What a local citation records

A local citation is a reference that identifies a business in a local context. A directory entry may display name, address and phone in separate fields; a news story may identify the same shop in ordinary prose. Neither format automatically establishes a backlink. Inspect whether the page contains a hyperlink and where it actually points. In this guide, “structured” means a listing arranged in fields, not a test of schema markup or eligibility for a rich result.

Separate source information from ranking claims

Google says profile information can come from public pages, licensed sources and contributions. That does not show which particular directory influenced a profile. Its local-ranking guidance does not offer a paid route to a better position. The inventory here is our review method, not a Google score. Keep the question “is this a useful, accurate business mention?” separate from “did it change search performance?”

Compare four different cases

The fictional cases below share a declared comparison target, store-01. They deliberately avoid one combined quality score. A source can fit the service but describe the wrong branch; a useful local article can identify the shop without linking to it. An offer containing only a URL has not yet established either a mention or a link. Each case records what is known before deciding what to do.

  • A relevant directory listing: The example listing names the shop, shows its phone and points to the matching location page. Its stated area and service fit the business. Retain the dated evidence. Recheck when business details change; a matching entry is not proof of a ranking effect.
  • An unlinked local news mention: The fictional story clearly identifies the shop in its local context but has no hyperlink, street address or phone number. Record a mention, not a backlink. Missing contact fields in an article are not automatically errors; request a factual correction only when warranted.
  • A listing for the wrong branch: The listing is being compared with store-01, but the address and link lead to branch-02. Relevant subject matter does not resolve the identity conflict. Confirm which branch the source intends. Route an approved correction to the NAP register; do not merge the two locations.
  • An uninspected bulk-listing offer: Only a proposed source URL has been supplied. The page, contact fields, link and audience have not been inspected. Keep it out of verified mention and backlink totals. Inspect the exact page and relevance before accepting a paid submission or judging the source.

Build a source-level inventory

Use one row per observed page and business location. Preserve the source URL and observation date so a colleague can inspect the same evidence. If a directory has two pages for different branches, keep them separate until identity is resolved. Do not turn a missing phone number in prose into a factual contradiction. The template uses stable English column identifiers for imports, with their meanings explained below.

  • Record: Unique row identifier; separate evidence on separate pages.
  • Location: Stable business location being compared.
  • Source: Exact page URL, not a domain-level summary.
  • Source format: Field-based listing or prose mention; this is not a structured-data test.
  • Business name: Name actually shown on the source page.
  • Address: Address actually shown; absent in prose does not mean wrong.
  • Phone: Phone actually shown; preserve the original text.
  • Link destination: Observed hyperlink destination; empty is not an inferred homepage.
  • Link evidence: Linked, unlinked and unknown are different observations.
  • Identity match: Same location, different location or unresolved identity.
  • Geographic fit: Evidence that the audience or coverage serves the location.
  • Topic fit: Evidence that the source topic fits the actual service.
  • Observed: Date the page was inspected; leave empty if uninspected.
  • Decision: Chosen next step, not a quality score or ranking prediction.
  • Next action: Record the reason and unresolved work for the next reviewer.

Choose a useful next action

Start with an existing business website, owned profile or a known mention, then check the exact source page. Confirm local and service relevance with observable context rather than a directory’s promotional score. Keep an accurate relevant listing; retain an unlinked mention as such; move a confirmed factual discrepancy into the NAP correction workflow. A proposed submission remains a proposal until the actual public result is checked. Store any permission, payment or contact history separately from observed link evidence.

CSV uses a protective apostrophe before formula-like values, including the example phone numbers. Text imports may retain it. Use XLSX or JSON when you need the exact original value. Downloaded files remain on your device; reloading this page does not delete them.

Measure outcomes separately

Citation totals depend on your scope: unique pages, unique sources and unique business locations are not interchangeable counts. Record them separately and do not label an uninspected offer as completed work. A directory may provide referral value without a measurable ranking change; a large quantity does not establish usefulness. This page does not submit listings, fetch sources or create map placements. Downloads are working records, not a verified directory catalog. Recheck when the business moves or the source changes, and measure visits or enquiries using their own dates and definitions.