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Many online-based business owners overlook the importance of local citations, mistakenly believing they’re only beneficial for brick-and-mortar establishments. This misconception leaves untapped potential on the table, as local citations offer considerable advantages regardless of your business’s physical presence. While it may seem counterintuitive to focus on local visibility for a business operating in the digital realm, the benefits of such efforts are too significant to dismiss.
Studies have shown that a robust local citation profile can enhance a business’s visibility on major search engines by as much as 50%.
Patrick Geddes once advised to
“Think globally, act locally.”
This is a principle that remains relevant for online businesses today. Despite their global reach, establishing a local presence through citations connects online businesses with their immediate communities. Being listed in local directories, maps, and review sites increases visibility to local consumers, which is often overlooked.
For businesses in the online world, prioritizing local citations might not seem urgent. However, recognizing the value they bring can change the perspective significantly. Here’s why investing in local citations is a strategic move for your online-based business:
By listing your business on local sites, you provide detailed insights into what your business offers and its unique value proposition. These local directories often include links to various pages on your website, particularly your product pages, fostering a network of high-quality links that bolster your site’s authority.
In emphasizing the importance of links, John Mueller, a Search Advocate at Google, fittingly remarked,
“Links are really important for us to find content initially. It’s like if nobody links to your website ever then we’re going to have a hard time recognizing that it even exists.”
This insight underscores the vital role that building a network of links through local citations plays in ensuring your business isn’t just recognized, but also deemed reputable by major search engines.
When you have quality links, you boost your site’s domain authority. If your site has a high domain authority, your site will rank highly on search engine results. When this happens, you will likely get more organic traffic to your site.
Search engines prefer sites with plenty of quality local links. These local links are signals that tell search engines that your website is legitimate. Placing your business information on these citation sites informs Google that your site can be trusted.
“Getting the like is easy. It’s a light action. Anything else requires trust.”
Jon Loomer
Local citation sites have their own audience. These users trust the authority of these websites so having your business listed on those sites is a great advantage. These sites provide more credibility to yours, creating user trust. Thus, your site’s traffic increases.
Securing local links through citations offers a strategic advantage over competitors, including those without a physical storefront. This strategy enhances your visibility for search queries performed by local customers, allowing your business to achieve higher rankings. Interestingly, the location associated with your domain registration can serve as your ‘physical’ location on local citation sites, whether it’s an office or your home address for those working remotely.
Furthermore, local citations contribute to your site’s ability to compete effectively for long-tail search terms. This not only boosts your presence in search engine results but expands your online visibility across the board, providing a broader platform for your business to be discovered.
Now that you know why you should invest in local citations, here are two quick and easy ways how to find relevant and quality sources for your business:
Look for sites that offer business listings. To make it more geographically-specific, make sure to add the city or state in your search query. It is also a good strategy to check where your competitors have listed themselves.
You will be able to come up with a list of sites that are relevant to your industry. In the 2016 Expert Citation Survey done by BrighLocal, the results of their studies show that industry relevance is the most important factor when selecting local citation sites.
Make sure to have your business listed on these sites as they can be a great source for quality business listing and link opportunities.
In conclusion, it does not matter if your business has a physical location. Even if you are an online-based business, you can still invest in local citations and reap the same benefits as businesses that do have a physical location. Local citations let you take advantage of improved online visibility and increased traffic.
Take advantage of the benefits of quality local citations through the bronze, silver, gold or diamond packages offered by Local SEO Search. Local SEO Search is the leading internet marketing company in Canada. Our team’s expertise in local SEO can provide you with an individualized SEO campaign that increases your rankings in organic search results. Contact us now to get a free quote.
