For digital agencies managing brands with branches scattered across the map, Local SEO is both a challenge and a necessity. It’s not just a scaled-down version of International SEO – it’s a different battlefield entirely. If you’re new to the game, think of it like this: International SEO aims for prime real estate in Google’s organic results (picture a Monopoly property in Mayfair), while Local SEO is what gets your branches visible in that competitive red box of map listings.
Let’s take “care home in Fareham” as our working example – a UK-based query with high intent and high competition. Ranking here requires more than just a strong domain. It calls for meticulous local strategy.
Citation Building: Necessary Evil or SEO Rite of Passage?
Let’s talk about citation building – yes, that dreaded phrase that gets whispered like it’s a swear word in SEO circles. It’s not glamorous, but it’s foundational. Citations refer to online mentions of your business’s Name, Address and Phone Number (NAPs), and getting them right can mean the difference between visibility and obscurity.
You’ll need consistency across three core areas:
Your website NAP listings
Your Google Business Profile
Even minor discrepancies – like differing postcodes – can throw a wrench in your local rankings. Tools like Royal Mail’s Postcode Finder can help align addresses across platforms. When in doubt, let consistency be your north star.
Forecast First. Build Later.
With limited hours and multiple locations to support, you can’t throw equal time at every branch. Prioritise based on performance indicators. Where are you ranking? Where are you not? Which locations drive the most revenue? Build a forecasting doc to plan your hours accordingly.
Once you’ve chosen your first branch to focus on, create two lists:
Current citations – what’s already out there (and possibly broken).
Opportunity domains – high-quality sites where your brand isn’t yet listed.
Whitespark is your friend here. It pulls all known citations for your brand and your competitors, giving you a benchmark and a ready-made to-do list.
Two Tabs, One Method: Review & Build
Step 1: Review Existing Citations
Open the “Current” tab of your spreadsheet.
Claim or edit listings to match your core NAP.
Delete duplicates (multiple listings on the same domain will hurt you).
Step 2: Build New Citations
Head to the “Opportunities” tab.
Start with high Domain Authority (DA) directories – a quick Z→A filter does the trick.
Create accurate, consistent listings.
Repeat for the next care home in the queue.
Stay structured. Stay caffeinated.
But Don’t Stop There…
Citations aren’t forever. Some listings expire after six months. Others get overwritten or lost in the noise. That’s why it’s crucial to measure performance after implementation. Return to your forecasting doc. Are rankings improving? Traffic increasing? If not, rinse and repeat.
And remember: citations are just one lever in the Local SEO machine. You’ll need to layer in review management, on-page local signals, and Google Business Profile optimisation to win the local map pack.
Final Thoughts
Citation building won’t win any glamour awards, and yes – it can be a grind. But when done strategically, it becomes a powerful tool for building local visibility at scale. Be methodical, focus on quality over quantity, and embrace the admin. Because when your locations show up for high-intent queries, the results speak for themselves – even if the process adds a few grey hairs along the way.
