Local Citations Building in Marietta, GA
Anytime your business name, address, and phone number show up somewhere online. Yelp, BBB, Apple Maps, some random directory you've never heard of. They all count. Google looks at all of these to figure out if your business is legit. It's basically a background check. And if you fail it, you're not getting into the map pack.
The Shift
People Are Skipping Google
I'm seeing it more and more. People are opening ChatGPT or Perplexity and just asking "who is a good roofer in Marietta?" instead of typing it into Google. That's a real shift. And those AI tools have to get their answers from somewhere.
They pull from the same places Google does. Directory listings. Business profiles. Website content. If your business shows up across 50 different sources all saying the same thing, these AI tools can confidently recommend you.
If your info is messy or you're barely listed anywhere, they skip right over you. They don't guess. They just move on to a business they can verify.
This is happening right now. Not in five years. Right now. And most businesses have no idea.
Where AI Gets Its Answers
"I can confidently recommend Smith Roofing."
"I cannot verify this business. Skipping."
Easy Directories
Fill out a form, listed in five minutes. Fine to have but they don't carry much weight.
Verified Directories
Bing Places, Apple Maps. They make you prove you're real. Postcards, confirmation codes, the works. That's exactly why Google values them so much.
I manage all of it. Every platform, every verification step. You don't have to sit there waiting for postcards and confirmation codes.
What We Do
I List You on 50+ Directories
We don't just put you on a few free directories and move on. I build out citations on 50 or more platforms. And I go after the ones that actually matter.
Some directories are easy. You fill out a form, and you're listed in five minutes. Those are fine but they don't carry much weight.
The listings that really move the needle are the ones that make you prove you're real. Bing Places and Apple Maps are great examples. They require actual verification. You have to jump through hoops to get listed.
That's exactly why Google values them so much. If you went through a real verification process, you're probably a real business. That trust signal is worth way more than some directory that lets anyone submit anything with no checks.
The Whole Game
NAP Consistency Is the Whole Game
NAP is your name, address, and phone number. And it has to be exactly the same on every single listing. Not close. Not basically the same. Identical.
Most businesses don't realize how small the differences can be that cause problems.
I go through everything and make it match. Down to the punctuation. Down to whether it says "Street" or "St." It sounds like overkill, but this is the stuff that actually is effective.
Phone Number Format
You and I see the same number. Google and AI tools see two different strings of text and start wondering if these are even the same business.
Business Name Variations
That's three different entities as far as a search engine is concerned. It doesn't know which one is right, so it doesn't fully trust any of them.
With AI It's Even Worse
These AI models get confused by the smallest inconsistencies. If Perplexity is trying to recommend a roofer and it finds three slightly different versions of your business name across the web, it's not going to sort that out for you. It's going to recommend the business whose info is clean.
Fix First, Build Second
Cleaning Up Old Listings Matters More Than Building New Ones
Here's something I've learned the hard way. A lot of businesses that have been around for a few years have old listings all over the internet with wrong info. A phone number from before they switched providers. An address from their old office. The business name spelled wrong on some directory from 2015.
Every one of those bad listings is actively working against you. It's sending conflicting signals to Google and AI about who you are. Fixing those is always more useful than adding a bunch more listings.
I use a special tool to run the audit. It shows me everywhere a business is listed and flags every inconsistency. Then we go through and fix them one by one. Correct the ones we can, remove the ones we can't, and make sure everything lines up.
Not All Equal
Chambers of Commerce Are Underrated
Not all citations carry the same weight. A listing on a random directory nobody visits isn't going to do much for you. But a listing on your local Chamber of Commerce is a different story.
I've even gone so far as to have a client join every chamber within a 50 mile radius, and I watched it do wonders for their rankings.
Chamber listings are geo-verified. Google knows where these organizations are. When your business shows up as a member, that's a strong signal that you're a real, local business. That trust signal carries way more weight than dozens of random directories put together.
Service Area
Citation Building for Metro Atlanta Businesses
We build citations for businesses throughout Cobb County and the greater Atlanta metro area. Local citations matter for local SEO. Having your business listed on local directories and associations reinforces where you operate.
We also know which local directories carry the most weight in this area. That knowledge comes from doing this work here, not from reading a generic guide online.
FAQ
Questions About Citations
What exactly is a citation?
Any mention of your business name, address, and phone number online. Yelp, Apple Maps, BBB, your local Chamber of Commerce, some random directory you've never heard of. They all count. Google and AI tools check all of these to decide if your business is legit.
How many citations do I need?
I build out 50 or more for every client. But it's not just about the number. The ones that require verification, like Bing Places and Apple Maps, carry way more weight than directories that let anyone submit anything. Quality and consistency matter more than volume.
Why does NAP consistency matter so much?
Your name, address, and phone number have to be identical everywhere. Not close. Identical. Google and AI tools see '123-456-7890' and '(123) 456-7890' as two different strings of text. 'Smith Roofing' and 'Smith Roofing LLC' look like two different businesses. These small differences create doubt.
Should I fix old listings or build new ones first?
Fix first. Always. Old listings with wrong phone numbers, old addresses, or misspelled business names are actively working against you. Every bad listing sends conflicting signals to Google. Fixing those is always more useful than adding more.
Do citations help with AI search too?
Yes. ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI tools pull from the same sources Google does. If your business shows up across 50 sources all saying the same thing, AI can confidently recommend you. If your info is messy, it skips you and recommends someone it can verify.
Ready to Get Your Info Right Everywhere?
Consistent citations are the foundation. For Google and for the AI tools people are already using instead. Let's clean up the mess and build the presence that gets you recommended.
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