A structured citation is a listing of a business’s details, typically its name, address and phone number, entered into the set fields of a directory, review site or data platform. Yell, Thomson Local, FreeIndex and Bing Places are common UK examples.
How structured citations work
Directories present every business in the same format: fixed boxes for the name, address, postcode, phone number, website, opening hours, categories and a description. Because the data is laid out consistently, search engines can read it easily and compare it with what your website and Google Business Profile say. That makes a structured citation different from an unstructured citation, which is a mention of your business within ordinary text, such as a local newspaper story.
In the UK, the useful ones fall into three groups. General directories such as Yell, Thomson Local, FreeIndex and Yelp. Map and data platforms such as Bing Places and Apple Business Connect, which feed directions and voice assistants. And sector platforms, from Checkatrade and Rated People for trades to professional body directories for solicitors, accountants and therapists.
Why it matters
When Google decides which businesses to show in the local pack, it wants to be confident that a business is real, located where it says and reachable on the number given. Consistent details across established platforms support that. Inconsistent ones, such as an old address on Yell, a different phone number on a trade site and a slightly different business name on Facebook, create doubt.
Citations also do a job of their own. Many customers still find tradespeople, clinics and local services through these platforms, especially when they want reviews from a source other than Google. For a plumber in Croydon or a physiotherapist in Bristol, a well-kept FreeIndex or Checkatrade profile can bring enquiries directly.
Directory data also travels. Some UK platforms share or sell their listings to other sites, sat-nav systems and apps, so a mistake in one source can spread to places you never signed up to. Correcting the main sources first means the corrections flow outwards in the same way, which is far quicker than chasing each copy individually.
Common mistakes
- Inconsistent details. “Unit 4” on one site and “4 Riverside Park” on another, or a mobile number on some and a landline on others. NAP consistency is the whole point.
- Old listings after a move. The previous address lives on in directories for years unless someone updates it.
- Duplicates. Creating a new listing rather than claiming the existing one leaves two versions competing.
- Bulk submission services. Hundreds of low-quality directories add little and are hard to keep accurate.
- Forgetting the login. Listings set up by a former employee or agency cannot be updated when details change.
How to act on it
Decide on one exact version of your business name, address (in Royal Mail format, with the correct postcode) and phone number, matching your Google Business Profile. Then search for your business name and phone number to find existing listings. Claim them, correct them and record each one in a spreadsheet with its login.
Add the core UK platforms and the two or three most relevant to your sector, fill in every field properly and use a real description rather than a pasted slogan. Check them again whenever anything changes. If you have moved premises, merged or changed numbers and the listings are a mess, cleaning them up is a standard part of my local SEO work.