Stage 1 — Website

# Your Business Is Listed Across the Web — But Is It Consistent?

Every time your business name, address, or phone number appears differently on a different website, Google loses a little more confidence in your listing — and your rankings quietly drop. We find every inconsistency, fix it, and build a citation foundation that tells Google exactly who you are and where you are.

Get My Free Citation Audit See What's Included
50+
directories audited and managed for every client
13%
of local ranking is influenced directly by citation signals
68%
of businesses have at least one incorrect citation online right now
Citation Audit — Sample Findings
⚠ Yellow Pages Wrong phone number
⚠ Yelp Old address listed
⚠ Bing Places Business name mismatch
⚠ Apple Maps Not claimed or verified
✓ Google Business Profile Consistent & optimized
Citation cleanup in progress
🔍
50+
Directories checked per audit
⚠️
avg 11
Errors found per new client
✅
30 days
Average cleanup timeframe
📈
Top 3
Maps ranking after NAP fix

Why It Matters

## Google Is Cross-Checking Your Business Information Right Now. Is It Passing the Test?

When Google decides which businesses to show at the top of local search results, it doesn't just look at your Google Business Profile in isolation. It cross-references your business information across dozens of external websites and directories to verify that what you're telling it is true.

If your business is listed as "Dave's Plumbing" on Google but "Dave's Plumbing Services" on Yelp, and your old address still shows up on Yellow Pages from when you moved three years ago, and your phone number has two different formats across six directories — Google sees a business it can't fully trust. And businesses Google doesn't trust don't rank at the top of Google Maps.

This is one of the most commonly overlooked problems for local businesses across Southwestern Ontario. Most business owners have never audited their citations — they set up a few profiles years ago and never went back. Meanwhile, data aggregators have been scraping and republishing incorrect information across hundreds of sites without anyone knowing.

The fix isn't complicated — but it is time-consuming. That's exactly why we do it for you. A clean, consistent citation profile is one of the highest-ROI local SEO fixes available, because it removes a active suppression on your rankings rather than just adding a new signal.

68%
of local businesses have at least one inaccurate citation online
13%
of local ranking factors are directly tied to citation signals
73%
of consumers lose trust in a brand when online listings show incorrect info
2×
more likely to rank in the local pack with consistent citations vs. inconsistent ones

What's Included

## Everything in a Full Citation Audit, Cleanup & Build

A complete done-for-you process — from finding every incorrect listing to building new high-authority citations that strengthen your local search presence across Southwestern Ontario.

🔎
Full Citation Audit

We scan 50+ directories and data aggregators to find every place your business is mentioned online — and flag every instance where your name, address, or phone number is wrong, outdated, or inconsistent. You'll see a complete picture of where you stand before we touch anything.

🛠️
NAP Cleanup & Correction

Once we know what's wrong, we fix it. Every incorrect or inconsistent citation gets updated to match your exact, canonical business information — the same name, address format, and phone number across every single platform. This removes the conflicting signals that suppress your Google rankings.

🏗️
New Citation Building

Beyond fixing what exists, we build new listings on high-authority directories your business isn't on yet. Each new citation adds another data point confirming your business's legitimacy and location — strengthening the trust signals Google uses to determine local rankings.

🗂️
Industry-Specific Directories

General directories matter, but so do the platforms specific to your industry. We identify and build citations on the directories most relevant to your business type — HomeStars for contractors, RateMDs for healthcare, OpenTable for restaurants, and dozens of other niche platforms that carry real authority in your sector.

🍎
Apple Maps & Bing Places

Google isn't the only map platform your customers use. We claim, verify, and optimize your listings on Apple Maps and Bing Places — ensuring your business shows up accurately across all major mapping platforms, not just Google. Both are widely underutilized by local competitors.

🔁
Data Aggregator Submissions

Much of the incorrect information that appears on third-party sites originates from a handful of major data aggregators that feed dozens of directories at once. We submit your correct information directly to these aggregators — stopping incorrect data from resurfacing across the web.

📍
Canadian & Ontario-Specific Listings

Many citation services focus purely on American directories and miss the Canadian platforms that matter most to SW Ontario businesses. We make sure you're accurately listed on Canada411, YellowPages.ca, Canpages, 411.ca, and other Canadian-specific directories that local customers and Google actually reference.

🔒
Listing Claim & Verification

Unclaimed listings are vulnerable — anyone can suggest edits, and data aggregators can overwrite them with incorrect information. We claim and verify your listings wherever possible, locking down your business information and giving you control over what appears.

📊
Monthly Citation Monitoring

Citation cleanup isn't a one-time job. Data aggregators periodically re-inject incorrect information from old sources. We monitor your key citations monthly and correct any regressions before they have a chance to affect your rankings.

How It Works

## From Inconsistent Listings to a Clean Citation Foundation — Here's the Process

Methodical, thorough, and entirely done for you. Here's exactly what happens once we start your citation project.

1
Citation Audit & Error Report (Week 1)

We run a comprehensive scan of your business across 50+ directories, data aggregators, and map platforms. Every instance of your business is catalogued — correct, incorrect, missing, or duplicate. You receive a clear report showing exactly what we found and what needs to be fixed. Most businesses are surprised by how many errors exist that they never knew about.

2
Canonical NAP Confirmation (Week 1)

Before we change anything, we confirm your exact canonical business information with you — the precise name, address format, and phone number that will be used consistently across every platform. Getting this right before cleanup begins is critical. A business that moves or rebrands mid-process can undo months of citation work in days.

3
Cleanup, Correction & New Builds (Weeks 2–4)

We work through every platform systematically — correcting existing citations, removing duplicates, claiming unclaimed listings, submitting to data aggregators, and building new citations on any high-authority directories your business isn't on yet. This phase typically takes 3 to 4 weeks because many platforms have manual review and verification processes.

4
Ongoing Monitoring & Maintenance

Once your citations are clean, we monitor them monthly for any changes or regressions — particularly from data aggregators that periodically overwrite correct information with old data. You receive monthly confirmation that your citation profile remains consistent. Most clients see Google Maps ranking improvements within 30 to 60 days of a clean citation foundation being established.

Coverage

## The Directories & Platforms We Audit and Manage

These are the key platforms where your business information needs to be accurate, consistent, and fully optimized — particularly for businesses serving customers across Southwestern Ontario.

Core Platforms
✓ Google Business Profile ✓ Apple Maps ✓ Bing Places ✓ Facebook ✓ Waze
Canadian Directories
✓ YellowPages.ca ✓ Canada411 ✓ Canpages ✓ 411.ca ✓ LocalPage.ca
General Directories
✓ Yelp ✓ Foursquare ✓ Hotfrog ✓ Manta ✓ Cylex
Industry Platforms
✓ HomeStars ✓ RateMDs ✓ TripAdvisor ✓ Zomato ✓ + more by industry
Plus data aggregators: Neustar Localeze, Data Axle, Foursquare, & TransUnion TLO — the upstream sources that feed dozens of directories automatically.

Built for SW Ontario

## Most Citation Services Ignore Canadian Directories. We Don't.

The majority of citation-building services are built for the US market. They'll get you listed on Angi, Thumbtack, and a dozen American directories — but they'll miss the Canadian platforms that actually matter for a business serving customers in London, Windsor, Stratford, or Guelph.

We understand the SW Ontario market. We know which directories local customers actually use, which platforms Google weights most heavily for Canadian businesses, and which industry-specific sites carry the most authority in this region. Every citation strategy we build is designed specifically for your market — not copy-pasted from a US playbook.

We also pay attention to the smaller details that national services miss: local chamber of commerce listings, regional business associations, municipality business directories, and SW Ontario-specific community platforms that add genuine local relevance to your citation profile.

📍 London 📍 Windsor 📍 Kitchener 📍 Cambridge 📍 Guelph 📍 Waterloo 📍 Brantford 📍 Sarnia 📍 Chatham-Kent 📍 Woodstock 📍 Stratford 📍 St. Thomas 📍 Owen Sound 📍 Tillsonburg 📍 Simcoe 📍 Leamington 📍 Amherstburg 📍 LaSalle 📍 Lakeshore 📍 Tecumseh 📍 Ingersoll 📍 Aylmer 📍 Strathroy 📍 Exeter 📍 Clinton 📍 Seaforth 📍 Goderich 📍 Wingham 📍 Listowel 📍 Mitchell 📍 St. Marys 📍 Palmerston 📍 Hanover 📍 Kincardine 📍 Walkerton 📍 Meaford 📍 Collingwood 📍 Orangeville 📍 Fergus 📍 Elora 📍 Shelburne 📍 Grand Bend 📍 Forest 📍 Petrolia 📍 Wallaceburg 📍 Blenheim 📍 Ridgetown 📍 Dresden 📍 Bothwell 📍 St. Catharines 📍 Niagara Falls 📍 Welland 📍 Port Colborne 📍 Thorold 📍 Grimsby 📍 Lincoln 📍 Pelham 📍 Fort Erie
Citation impact on local ranking factors
Google Business Profile signals
36%
Review signals
17%
Citation / NAP signals
13%
On-page SEO signals
11%
Link signals
11%
Behavioural signals
10%
Personalisation
6%
Source: Local Search Ranking Factors (Whitespark / Moz)

Common Questions

## Frequently Asked Questions

A citation is any online listing of your business name, address, and phone number. Google cross-references this information across dozens of directories to verify your business is legitimate. Consistent, accurate citations directly improve your local search rankings.
The one-time $100 citation setup fee covers a full audit of your existing citations, cleanup of inconsistencies, and submission to all relevant directories. Ongoing monthly maintenance — keeping citations accurate as your business information changes — is included in the Stage 2 GBP Growth Pack at $150/month.
For most SW Ontario small businesses, 40 to 60 clean, consistent citations across quality directories provides a meaningful local ranking boost. Quality matters more than quantity.
Citation changes typically take 60 to 90 days to fully register in Google's ranking algorithm as directories get re-crawled. It is one of the slower-moving pieces of local SEO but one of the most durable improvements you can make.
Yes. Ongoing citation maintenance is included in the Stage 2 GBP Growth Pack at $150/month. The initial $100 citation setup is a one-time fee on top of the monthly rate.

Free — No Obligation

## Find Out How Many Citation Errors Are Hurting Your Rankings Right Now

In 20 minutes, Dave will run a live citation audit for your business, show you every directory where your information is wrong or missing, and explain exactly what it would take to clean it up — whether you hire us or not.

Live citation scan during the call
No credit card required
20-minute call with Dave
SW Ontario businesses only
Book My Free Citation Audit