Google Map Citations: What They Are and How to Get Them for Your Business

Google Maps has become an essential tool for advertising law firms and businesses to attract local customers. By listing your business on Google Maps, you can increase visibility and credibility, and generate more traffic and sales. One of the key elements of optimizing your Google Maps presence is through the use of Google Map citations.

A Google Map citation is a listing of your business in a directory that includes your business name, address, and phone number (commonly referred to as NAP). It helps Google to verify the existence and location of your business, and provides additional information for potential customers. The consistency and accuracy of your NAP across all directories is crucial to building trust with Google and ranking higher in search results.

There are many ways to obtain Google Map citations for your business. The most popular directories include Yellowpages.com, Yelp, and Angie’s List, but there are many others that are industry-specific or city-specific. It is important to focus on high-quality directories to ensure that your business is perceived as legitimate and trustworthy by Google. Additionally, a digital marketing specialist can help in obtaining Google Map citations for a business by implementing local SEO strategies. At BSPE Legal Marketing, our team can conduct keyword research and optimize the business’s Google My Business profile with relevant keywords, ensuring that the business appears in search results for relevant queries.

One of the best sources for building high-quality Google Map citations is Bright Local. While there are less expensive options available, Bright Local provides the highest quality citations and offers the ability to easily update information if necessary. By submitting your business to Bright Local and other directories such as Apple, Google, Facebook, Bing, Yelp, Yahoo, and Foursquare, you can increase the visibility of your business and establish a consistent NAP across the internet.

Data aggregators such as Neustar, Data Axle, and Foursquare are also important for building and maintaining your Google Maps presence. These services allow multiple websites to access and share your business information with Google, which can help to improve your ranking and visibility.

It is important to note that inconsistencies in your NAP across directories can be detrimental to your Google Maps presence. Inconsistent information can confuse both Google and potential customers, and may result in lower rankings and fewer customers. In the event of inconsistent information, it may be necessary to use a citation cleanup service, although this can be expensive.

In conclusion, Google Map citations are an essential component of optimizing your business’s presence on Google Maps. By ensuring consistent and accurate NAP information across directories, you can increase visibility and credibility, and generate more traffic and sales. Using high-quality directories such as Bright Local, as well as data aggregators, can help to establish your business as legitimate and trustworthy in the eyes of Google.