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What is the citation in SEO?

A citation is an online reference to your business's name, address and phone number. Like links to your website, Google uses them when evaluating the online authority of your business. Unlike links though, citations don't need to be linked to your business's website in order for you to be credited for them

In simple words citation can be explained as NAP of your business. NAP stands for Name, Address and Phone Number of your business. It's important that you maintain the same NAP of your website, wherever you are adding them. Consistency in NAP also helps to improve the local listing of the website.

nikilkumar wrote:Unlike links though, citations don't need to be linked to your business's website in order for you to be credited for them

You're right that local citations don't need to be linked to your site but getting a link from these is plus point for SEO process.

Local Business Directory Listing is best Off-page SEO techniques to increase your online presence in local areas.

Citations are also known as business listing in SEO field..

citation is an online reference to your business's name, address and phone number (NAP). Like links to your website, Google uses them when evaluating the online authority of your business.

List your business on various business listing sites is called Citation.

SEO citations are any place online where your business' name, address and phone number (NAP) is listed. One of the reasons citation sites are so great for local SEO is because the search engines, like Google and Bing, trust the quality citation sites – which can help you get shown higher in the search engines.

In simple terms, a citation is a mention of your business name on another website. Citations may include a link to your website but that is in no way essential. Surprisingly, given the confusion, that is pretty much all there is to it.

Citations are an important part of the search algorithm and are used by the search engines to help determine where to rank your site amongst the competition. In simple terms, for small and local businesses if you have more citations than the other man then you will likely be returned above them in the search engine result pages.