As a digital marketing consultant, I explain to my clients that I am going to manage their citations online and I often receive a very puzzled look. Simply put, citation management is a fancy, new name for a very old marketing tactic.
What is Citation Management?
Citation Management may have a new name and the dust brushed off, but its core concepts remain the same as they did 10-years ago. However, it used to be referred to as Directory Marketing. A strategy still in use after all this time signals that it truly works. As with all strategies that stand the test of time, they have given it buzz words like NAP (name, address, phone number) and citation management, but at its core, it’s still directory-type information.
Citations can include:
- name, address, phone number
- website URL
- email address
- description of your business
- possibly a map to your location
- and any other details about your business
Citation Management 101
You might be wondering, “why is that important to my business?”
Google checks these citations for consistency and can become confused if your business information is not consistent everywhere it exists online. The search engines will find your business and check it against other listings or “citations” of your business. The search engines will make sure every tiny aspect is consistent across the board.
Significantly enough, over a two-year period, there was a 900%+ growth in mobile searches for “___ near me today/tonight.” These types of searches have become increasingly popular as voice search grows. These call-to-action searches have a clear intent on finding the service or product they need, and lead to the highest conversion.
In the Absence of Citation Management, How May My Business Suffer?
If your citations are inconsistent, you lose credibility in the eyes of the search engine. This will lead to your reputation and organic visibility suffering. Google may lose trust in your business, and therefore won’t recommend your business in local search listings.
What Do I Do?
There are millions of citation sites out there, so how do you pick the best ones for your business?
Leave this vital step to Above The Bar Marketing. You can trust us to ensure your business listings are consistent, by using the best software available on the market. We leave nothing to chance. Explore all our digital marketing services and let us skyrocket your business’s success.
Contact us today, and let us be your digital marketing solution.