Directory listings and online citations are SEO ranking signals for search engines like Google and Bing. They are not necessarily backlinks, though many directory listings offer the ability to create a link back to your website. But directory listings and citations still offer additional SEO via online authority.
All directory listings could be classified as citations, but not all citations are directory listings. Don’t get lost in the technicalities! Here’s more information about directory listings and the impact they can have on your online presence, search engine optimization, and inbound leads:
What Are Directory Listings?
Directory listings are what they sound like; they are listings of your business information in an online directory. In the days before the Internet, businesses listed their information in physical books like Yellow Pages. Now, you have several virtual options that produce added online authority, search engine optimization, and decent traffic to your site and business.
Some examples of online web directories would be Google My Business, Yellow Pages, Foursquare, Spoke, About Us, HotFrog, and your local Chamber of Commerce.
Online directory listings typically include the following information:
- Business Name
- Business Category
- Phone Number
- Address
- Website
What Are Online Citations?
Online citations are mentions of your brand or business anywhere on the web. These could be in social media channels, blog posts, or online directories.
For effective online citations that help your SEO, the only thing that matters is for the name of your brand or business to be spelled correctly, and for any contact information associated with the name to be accurate (matches your Google My Business directory listing). When Google crawls the web, it will take note of places your business or brand is mentioned. These are referred to as online citations and they help build online authority, which in turn improves your SEO.
So to summarize, all directory listings are technically citations, but not all citations are necessarily directory listings. Directory listings are found in directories, and with contact information. Citations only need to be a properly spelled business name or brand.
How Can We Help?
Local SEO
Google My Business Management
When we manage your Google My Business (GMB) account, we start with optimization and then create regular keyword-rich posts in alignment with your goals. Our clients are served in 3-pack results more often (link to case study).
Add Instant Online Authority
Citation Creation
We not only create 70 citations across the web for you in the course of a week but we also manually find opportunities in the form of niche directories and citations specific to your business. For example, we would likely list a doctor on HealthGrades.com. Our search strategists will work to meet your goals by creating citations across the web to increase awareness of your business through stronger search engine optimization.
Contact Information Updates Across 70 Directories
Citation Sync
If the contact information for your business changes, you may be worried about updating all of those online directory listings, but we can help. We can sync your Google My Business info with over 70 major online web directories in less than a week. There is tremendous SEO value in maintaining accurate, uniform contact information across the web.
Contact Caledon
Contact us for more information about how we can help boost your online authority, search engine optimization, and inbound traffic with web directories and citations.