What is Citation Cleanup?
TL;DR
The process of finding and fixing incorrect business information across the web. Old addresses, wrong phone numbers, and business name variations hurt NAP Consistency and Local SEO. Citation cleanup involves auditing listings, claiming unclaimed profiles, and updating or removing incorrect information.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Citation Cleanup
How do I find incorrect citations?
Search your business name, old addresses, and phone number variations. Use citation audit tools like BrightLocal or Moz Local. Check data aggregators where incorrect info often originates. Old business info has a way of persisting across the web.
How do I fix incorrect citations?
Claim the listing if you can and update directly. For sites you can't edit, contact them with correction requests. Fix data at aggregator sources since they feed downstream sites. It's tedious but necessary for NAP consistency.
How often should I audit citations?
Annually at minimum. After any address or phone number change, do a thorough audit. If you've moved locations or changed names, expect months of cleanup work to correct scattered incorrect information.
Terms Related to Citation Cleanup
Data Aggregators
Companies that collect and distribute business data to hundreds of directories. The major aggregators (Data Axle, Locale...
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