’s why it is more than crucial for you to be precise and accurate when writing the NAP. If you build a good citation it will have a positive effect on the SEO.
However, in case your business is listed in various different online directories, you’ll need to make sure that all the information is the same everywhere. This may seem like an easy task, but mistakes happen more often than you can imagine. Only a slight spelling change in the name of the business can cost you, numerous potential customers. People do not trust vague information. If the information you provide about your business doesn’t match everywhere, users would simply disregard your offer.
NAP affects your local ranking
On the other hand, ensuring the customers’ trust is not the only reason why your citations need to be consistent and accurate all the time. Search engines use citations to collect information about businesses that appear online. They find it very important to provide reliable and high-quality information, and thus tend to disregard everything that doesn’t fit into this criteria. If a search engine discovers inconsistencies in your NAP info, that will influence your online visibility. Untrustworthy businesses tend to rank low in the local search results.
Other useful things to know
Apart from the reliable NAP, there are some other things to consider when creating a good citation that will help to build effective SEO and expand your sphere of action.
- A nice and well-designed website of your business is a perfect way to attract customers’ attention. In the world of modern technologies, websites serve as a kind of online shop windows where people can take a look at our products or the list of services. Therefore, you should add a web address in your citation.
- It is smart to build your citations on some of the popular citation platforms. However, there is nothing better than choosing the one which will be most relevant for your type of industry. Listing your citation on Booking.com, for example, makes sense only if your business has to do with property renting.
- Take some relevant photos of your business and add them to your citation. Those can show your official logo, your products, or your working environment. People usually get a stronger impression of the things they can perceive visually.
- Writing a brief and concise description of your business is an excellent idea, t00. Your customers need to have a clear picture of what you have to offer, and who can define that better than you.
- Finally, if your business has a physical location as well, it is crucial to add your working hours to your citation. That way people can know exactly when they can come and visit you in person.
Change your focus
No matter what our online marketing strategy focuses on, we should never neglect the fact that citations are important to build an effective SEO. Ensuring a good ranking among the local search results largely depends on the way we present our business to the users. Thus play smart and be careful.
