Local Citations vs Backlinks: What Should You Build First?

Local citations and backlinks both support local SEO, but they help your business in different ways. Knowing which to build first can make a difference in how well you compete in local search results.

If your competitors appear ahead of you on Google, your business listings may contain inconsistent information, or your website may lack links from relevant, trusted sites. Building more citations or backlinks without identifying the actual problem can waste time and money.

Here’s how to assess what your business needs and decide which to prioritize first.

What are Local Citations?

A local citation is an online mention of your business's name, address, and phone number (NAP). It can appear on business directories, review websites, social platforms, industry websites, or local news sites.

Maintaining NAP consistency helps ensure customers find accurate business information wherever they search.

For example, a dentist in Grand Rapids might have business listings on Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Bing Places. These citations help potential patients find the practice and confirm its contact details. Consistent, accurate information across these platforms can also support local SEO.

What Are Backlinks?

A backlink is a link from another website to yours. Search engines use links to discover pages, and relevant backlinks can help local businesses improve their visibility.

For example, a Grand Rapids newspaper covering a community renovation might link to a local roofing company involved in the project. Readers can visit the company's website to learn more about its services.

Focus on earning links from relevant websites, such as local news outlets, industry publications, suppliers, and business associations. Avoid bulk link packages that promise hundreds of backlinks from unrelated websites. Buying links to manipulate search rankings can violate Google's spam policies.

A thoughtful local link-building strategy can help you find relevant opportunities and build relationships with local organizations and complementary businesses.

Local Citations vs Backlinks: Which One Should You Focus on First?

Your priorities depend on your business's current SEO gaps. Here's how to decide what to focus on first.

Start with citations if your business information is inaccurate

If directories show an old address, incorrect phone number, or outdated website URL, correct those details first. Review your Google Business Profile and major directories, and resolve duplicate listings where necessary. Service-area businesses should also follow Google's rules for displaying business addresses.

Focus on backlinks if your citations are accurate

When your listings are correct, but competitors have stronger backlink profiles, look for relevant link opportunities. Connect with local publications, industry organizations, and community groups that may have a reason to feature your business.

Check your service pages, Google Business Profile, and target locations too, since backlinks aren't the only factor affecting local rankings.

What if your business is new?

Start by setting up your Google Business Profile if eligible, creating listings on relevant directories, and making your services and service area clear on your website. A local SEO checklist can help you cover the basics.

Once your online presence is established, build relationships with local organizations, suppliers, and complementary businesses to find backlink opportunities.

You can work on both at once, but prioritize accurate business information before investing heavily in link building.

How to Build Citations and Backlinks Without Wasting Money

You don't need to spend money on every SEO opportunity. Start by checking what your business already has, identify the gaps, and focus on building citations and backlinks that are relevant to your location and industry.

Step 1: Find and correct existing citations.

Search Google for your business name, phone number, and address to find existing listings. Correct inaccurate details, claim unverified profiles, and resolve duplicates where necessary. Keep your business information accurate and consistent across platforms.

Step 2: Build citations on relevant directories.

Add your business to reputable platforms such as Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, your local Chamber of Commerce, and relevant industry directories. Complete each profile and verify it where required. Before paying for a citation service, check which directories it covers and avoid packages that promise hundreds of listings without disclosing their sources.

Step 3: Audit your backlink profile.

Use Google Search Console or an SEO tool to review websites linking to yours. Compare your backlink profile with competitors and look for relevant links from trusted websites. Investigate potentially toxic backlinks, but don't assume every low-quality link is harmful or needs to be disavowed.

Step 4: Earn relevant backlinks.

Look for link opportunities with local publications, trade associations, suppliers, and community organizations. You could contribute expert insights, participate in community projects, or publish useful guides that other websites may reference. Contact relevant website owners with a personalized request, and avoid buying links to manipulate search rankings.

Step 5: Track results and adjust your efforts.

Monitor organic clicks, impressions, new backlinks, and customer enquiries. Google Search Console can track search performance, while Google Business Profile data can show how customers discover and interact with your listing.

Review your progress before spending more. Correct inaccurate citations first, then focus on earning relevant backlinks where your website needs them most. Prioritize quality over the number of listings or links you acquire.

Common Citation and Backlink Mistakes

1. Forgetting to update business details

Your business might have moved, changed its phone number, or updated its website, but old details can remain on directories for months. A customer who finds the wrong number may give up and contact a competitor. Check your main listings whenever your business information changes.

2. Creating multiple listings for the same business

It's easy to create a new listing without realizing one already exists. Before adding your business to another directory, search for its name and address. If you find duplicate listings, follow the platform's instructions to resolve them.

3. Paying for backlinks just to increase the number

Getting 100 new backlinks might look good in a report, but where those links come from matters more than the total. Links from unrelated websites aren't necessarily useful, and paid links intended to manipulate Google rankings can violate its spam policies. Look for genuine opportunities to earn links from local publications, industry websites, and organizations connected to your business.

4. Expecting citations and backlinks to fix everything

Your listings might be accurate, and other websites might link to yours, but your rankings can still struggle. Check your website, too. Are your services explained clearly? Can visitors find your contact details? Does each important service have a useful page of its own? Those issues deserve attention alongside citation and backlink building.

The Right First Step Is the One Your Business Is Missing

Local citations and backlinks aren't competing strategies. They support different parts of your online presence, and a strong local SEO plan may need both.

If your business information is inaccurate or your important listings are incomplete, fix those issues first. If your citations are already in good shape and your competitors have stronger, relevant backlink profiles, invest in earning quality links instead.

The important thing is to identify the actual gap before spending more money.

Not sure whether to prioritize citations or backlinks? Talk to us about your local SEO goals and find out where your efforts could make the biggest difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are local citations more important than backlinks?

Neither is universally more important. Citations help establish your business information across the web, while backlinks can support website discovery and authority. Your priorities should depend on the weaknesses in your current local SEO strategy.

How many local citations does a business need?

There is no fixed number that guarantees better rankings. Focus on accurate information across important general directories, relevant industry platforms, and credible local organizations rather than chasing a specific total.

Do directory listings count as backlinks?

A directory listing counts as a backlink when it includes a link to your website. It can also serve as a local citation if it mentions your business information. However, not all directory links carry the same SEO value, and some use link attributes that affect how search engines treat them.

Can backlinks improve Google Maps rankings?

Relevant backlinks may support local visibility by contributing to your website's prominence. However, Google Maps rankings also depend on relevance and distance, so backlinks alone won't guarantee a higher position.

Are citations still a ranking factor for local SEO?

Yes, local citations can support local SEO, but Google does not publish a specific citation count or ranking weight. Its stated local ranking factors are relevance, distance, and prominence. Focus on accurate business information and relevant directories rather than building as many citations as possible.

How many local backlinks do I need to rank in the map pack?

No fixed number of backlinks guarantees a place in Google's local map pack. Rankings depend on several factors, including relevance, distance, and prominence. Compare your backlink profile with competitors that rank for your target searches, then look for relevant link-building opportunities.

What are the best sources for local backlinks?

There is no single best source for every business. Useful opportunities include local newspapers, industry publications, professional associations, Chambers of Commerce, suppliers, community organizations, and local event websites. Prioritize relevant websites with a genuine reason to mention your business, and avoid buying links to manipulate rankings.

Can bad citations hurt my local rankings?

Yes, inaccurate citations can cause problems, particularly when they show customers outdated contact details or conflicting business information. However, not every inconsistency causes a direct ranking penalty. Correct outdated addresses, phone numbers, and website URLs, and resolve duplicate listings where necessary.

Do social media profiles count as citations or backlinks?

Yes, they can count as either. A social media profile that mentions your business name, address, or phone number can serve as a citation. A link from that profile to your website is technically a backlink. However, social profile links are not necessarily equivalent to editorial links from relevant websites, so treat social profiles as a way to improve discoverability rather than your main link-building strategy.