Did you know consistent and accurate local listings is one the factors Google considers when determining what sites to show in search results? Because Google wants to provide searchers with the best and most accurate information, it looks for businesses that present a consistent presence across the web, which includes local citations like listings and review sites.

One of the most valuable citations for your online presence is Google My Business. Here are a few tips that can help you use your Google My Business listing to impact your SEO and present clear and accurate information about your business to local searchers.

What Are Local Business Citations?

Citations are any mention of your business name across the web, even if those mentions are not linked directly to your website. Citations can include local listings, review sites, and your listing on Google.

Why Are Citations Important to Local SEO?

Creating consistent citations, meaning your business information like your, name, address, and phone number are the same across the web is important because it shows Google that the information on these sites is trustworthy. If Google sees varying information about your business, it’s not sure what to trust, and as a result, may not show anything about your business at all. Plus, having this information listed the same everywhere helps create a user-friendly experience. Imagine you’re searching for a local florist, and you find one that seems promising, but you notice their phone number is listed differently on Google. This conflicting information might deter you from trying any of them, and you may, instead, choose to look for a different florist.

How Can Google My Business Help Your Local SEO?

When you verify your business information through Google My Business, you’re telling Google that your business information is correct on Google Maps and Google search results, where consumers are actively searching for businesses online. While it’s important to maintain consistent citations across all local listings, this is a great place to start.

What Does it Mean to Have Consistent Citations?

When it comes to consistency for search engines, it’s important that all your citations contain exactly the same information about your business. For instance, your business name should perfectly match what’s listed on your website, down to punctuation and descriptors like “Inc.” or “Co.” The same goes for your business address – if the address on your website has “St.” instead of “Street,” make sure it’s listed the same way on your Google My Business dashboard and other local listings.

Get Help with Google My Business

If you’d like help managing your business citations across directory listings like Google My Business get in touch.