Citations
Mentions of your business name, address, and phone number on the web. Consistency is vital for local ranking.
Citations are mentions of your business's "NAP" (Name, Address, and Phone number) on other websites—even if there isn't a direct link back to your site. They appear on local business directories (Yell, Scoot), sector-specific directories (Carehome.co.uk), social media profiles, and local community sites.
Google uses citations to verify that your business actually exists at the location you claim. The number of citations you have is important, but their consistency is critical. If your phone number is different on Yell than it is on your Google Business Profile, Google's "trust" in your data drops, which suppresses your Map Pack ranking. A robust citation strategy involves finding every mention of your home online and ensuring the details are identical to your registration records.