Citation

A citation is any place on the web that lists your business information, usually your name, address, and phone number. Citations appear in directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Apple Maps, and industry-specific sites, as well as in local blogs and chamber-of-commerce pages. They can be structured, meaning a formal directory entry, or unstructured, meaning a mention within an article or post.

Citations help Google verify that your business exists, operates where you say it does, and is established in your community. A broad, accurate set of citations acts like a web of confirmation that reinforces the details on your Google Business Profile.

The value of a citation depends on accuracy far more than volume. A handful of correct, consistent listings on reputable sites does more for local trust than dozens of entries with mismatched addresses or dead phone numbers.