Citation Builder v1.0

Build local SEO citations by automatically submitting your business NAP (Name, Address, Phone) to 50+ directories.

Why Citations Matter

Local citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number on other websites. They're a critical local SEO ranking factor:

• NAP Consistency: Search engines use citations to verify your business information
• Local Pack Rankings: More citations = stronger local presence
• Trust Signals: Listings on trusted directories improve credibility
• Discoverability: More places customers can find you

Directory Priority System

Critical (Submit First)

• Data Aggregators: Data Axle, Neustar Localeze, Foursquare - these feed hundreds of other directories
• Major Platforms: Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, Facebook Business

High Priority

• Yellow Pages, Superpages, BBB, Manta, MapQuest, Hotfrog

Medium Priority

• Local directories, Chamber of Commerce sites, Alignable, Nextdoor

Lower Priority

• Niche directories, supplemental sites

Features

• 50+ Pre-configured Directories: All major citation sources included
• NAP Formatting: Automatically formats phone numbers and addresses consistently
• Existing Citation Detection: Checks if you're already listed
• Dry Run Mode: Plan your submission campaign before executing
• Priority Ranking: Submit to most important directories first
• Detailed Reports: Know exactly what was submitted and what needs manual action

Input Parameters

Required

• businessName - Your official business name
• streetAddress - Street address
• city - City
• state - 2-letter state code
• zipCode - ZIP code
• phone - Business phone number

Optional

• website - Business website
• email - Contact email
• description - Business description
• categories - Business categories
• Social media URLs (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram)

Configuration

• dryRun - Check without submitting (recommended first)
• directories - Target specific directories only
• skipDirectories - Skip certain directories

BYOK (Bring Your Own Keys)

• dataAxleApiKey - For Data Axle API
• yextApiKey - For Yext PowerListings
• brightLocalApiKey - For BrightLocal integration

Output

Dataset

Complete submission results including:

• Status for each directory
• Success/failure messages
• Timestamps

Key-Value Store

• CITATION_REPORT - Summary report with recommendations
• RESULTS - Detailed results array

Best Practices

1. Start with Dry Run: Always run in dry mode first to see what will happen
2. Data Aggregators First: These feed other directories, so submit here first
3. NAP Consistency: Use the exact same name, address, phone everywhere
4. Monitor Email: Many directories send verification emails
5. Monthly Checkups: Re-run periodically to catch new opportunities

Use Cases

• New business launching local SEO campaign
• Existing business expanding citation coverage
• Rebranding (updating NAP across all directories)
• Local SEO agencies managing multiple clients
• Franchise operations standardizing citations

Pricing

This actor uses pay-per-event pricing:

Event	Description	Price
apify-actor-start	Base cost per run	$0.10
citation_submitted	Per directory submission	$0.05

Example costs:

• Submit to 10 directories: $0.10 + (10 × $0.05) = $0.60
• Submit to 50 directories: $0.10 + (50 × $0.05) = $2.60

Author

Built by John Rippy | johnrippy.link

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Keywords

citation builder, local citations, nap consistency, business directory submissions, local seo citations, citation automation, business listings, yext alternative