🔍 Overview
If your business citations are displaying the wrong phone number on directories like Yellowpages, Superpages, or Dexknows, there are a few common causes. This article explains how to identify the source of the error, submit a correction, and understand how long updates take to appear.
⚠️ Why the Wrong Phone Number May Have Been Submitted
The most common reason an incorrect phone number appears on citations is that the wrong number was prefilled during the citation order. This can happen in two ways:
- Auto-prefill from a connected GBP listing: When creating a citation campaign, the order wizard may automatically pull contact details — including the phone number — from your first connected Google Business Profile listing. If that listing has an outdated or incorrect number, the wrong number gets submitted to directories.
- Non-US number formatting: If your business uses a non-US phone number, the platform may have reformatted it as a US number with a +1 country code, causing an incorrect number to be submitted.
Always double-check the phone number shown in the order wizard before submitting a new citation campaign.
🛠️ How to Check and Correct Your Citation Phone Number
- In the left sidebar, click Local, then select Local Citations.
- Locate the citation campaign associated with your business listing.
- Review the phone number currently on file for the campaign. Compare it against the correct number for your business.
- If the number is wrong, update it in your Brand Vault or campaign settings to reflect the correct phone number.
- Submit a correction request for the affected directories. Our system will push the updated information to each directory in the campaign.
If you are unable to edit the citation due to a platform error, this may be a known issue. Please contact support using the instructions at the bottom of this article.
⏳ How Long Do Corrections Take?
After a correction is submitted, updates to third-party directories typically take 2 to 6 weeks to appear publicly. This timeline varies by directory and is outside Search Atlas's direct control. Key things to know:
- Some directories update quickly; others have manual review processes that add time.
- Submitting the correction through Search Atlas does not guarantee an immediate change on the directory's public listing page.
- If a directory has not updated after 6 weeks, contact support so our team can investigate whether the directory is reachable and the correction was successfully processed.
✅ How to Prevent This Issue in the Future
- Verify prefilled details before submitting: When starting a new citation campaign, always review the contact phone number in the order wizard — do not assume it has been pulled correctly from your GBP listing.
- Keep your GBP listing up to date: Since citation campaigns may pull data from your connected Google Business Profile, make sure the phone number on that listing is always accurate.
- Check your Brand Vault: Ensure the phone number stored in your Brand Vault matches your current business number, especially if you use a non-US format.
💬 Need 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.