Picture this: you’re chilling with your buddies, and suddenly you all crave some pizzas or snacks. Naturally, you start thinking about where to get what you need to make it happen. So, you hop on Google and search “pizzas near me.”
What pops up first are the top spots with the best local SEO and rankings. Local SEO is all about not getting buried under that “more places” button but landing on the first page podium.
So, how do you get there? Three key things: Links, Citations, and Local SEO.
A link is what you think it is: hyperlinked text that takes you to another webpage, like your website. Getting links from big, trusted sites is a huge boost for your SEO because Google sees you as an authority. Plus, it drives traffic if you’re linked from a popular site.
Links usually look like this, with different colored text and underline, but they can be hidden in images, videos, and CTAs.
Citations are like links but different. They’re all about your business NAP listing—Name, Address, Phone Number. A citation can just mention your business info without a link.
For example, a blogger might mention your restaurant’s name and address but not the phone number or website. It still counts as a citation. Google uses citations like brand mentions and implied links to boost your local SEO, even if there’s no clickable link.
Links and citations building are key for local SEO. Google values online popularity, and getting referenced by credible sources helps. Links and citations improve your search rankings, especially if they’re on high-quality sites.
Google looks at three things in citations:
The same goes for links. Google wants reputable sites linking to you, and it wants to see it happen often. If you don’t manage your online presence, you’ll see negative effects. Watch out for:
Links and citations are like small ads for your business. The more you have, the more credibility you get with search engines, leading to better search rankings. But more references mean more chances for mistakes, so keep monitoring them. Your site will be tough to beat if you have lots of accurate links and citations. If your competitors haven’t done the same, your site will rank higher in searches.
Building citations where your future clients can find them is key. But let’s face it, citation building is time-consuming and can be daunting. Do you really have that time?
Good news—we’re here to help! At Citations Check, as a reliable local citation building service our team handles the heavy lifting, securing high-quality citations to boost your website’s online visibility. Let’s talk!
