The **Citations** feature in Search Atlas lets you submit your business information to major aggregator networks, distributing your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) data to online directories from a single workflow.



## 📋 What Citations Does

Citations in Search Atlas is a **submission workflow** — not a web crawl or directory audit. When you submit, Search Atlas pushes your business data to aggregator networks including **Data Axle**, **Neustar**, **YP Network**, **GPS Network**, and **Foursquare**. These aggregators then distribute your information to their partner directories. Search Atlas does not scan or audit what is currently listed on third-party sites such as Yelp or Apple Maps.



## 🚀 How to Submit a Citation

1. In your Search Atlas dashboard, navigate to **Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations**.
2. Select a **location**. Search Atlas pulls your existing GBP data to pre-fill a submission draft — this preview step saves you from entering details manually.
3. Review and edit the draft fields: business name, address, phone number, business hours, social links, category, and description.
4. Choose the **aggregator networks** you want to submit to. Available networks depend on your country.
5. Review the pricing summary, then confirm and submit.

## ⏱️ Submission Status Explained

After submitting, your citation moves through three stages:

- **In Progress** — your submission is queued and being processed
- **Submitting to sites** — data is actively being sent to the selected aggregators
- **Complete** — distribution is finished

Propagation to individual directory sites takes time. Do not expect changes to appear immediately across all directories.



## ⚠️ Important Limitations

- **Regional availability:** Data Axle and Neustar are available for the USA and Canada only. GPS Network and Foursquare cover approximately 20 countries. Not all aggregators will appear for every location.
- **Category compatibility:** Your GBP primary category must be accepted by the citation API. If it is not recognized, the system will flag it and suggest a compatible alternative before you submit.
- **Refunded rows:** Your submissions list may show many entries marked **Refunded**. These are historical records from past submissions and are not active.

## 💬 Need More Help?

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.