📋 What Are Local Citations?
Local citations are online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) across directories, aggregators, and data platforms. Building consistent citations helps improve your local search visibility and Google Business Profile authority.
In Search Atlas, you can manage and submit local citations directly from Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations.
💳 How Many HDC Credits Do Citations Cost?
Each citation submission uses HDC (Hyperlink Data Credits) from your account balance. Here is the current pricing breakdown:
- Individual directory submissions: HDC cost varies by directory tier and domain authority.
- **Data aggregator submissions:**40 HDC per aggregator (four major aggregators are available).
Important: An earlier version of the Local Citations KB article incorrectly stated the aggregator cost as 30 HDC. The correct and current cost is 40 HDC per aggregator, as shown in the platform UI. Always refer to the cost displayed in the platform at the time of submission, as it reflects the most up-to-date pricing.
🗂️ What Are Data Aggregators?
Data aggregators are large data providers that distribute your business information to hundreds of smaller directories automatically. Submitting to aggregators is one of the most efficient ways to build citation coverage at scale. Search Atlas supports submission to the four main US data aggregators through the Local Citations tool.
Note: Aggregator submissions are currently optimised for US-based locations. If your business is located outside the US, some fields — such as state or administrative area — may be optional depending on how Google classifies your region. Support for non-US location scanning is being actively developed.
🚀 How to Submit Local Citations
- In the left sidebar, click Local, then select Local Citations.
- Select the business location you want to build citations for.
- Choose between individual directory submissions or data aggregator submissions.
- Review the HDC cost displayed on screen for each option before confirming.
- Click Submit to initiate the citation build. HDC credits will be deducted from your account immediately.
✏️ Editing or Deleting Existing Citations
Once a citation has been submitted, editing or deleting it depends on the directory or aggregator that received the data. Within the platform, you can review the status of submitted citations from the Local Citations dashboard. If you encounter an error when trying to edit a citation — such as an invalid field validation message — try refreshing the page and re-entering the information. This issue has been resolved in a recent platform update.
If a citation cannot be edited directly, contact the individual directory to request a manual update.
⚠️ Common Questions and Issues
- The HDC cost in the article differs from what I see in the UI — which is correct? Always trust the cost shown in the platform UI at the time of submission. The current aggregator cost is 40 HDC each.
- My business is outside the US — can I still use Local Citations? Yes, but some fields like state or administrative area may not be required depending on your location. Fill in all fields that apply and leave optional fields blank if they are not relevant.
- I cannot edit a citation and see a validation error. This bug has been fixed. If you still experience it, clear your browser cache, reload the page, and try again.
- When will my citations go live? Aggregator submissions typically propagate across directories within 4–12 weeks. Individual directory submissions may appear sooner depending on the platform.
🛠️ Tips for Accurate Citations
- Ensure your business name, address, and phone number are identical across all submissions — even small inconsistencies can reduce the SEO benefit.
- Use a local phone number rather than a toll-free number where possible.
- Double-check your NAP details before submitting, as corrections may take weeks to propagate.
- Monitor submission status regularly from the Local Citations dashboard.
💬 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.