Citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number across the web (like on Yelp or Yellow Pages).

They provide a vital foundation for your rankings because they prove to Google that your business is real and trustworthy. When combined with a strong Google Business Profile, they’re one of the most effective ways to build a solid local presence.

Think of manual citations as owning your footprint rather than renting it.

They’re permanent: Unlike automated tools that can revert your data if you stop paying, manual citations are built directly into a site’s database. They are yours to keep forever.

They build more trust: Google loves consistency. A human touch ensures your details (Name, Address, Phone) are 100% accurate across every directory, which is a major ranking signal.

Niche authority: Automated tools only talk to the big sites. Manual building lets you reach the hyper-local and industry-specific directories that prove to Google you’re a specialist in your field.

Rich data: We can go beyond just a phone number, adding photos, unique descriptions, and specific categories that automated bots often miss.

The bottom line: Automated syncing is great for speed, but manual citations build the permanent, high-trust foundation you need to outrank the competition for the long haul.

You certainly can! Here’s some info on how. But be warned: it is incredibly time-consuming to create accounts and manually type in data for 50+ sites. We handle the boring stuff for you accurately and quickly, so you can get back to running your business.

Of course, if you do want to do this yourself, here’s a list of top citation sites to help you.

We do things differently because we believe you should own your online presence, not rent it. Aside from our Data Aggregator Network, every listing we create is handled by our in-house team of 80+ experts. They manually submit over 100,000 citations every month, ensuring every detail is perfect.

Here is how we put you first:

No “hostage” fees: Unlike other services, we don’t charge high annual fees just to keep your listings alive. You own every listing we build, and we even give you the usernames and passwords for them.

Total control: We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all. You choose exactly where you want to be listed, and we help you find the niche, industry-specific sites that actually matter for your business.

A fresh start: We don’t just add new info; we clean up the old stuff. Our team hunts down duplicates and fixes inaccuracies so your data is crystal clear.

Transparent pricing: You pay for the work we do, not a never-ending subscription.

Want to see how we stack up against the competition? Read our full comparison here.

You have total control. You can choose from over 1,000+ high-authority sites, including the power players like Google Business Profile, Bing, Apple Maps, and Yelp, which we highly recommend you include.

Citation Builder even sorts these by Domain Authority, helping you prioritize the sites that provide the biggest SEO boost. It also highlights any existing citations that need updating.

Because our team manually submits your info to ensure it’s perfect, this typically takes 7 to 14 days.

Once submitted, some smaller directories or niche sites may take a few extra days (or even weeks) to review and index your listing. To learn more about how a Citation Campaign is delivered, visit our Help Center.

Manual Submissions: Our team physically goes to a site (like Yelp), creates an account, and enters your data. This is precise and gives you 100% ownership.

Data Aggregators: These are massive databases (like Data Axle and Neustar) that broadcast your info to thousands of smaller directories, GPS apps, and maps simultaneously.

We recommend a hybrid approach: Manual for the top-tier sites, and Aggregators for maximum reach.
If you want to learn more, check out our article, Manual vs. Aggregator Submissions: What’s the Best Approach?

Over time, old or incorrect listings for your business can crop up, which confuses Google and frustrates customers. Unlike automated tools that often ignore these, our team identifies and fixes these duplicates to ensure you have one “source of truth” across the web.

No problem.

Unlike traditional API solutions, we don’t charge expensive recurring fees just to hold the door open for those rare times you might need to update a listing.

Instead, we charge a simple, one-off fee of $3.20 (or as low as $2 with bulk credits) for each listing you need to update, and if the listing is managed through a current Data Aggregator Network subscription, there’s no charge at all!

Citation Builder works in 20 countries:

USA
UK
Canada
Australia
South Africa
Netherlands (Holland)
Germany
Singapore
New Zealand
Ireland
France
Spain
Italy
Turkey
Greece
Sweden
Switzerland
Austria
Belgium
Portugal

Data Axle – US, Canada

Neustar – US

Foursquare – Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands (Holland), New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US.

GPS Network – Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands (Holland), New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US.

YP Network – US

No. If you only need our Citation Builder service, you can open a free account to get started. This gives you access to our manual citation team with zero monthly subscription fees. You only pay for the specific citations you want to build.

If you already have a BrightLocal subscription there is no need to set up a separate Citation Builder account. You will be able to access Citation Builder straight from your dashboard.

That’s right. Our manual citation building is a pay-as-you-go service starting at just $3.20 per listing (or as low as $2 with bulk credits). You pay for the work once, and the listings are yours to keep forever. We don’t believe in charging maintenance fees just to keep your business on the map.

There are only a few instances where you might choose an optional add-on or update:

Data Aggregator Renewals ($120/year): This is optional but recommended. It keeps your data “locked” across thousands of sources, so it doesn’t get overwritten by outdated info from third parties.

Manual Updates: If you move offices or change your number and don’t have an Active Sync or aggregator subscription, we charge a simple, one-off fee of $3.20 per listing (or as low as $2 with bulk credits) to manually update your details.

Active Sync (available on our Manage and Grow plans): If you want the best of both worlds—manual ownership plus the ability to push instant updates to key sites like Google, Facebook, and Apple Maps —you can add Active Sync at any time.

Find out more about how we handle location updates here.

While it’s not compulsory, we do recommend renewing Data Aggregator Networks each year ($120 for all five). It keeps your business data protected so it doesn’t get accidentally overwritten by outdated info from third-party sources.

API services are great if your business address or phone number changes every few months, as they push updates instantly. However, they are expensive.

If your business is stable, BrightLocal is far more cost-effective. We can still update your info whenever you need, for a small one-off fee ($3.20 per site or as low as $2 with bulk credits), or for free if you have an active Data Aggregator subscription.

Not at all. This is one of the biggest reasons people choose us over our competitors. With many platforms, your citations revert or disappear if you stop paying, but with us, you own your citations. Any citations we build or claim for you are yours to keep forever.

Absolutely.

5,000+ digital marketing agencies and resellers already trust BrightLocal with their citation-building work. And the best bit, the service can be completely white-labeled so your agency gets to take all the credit!

Yes, we do.

If you’re a multi-location brand or agency that’s managing 20+ locations, we can set you up with a Campaign Manager to help you manage your business listing work.

We also offer a transition service if you’re currently with an API provider, such as Yext. This popular service allows you to take back control of your business listings, and means you’ll no longer have to keep paying $1,000s every year to only rent (and not own) your listings.

Talk to our Sales Team to find out more.