What is citations?
SEO Definition and Examples
Citations are mentions of your business's NAP (Name, Address, Phone) on other sites or directories, without a link, that signal local authority.
Full Definition: What is citations
A citation is a mention of a business's Name, Address and Phone on an external site, without a hyperlink relationship. Example: a directory says "RankRO SEO, London, 0731123456" (not a link). Or a listings site: "XYZ Salon, 10 Main St, 0212345678". Citations build trust and signal that the business is real. Google uses citations for local ranking. Citation consistency (the same NAP across the web) = better than a single citation. More citations on quality directories = higher local ranking.
Why Does Citations Matter for SEO?
Citations from quality directories influence Local Pack ranking. A business without citations = locally invisible. With 10-20 citations = higher local ranking.
Source: Moz — Local CitationsFrequently Asked Questions about Citations
Related Terms
Local SEO
IntermediateLocal SEO optimizes your site and business profile to appear in Google Maps and local search results for location keywords ("hair salon London").
Google Business Profile (GMB)
BeginnerGoogle Business Profile is a free Google tool where you manage how your business appears in Google Maps and local search results — key for physical locations.
NAP Consistency
BeginnerNAP consistency means a business's Name, Address and Phone are identical across the whole web (site, GBP, directories). Inconsistency hurts local ranking.
Google Reviews
BeginnerGoogle reviews are ratings and comments customers leave on a Google Business Profile. Positive reviews build trust and local traffic; negatives hurt.
Put Citations into practice
Explore how to apply this concept to your industry and city.
