Digital Marketeers Are Hurting Their Clients With Local Citations; Some Just Don't Care

Digital Marketeers Are Hurting Their Clients With Local Citations; Some Just Don't Care

Mount Pleasant, SC — Marketers are adding their clients to directories. Many of these directories are designed to provide businesses with industry exposure. But marketers across the globe are fouling up or disrupting various directory platforms. By listing businesses in the wrong directory to get local citations. What is a local Citation? A local citation is any online mention of the name, address, and phone number of a local business.

Local citations can appear on various platforms, such as search engines, directories, apps, social media, and blogs. Local citations help Internet users discover local businesses and can also impact local search engine rankings. Local citations should be accurate, consistent, and relevant to boost the local presence of a business, according to MOZ. 

Local citations have become critical to Google rendering accurate search results. Websites with little or no local citations will be bested on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). Websites that have a better digital footprint will replace those with few or no local citations. So why are marketers storming free directories? Because they want to get name, address, and phone (NAP) recognition for businesses to help boost their internet reach.

Are Free Directories Free?

The short answer is no. For example, Reach Local Lawyers (RLL) a free lawyer directory provides users with the opportunity to search for lawyers across the USA. A user simply selects the city and state where they want the lawyer to be located. They can also search by practice area. There is no fee for the user. 

The user is not charged at all for the introduction or connection to the attorney. In fact, most of the lawyers will provide a free, no charge consultation. In many cases, like personal injury or being hurt on the job (Workers Compensation Claims) if the attorney takes your case, they may do so on a contingency basis. The contingency fee is payable after the case is won or settled. Usually, if the case is lost, the plaintiff (person suing) has to pay nothing.

Lawyers pay to be listed in the directory, and prospective clients can call, email, or even chat with the attorney right from the platform.

What happens when a business outside of the directory’s intended industry?

What can happen is that, say, a painter is listed on a lawyer directory like RLL; what does that hurt? If a directory user were searching for a lawyer and the results served up a painter most likely the user will be discouraged and leave.  

Conversely if somebody’s on a website looking for painters and it serves up lawyers that person is most likely to go elsewhere and leave that directory.  

Being in the wrong directory can foul up that directory’s automation. 

Automation is the backbone behind most directory websites.  If a user is looking for a personal injury attorney and he finds one that he or she likes; the user can email directly from the system.  Many marketers will use fake email addresses to get the citation into the system for the client.  The Marketers goal is to get a backlink for their client. 

And they do that by adding the web address of the lawyer.  But by using the fake email address they’d actually made it difficult for someone that found that attorney to contact that attorney without them doing extra steps. Generally, the user will leave this website not trusting the date that it provides or doesn’t bother with extra steps. 

Using Google analytics and search console allows you to see where a user entered the website and where they abandoned or converted on the website.

Marketers need to be considerate of directory businesses and their websites.

8 Do’s and Don’ts of using directories as a place for local citations

Make sure that directories continue to be a good source for local citations.  Search for directories that provide a solid backlink and NAP promotion.  Stay away from sites that appear spammy and have the potential to cause your rankings harm.  Being backlinked to a spammy site can cause google to penalize your website.  Here are some do’s and don’ts for marketers:

DO

-  Use directories where NAP and backlinks are generated

-     -  Use search directories like VieSearch which provides a high DR backlink

-     -  Use the DMCA which provides an excellent service, NAP promotion and a strong backlink

-     -  If your client is a law firm or lawyer use RLL and get another strong backlink

Don’ts

-  Do not use websites or directories that appear to be spammy or have no purpose

-     -  Do not place your client in an industry specific directory unless that client fits the industry

-     - Do not use fake emails when registering on a directory or with a site

-     - Do not add a comment hoping to get a backlink.  Most sites prevent this from happening.

This piece was created by Mike Bannan, owner of Reach Local Lawyers a free lawyer directory.