Technical Definition
Local citations are online mentions of a business's NAP. Structured citations appear in business directories (Yelp, Yellow Pages, industry directories). Unstructured citations appear in blogs, news, and other content. Citation quantity and quality affect local rankings. Focus on consistent NAP across major directories and industry-specific listings.
Simple Explanation (ELI13)
Citations are places where your business name, address, and phone appear online. They include directory listings like Yelp and Yellow Pages, plus mentions on other websites. Having your business correctly listed in many places helps Google trust that you're a real, legitimate business.
Related Terms
NAP, Local SEO, Business Directories, Local Rankings
Learn More
Claude Vincent is a technical SEO consultant focused on crawlability, rendering, and AI-search visibility. He writes the field guides and case studies at SEO ProCheck, with a bias toward the durable, unglamorous work that decides whether search engines and AI answer engines can actually read and cite a site.
About SEO ProCheck
Technical SEO consulting and GEO strategy with 20 years of enterprise experience. Case studies, resources, and tools for search and AI visibility.
Work With Me
Technical SEO audits, GEO strategy, site migrations, and international SEO. Hourly consulting for teams who need hands-on support, not just reports.
Subscribe to our newsletter!
