🔍 Overview
After purchasing citations, it is normal to expect your citation score to rise quickly — but several factors can delay or prevent that from happening. This article explains how to track citation progress inside Search Atlas, what causes citations to stall, and how to troubleshoot specific aggregators like Data Axle.
📊 How to View Your Citation Progress
To monitor the status of your purchased citations, navigate to the Local section of your Search Atlas dashboard's left sidebar and select Local Citations. The exact location may vary depending on your account configuration. Once there, look for a list or table of your submitted citations that shows each directory or aggregator alongside its current processing status.
Citations will generally reflect one of the following states:
- Live / Completed — the citation has been accepted and is active.
- In Progress / Pending — the submission is still being processed; no action is needed yet.
- Action Required / Error — something is blocking the citation from going live and may need your attention.
If you are unsure where to find your citation status in your account, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform for guidance on locating the correct section.
⏱️ When to Expect Visibility After Purchase
Citation processing times vary by aggregator and can take several weeks. Major aggregators may take longer than standard directories, and verification requirements can extend processing time further. Your citation score in Search Atlas updates as completed citations are confirmed, so score changes may lag behind live citations due to data refresh cycles.
If a citation still appears unprocessed after an extended period, proceed to the troubleshooting steps below.
⚠️ Common Reasons Citations Fail to Process
A low citation score after purchasing from multiple aggregators is usually caused by one or more of the following:
- Aggregator processing delays: High-volume aggregators can take longer than expected, especially during peak periods.
- Data validation failures: If your business name, address, or phone number (NAP) does not exactly match what is on file with the aggregator, the submission may be rejected silently.
- Duplicate records: If a listing for your business already exists in an aggregator's database under slightly different NAP data, the new submission may be flagged or suppressed until the conflict is resolved.
- Business verification requirements: Some aggregators require additional identity or ownership verification before publishing a listing. If a verification step was sent and not completed, the citation may remain pending.
- Ineligible business type or category: Certain aggregators restrict listings for specific industries or service-area-only businesses without a physical address.
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.