Local citation (NAP)
Updated June 22, 2026 · Reviewed by the Quratic editorial team
Definition
A local citation is an online mention of a business's name, address, and phone number (NAP) — on directories, maps, review sites, and local listings. Consistent NAP builds local search visibility and reinforces brand entity signals for geo-targeted queries and AI answers with local intent.
Footprint in the real world
Local citations aggregate on Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, Yelp-class sites, industry directories, and regional platforms (Hong Kong OpenRice-adjacent categories, Japan Tabelog for F&B, etc.). Consistency matters: identical legal name, address format, and phone across listings. Conflicting NAP splits brand entity signals and confuses entity disambiguation.
How local citations differ from backlinks
Citations need not include a link — the mention of NAP alone contributes to local relevance. Many directory links are nofollow. For GEO, local listicles and map-pack sources enter retrieval for “near me” and city-modified prompts even when link equity is zero.
In Asian markets
Address formats, building names, and phone country codes vary — romanization of Japanese addresses causes duplicate listings. Audit GB profiles and top regional directories per country in Quratic’s nine markets before scaling digital PR. Pair with international SEO for service-area businesses without physical stores in every city.
Example
A fintech with Singapore HQ standardizes NAP across Google Business Profile, local registries, and three industry directories. Local pack visibility improves; AI answers for “payment API provider Singapore” begin naming the brand with address corroboration from multiple sources.