Link Building

    Citation

    Quick definition

    A citation is a mention of your business name, address, or phone number (NAP) on a third-party site, often without a hyperlink — important primarily for local SEO.

    Citations are foundational for local SEO. Search engines use consistent NAP information across Yelp, Apple Maps, BBB, industry directories, and Google Business Profile to verify a business's legitimacy.

    Why Citation matters

    For SaaS companies with no physical storefront, traditional NAP citations matter less, but brand citations across review sites (G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, Product Hunt) play a similar role.

    How Citation works in practice

    Audit your citations periodically for accuracy. Inconsistent NAP or stale entries hurt local rankings and erode trust signals search engines weight heavily.

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    Related terms

    Pillow Links
    Pillow links are low-risk, brand-only backlinks (social profiles, business directories, brand mentions) used to make a backlink profile look more natural.
    Brand Mention
    A brand mention is any reference to your brand name on the web, with or without a hyperlink.
    Unlinked Mention
    An unlinked mention is a reference to your brand on a third-party page that does not include a hyperlink back to your site.
    Citation Flow
    Citation Flow is Majestic's 0–100 metric measuring the quantity of backlinks pointing at a site, regardless of their quality.
    Foundational Links
    Foundational links are baseline, easy-to-acquire backlinks (business directories, social profiles, citations) that make a brand's link profile look natural.
    Co-Citation
    Co-citation occurs when two websites are mentioned together by a third site, even without a direct hyperlink between them.

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