If you've been in local SEO for more than five minutes, you've heard the mantra: "NAP consistency is crucial." Name, Address, Phone number—keep them identical across every directory, or Google will penalize you.
This advice isn't wrong, exactly. It's just wildly overstated—and it leads businesses to spend hours chasing perfect consistency across directories that don't matter while ignoring factors that do.
Let me explain what 25 years of local search has taught me about citations.
Where the Myth Came From
In the early days of local search (2005-2012), citation volume and consistency were major ranking factors. Google was still figuring out how to verify local business information, and cross-referencing directory data was a primary signal.
The SEO industry built an entire service category around it. "Citation building" became standard practice. Tools emerged to audit NAP consistency across hundreds of directories. Businesses were told that minor variations—"Street" vs "St."—could tank their rankings.
Some of this was true. In 2010.
What's Changed
Google has gotten dramatically better at understanding entity data. It can now:
- Recognize that "123 Main Street" and "123 Main St." are the same address
- Identify your business across sources even with variations
- Weight different data sources based on their reliability
- Use signals far beyond directory listings to verify business information
The result: citation consistency has moved from a top-tier ranking factor to a minor one. It still matters, but not nearly as much as the industry suggests.
I've seen businesses rank #1 in competitive local markets with messy citations across minor directories. I've seen businesses with perfect citations struggle because they ignored factors that actually matter. Citation cleanup is rarely the difference-maker.
What Actually Matters
Here's where to actually focus your citation-related efforts:
1. Google Business Profile Accuracy (Critical)
Your GBP is the source of truth. If your information is wrong there, nothing else matters. This is the one place where accuracy is genuinely critical.
2. Major Data Aggregators (Important)
A handful of data aggregators feed information to hundreds of smaller directories. Get these right, and many others fix themselves:
- Data Axle (formerly Infogroup)
- Localeze/Neustar
- Factual
- Foursquare
3. Industry-Specific Directories (Moderate)
Directories specific to your industry often carry more weight than generic ones. A lawyer should care more about Avvo than Yellow Pages.
4. Major Platforms (Moderate)
Yelp, Facebook, Apple Maps, Bing Places—these have enough direct user traffic and Google trust to matter.
5. Everything Else (Minimal)
The long tail of directories—those "500 citation" packages—provide minimal value in 2026. Google doesn't weight them heavily, and users don't find you there.
The Priority Matrix
| Source | Priority | Time Investment |
|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile | Critical | Whatever it takes |
| Data Aggregators (4 main) | High | 2-3 hours one-time |
| Major Platforms (5-6) | Medium | 1-2 hours one-time |
| Industry Directories | Medium | Varies by industry |
| Generic Directories (100+) | Low | Don't bother |
When Citation Cleanup Makes Sense
There are situations where citation work is worthwhile:
- You moved or changed your phone number. Update the major sources.
- You have duplicate listings confusing Google about which is real.
- Your GBP keeps getting incorrect information and you need to find the source.
- You're a new business establishing initial presence on major platforms.
Outside of these scenarios, time spent on citation cleanup is usually time better spent elsewhere.
Where to Spend That Time Instead
If you've been planning to invest 10 hours in citation cleanup, here's how to spend it more effectively:
- Review generation and response (higher ranking impact)
- Google Business Profile optimization (posts, photos, Q&A)
- Website local content (service area pages, local blog content)
- Getting real local links (Chamber of Commerce, local news, sponsors)
Each of these will move the needle more than perfecting your Superpages listing.
The Bottom Line
Citation consistency is real but minor. The local SEO industry oversells it because citation services are easy to productize and sell. The actual ranking impact in 2026 is modest.
Fix your GBP. Update the major aggregators. Claim your profiles on platforms people actually use. Then move on to things that matter more.
Don't let the pursuit of perfect citations distract you from the fundamentals that actually drive local visibility.