Why Citations And Reputation Management Are Critical To Your Business’s Success.

July 10, 2016 By Deon Bryan Leave a Comment

What Are Citations?

When your business name, address and phone number (NAP) is mentioned on local directories such as Yelp, Yell, and Scoot, it is known as a citation, the local directory does not require a link from your website. The Yell directory is an excellent example of a citation, it lists the company details but there is no connection from the company website. Your local chamber of commerce or business association page is also considered a citation.

How Citations Help Your Business.

Google and Bing use algorithms to rank websites. Citations play a significant role in this ranking process. Considering all other variables are equal, the businesses with more citations have a higher probability of ranking above those businesses with fewer citations.

If your business has citations from a highly reputable source like Yelp.com, then search engines can be assured that the information they possess relates to your business. They can also be certain that you are categorised accurately, and the contact information is correct. Search engines use citations to ratify a business. They help the public feel confident that the companies sought “are who they thought they were.”

Citations legitimise a business within a community because faking citations is difficult. They can be a part of public lists, in a business index or mentioned in an online article for the local newspaper. Memberships cited online help to authenticate a business. Widely-read blogs that refer to a company is also a good citation.

How To Find All Your Business Citations And Your Online Reputation.

Ranking high on local Google searches means that more potential customers see your business, and if you have a great online reputation with more positive reviews than your competitors  then they will call you first. If you want to find out how many of the top local directories your company is listed on, then download your free Reputation Management Report here.

The report is free for a limited time only, so if you click the link and are too late, the investment is just £67+VAT, click here now