A decade ago, many consumer platforms provided local business information, but now only a few dominate the scene, capturing the majority of local search traffic. As previously noted, Google My Business is increasingly pivotal in local search.
This evolution prompts questions about the importance of citations and whether SEOs and local marketers should keep focusing on them. Local link building remains crucial; the focus here is on maintaining consistency in names, addresses, and phone numbers, as well as optimizing directory profiles.
The Key ‘Horizontal’ Sites
In an informal survey of local SEO experts (including Myles Anderson, Mary Bowling, Miriam Ellis, Adam Dorfman, Dan Leibson, David Mihm, Phil Rozek, Conrad Saam, Darren Shaw, and Andrew Shotland), certain sites were commonly identified as vital sources for local citations. While some don’t view Google My Business, Bing, or Apple Maps as traditional directories or citation sources, they have been included in this U.S.-only list.
Consensus General Local Citation Sources
SEOs emphasized that after focusing on broad directories, attention should be given to vertical directories specific to a business’s industry, such as TripAdvisor, HealthGrades, Avvo, Zillow, Thumbtack, Houzz, and WebMD, among others.
Phil Rozek recommends spending time on industry-specific sites when researching citation sources. Myles Anderson of BrightLocal added that maintaining a well-reviewed listing on these sites can drive high-intent customers directly to a business, offering value beyond Google ranking.
Finding Your Verticals
Many SEO experts suggested a methodology for determining which additional sites to focus on. Andrew Shotland recommends prioritizing directories besides Google My Business and Apple Maps that are commonly used by customers and that appear in Google results for target keywords.
Mary Bowling suggested that businesses enhance listings for any directories appearing on the first page for searches including brand names, reviews, categories, top non-branded terms, and locations.
Miriam Ellis agreed, emphasizing the importance of platforms that rank in the first 3-5 pages of Google for a business within a specific geographic market. Whitespark’s Darren Shaw also recommends checking the first three pages of Google to identify directories or sites that rank for branded searches. Checking competitors’ appearances on these platforms can also be beneficial.
Cost + Time vs. ROI
Phil Rozek advises considering directories where consumers might leave reviews. However, he also emphasizes the need to evaluate whether potential customers would utilize the site.
Myles Anderson notes that the cost/time associated with citations in a local marketing campaign is minimal compared to ongoing expenses like content creation, link building, on-site optimization, and reputation management. He argues that the budget and time spent on citation clean-up offer a one-time investment without ongoing costs, making it a worthwhile endeavor.
