Citations & Listings

📖 Local Citations

The Local Citations tool distributes business data across thousands of sites by submitting to five major data aggregator networks: - Data Axle - Foursquare - Neustar Localeze - Yellow Pages Network - GPS Network ⭐ Key Features - Low-Cost Submission — 40 Hyperdrive credits per aggregator. Selecting more aggregators in one order lowers the total: 2 aggregators = 76 credits (5% off), 3 = 108 (10% off), 4 = 136 (15% off), and all 5 = 160 credits (20% off, down from 200) - Free Updates for 12 Months — no extra charge if updates are required - Quota Usage — submissions draw from your Hyperdrive quota - Reporting — export existing data in CSV format - Sharing — citation data can be shared once an order is completed ⏳ Timelines & Limitations - Full process: typically 40–45 days (some aggregators may take longer) - Foursquare citations may not generate a public URL 🛠️ Submission Process Step 1: Select Business And Aggregator - Choose the business name - Select the desired aggregator (check supported locations) - Ensure the business is correctly listed in Google Business Profile (GBP) Step 2: Provide Business Information - Enter required details, then click Submit - To edit later, use the 3-dot menu (updates are free) Tip: You can edit after the campaign has been completed. 🗂️ Timeline - Phase 1: Initial Data Check — submitted data is verified for accuracy - Phase 2: Submission — data submitted across the aggregator network (new + updates) - Phase 3: Quality Assurance — a submission manager reviews and validates all entries - Phase 4: Reporting — after about 4 weeks, a campaign report is generated (includes live links and updates) Post-Submission - Business data appears in the Citation Listing screen (Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations) - Updates can be made anytime via the 3-dot menu at no cost ❓ Local Citations FAQs How long do local citations take? Typically 38–40 days, but up to 2 months depending on aggregators. Do citations include NAPs? Yes — Name, Address, Phone, and metadata are included. How do you ensure consistency across aggregators? Only submitted data is forwarded, ensuring uniformity. Why is my campaign on Hold? Either a data mismatch (the team finalizes submitted data) or a duplicate campaign (credits are refunded). Why isn't my project showing in Local SEO? Orders placed in the standalone Local SEO tool are visible only there; orders placed through OTTO are visible in both OTTO and Local SEO. What if a citation takes longer than 38 days? Contact Support — the product team escalates to the submission team. Can I edit existing campaigns? Only campaigns created in Search Atlas can be edited. How long for full completion? Manual submissions and verifications take weeks; Google indexing adds roughly 6–7 weeks after listings go live. Why is status 'Pending Google review'? This is usually a GBP issue — wait 7–10 days, delete flagged content and retry, verify your GBP location, or contact Google Support. What if citation links don't appear? Some aggregators (such as Foursquare) don't publish public links. How can I achieve a 100 citation score? Submit to all major aggregators in the dashboard. Why is my Google review link broken? Your GBP profile may be inactive or missing. How many citation links will I receive? Exact counts vary due to aggregator changes. When can I edit a campaign? Edits are only possible after completion. Why don't I see Foursquare links? Foursquare no longer provides public listing URLs. Why isn't the citation score showing for some directories? This can happen due to differing GBP vs. directory naming, recently added listings not yet fetched, or data crawler delay. 📖 Local Citations Glossary - Website — the citation site where data is submitted or listed - Status — current progress of the submission - DA (Domain Authority) — authority score of the citation site - Citation Value — impact/weight of the citation for local SEO - Type — category of the citation directory - Notes — site-specific rules and limitations - Citation URL — the live citation link once published/discovered Managing local citations effectively ensures your business information is consistent, visible, and trusted across the web. With Search Atlas, you can streamline submissions, monitor progress, and maintain accurate listings without the manual overhead. This consistency not only improves local SEO rankings but also builds customer trust, giving your brand stronger visibility in every market you serve. 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.

💳 Citation Campaign Refunds and Credit Controls

💡 Understand citation credit charges Citation campaigns use credits when submissions are confirmed. Review the campaign details and credit cost before starting a campaign, especially when multiple aggregators are selected. Credits may be deducted during submission processing. If a technical issue occurs, such as credits being deducted without a completed submission, the transaction can be reviewed against the campaign and processing records. 🔄 Request a campaign refund Refunds are reviewed individually. To request a refund for campaign 7940 or another campaign, provide the campaign number, the credit amount in question, and a short description of what happened. 1. Open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform. 2. Type human teammate to connect with our team. 3. Share the campaign ID, requested refund amount, and any relevant details. Our team will verify the campaign status, submission history, and credit activity before confirming whether credits can be returned. A refund is not automatic, and submitting a request does not guarantee approval. 🛡️ Prevent unapproved credit spending Before launching a citation campaign, check the selected aggregators, displayed credit cost, and campaign scope. Do not submit the campaign until you approve the total spend. At this time, citation campaigns do not include a customer-side setting that requires approval for every credit transaction. To avoid unexpected spending: - Limit access to users who are authorized to launch campaigns. - Review the campaign configuration before submission. - Use smaller campaigns when testing or validating results. - Ask our team to review your account options if you need stronger spending safeguards. 📋 What to include in a support request Including complete details helps us investigate faster. Share the campaign ID, expected and actual credit amounts, the date of the charge, and whether the campaign completed, failed, or is still processing. 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.

🛠️ Update GBP Hours and Citations

📌 Understand where hours are managed Google Business Profile (GBP) hours and external local citation hours are separate records. Updating hours in Search Atlas may update your connected GBP data or prepare citation changes, but it does not guarantee that every directory has changed. Each citation publisher controls its own listing. Some publishers accept updates automatically, while others require verification, account access, or manual approval. 🔍 Update your Google Business Profile 1. Sign in to the Google account that owns or manages the business profile. 2. Open the business profile in Google Search or Google Maps. 3. Select the option to edit your business information and update regular hours. 4. Update special hours separately for holidays, temporary closures, or unusual opening times. 5. Save the changes and allow Google time to review and publish them. If the profile is locked, suspended, unverified, or managed by another account, manual edits may not apply. Confirm that you are using the correct owner or manager account and resolve any Google verification prompts before trying again. ⚙️ Update hours in Search Atlas 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local → GBP Projects. 2. Open the relevant project with View project. 3. Review the business information and hours shown for the location. 4. Save the updated hours, including any special or holiday hours when available. Use Local → Overview to review location data and refresh information when that option is available. Search Atlas may show the saved or imported value before Google or citation publishers finish processing it. 📚 Update external local citations For citation-specific corrections, update the listing on the directory where the incorrect information appears. Search for the business using its exact name, address, and phone number, then claim or verify the listing if required. Edit the regular and special hours, save the change, and follow the directory’s approval process. Keep the business name, address, phone number, website, and hours consistent across GBP and all major directories. Do not create a second listing when an existing listing can be claimed or corrected. ⏳ Check changes and prevent conflicts - Allow time for Google and individual directories to review and publish changes. - Refresh the location data in Search Atlas before checking the results again. - Check the directory directly, because Search Atlas may display the last scanned value. - Confirm that no duplicate listing, old business profile, or third-party data provider is overwriting the hours. - Use one consistent schedule, including the correct format for split hours and holiday closures. ✅ When to escalate the issue Gather the business name, location, incorrect directory URL, expected hours, and a screenshot of the saved change. This information helps identify whether the issue is a Google restriction, a locked listing, a directory approval delay, or a data conflict. 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.

🕒 How to Correct Business Hours on Local Citations

📍 Where to Manage Citation Hours Local citation details, including business hours, are managed inside your Google Business Profile (GBP) project in Search Atlas. Before you begin, make sure the location with the incorrect hours is connected to the platform. 1. In the left sidebar, click Local, then select GBP Projects. 2. If your Google Business Profile is not connected yet, click Connect GBP Account and follow the sign-in steps. 3. Select the location you need to fix, for example Jake's Auto. 4. Open the Local Citations section for that location. ✏️ Updating Business Hours on a Citation Each citation displays the business details submitted to that directory. To correct the hours: 1. In the Local Citations section, find the listing showing the wrong hours. 2. Click Edit on that citation. 3. Set the correct opening and closing time for each day of the week. 4. Mark any day the business is closed. 5. Double-check the times, especially AM and PM, then save your changes. Your edits are saved as pending tasks. They are not sent to the directories until you deploy them. 🚀 Deploying Your Hour Changes To push your corrected hours live across citation directories: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local, then select My Tasks. 2. Review the pending changes and confirm the hours look right. 3. Click Deploy all changes. Directories typically take a few days to display updated hours. Recheck the listings after about a week. 💡 Tips for Keeping Hours Accurate - Fix hours at the source first. If your citations pull details from Google Business Profile, update the hours on the GBP listing so new citations stay consistent. - Keep hours identical everywhere. Mismatched hours between Google and citation directories can hurt local rankings. - Plan for holidays. Update special holiday hours ahead of time and reset them afterward. - Watch AM and PM. Most citation forms use a 12-hour clock, so confirm you did not swap morning and evening times. 🔧 Troubleshooting Common Issues - Hours will not save: A previous bug that prevented hour ranges from saving correctly has been fixed. Refresh the page and enter the times again. - The Active Citations section is blank: Refresh the page and confirm your GBP account is still connected under GBP Projects. - Old hours still showing: Confirm you clicked Deploy all changes in My Tasks, then allow a few days for directories to update. - Citation will not open for editing: A previous editing error has been resolved. If it happens again, refresh the page and retry. - Data looks outdated after reconnecting a Google account: Refresh the page so the latest profile data loads. 💬 Still 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.

⚙️ Manage AI Gateway Credits and Submissions

💳 Check your AI Gateway credit allowance Your AI Gateway allowance is available in the platform’s AI Gateway usage or credits area. This view shows your current usage, remaining credits, and the time until the five-hour allowance refreshes. If the allowance or refresh time is not visible, refresh the page and confirm that you are viewing the correct workspace. Credit availability may also update shortly after a submission starts or finishes processing. 📤 Understand Data Aggregator Submissions Data Aggregator Submissions use AI Gateway credits while they are processed. The amount used can depend on the submission and the AI operations required to complete it. A submission marked as Processing is still running. Its credit usage may not be final until processing finishes. ↩️ Revert or stop a submission Open the Data Aggregator Submissions list and select the submission that is still processing. If a Cancel or Revert action is available, use it and confirm the action. If no cancel or revert action is shown, the submission cannot be withdrawn from the interface while it is processing. Wait for the submission to finish, then review the completed result and remove or correct any applicable data using the available controls. Stopping a submission does not necessarily restore credits already consumed. The platform applies credit usage based on processing completed before the submission was stopped. ⏱️ If your credits appear incorrect 1. Refresh the AI Gateway usage or credits view. 2. Check whether the submission is still processing. 3. Wait briefly for usage to synchronize after completion or cancellation. 4. Review the submission status and the workspace you are using. If the allowance remains unavailable or the credit total does not update after processing has finished, 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.

📍 Understanding Local Citations and HDC Costs

📋 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 1. In the left sidebar, click Local, then select Local Citations. 2. Select the business location you want to build citations for. 3. Choose between individual directory submissions or data aggregator submissions. 4. Review the HDC cost displayed on screen for each option before confirming. 5. 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.

📍 Distribute Your Listing to Online Directories

🗂️ Overview Search Atlas automatically distributes your business listing to a curated network of online directories through the Local SEO tool. Once your details are set up, the platform handles syndication for you — no manual submissions or updates required. 🚀 How to Set Up Listing Distribution 1. Navigate to Left Sidebar → Local SEO → Listings. 2. Enter your complete business details, including business name, address, phone number, and operating hours. 3. Save your information. Search Atlas will begin syncing your listing to its network of citation sources, including major data aggregators and local directories. 4. Return to your Listings dashboard at any time to monitor the distribution status of your listing. 📋 Viewing Your Citation Submissions You can see exactly which directories your listing has been submitted to directly inside the platform: - Go to Left Sidebar → Local → (GBP project) → Local Citations. - This view shows a full breakdown of every directory your listing has been sent to, along with its current submission status. ℹ️ What You Should Know - High-authority focus: The distribution network targets the citation sources that have the greatest impact on local search rankings, not every directory on the internet. - Selective coverage: Not all online directories are included — Search Atlas curates its network around the listings that matter most for local SEO performance. - Automatic syncing: Once your business details are saved, distribution happens automatically. There is no need to manually push updates to individual directories. 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.

📋 Search Atlas Citations: Directories, Reports, and Delivery

🗺️ How Search Atlas Citations Work Search Atlas does not use data aggregators to distribute your business information. Instead, we submit your business details directly to 7 high-authority, permanent directories. This means your citations are live, stable listings — not entries that depend on a third-party aggregator network to pass data along. This approach gives you greater accuracy and long-term reliability. Once a citation is created, it remains live in that directory without requiring periodic re-submission. 📁 The 5 Included Aggregator Networks Every citation project through Search Atlas targets the following aggregator networks: - Data Axle - Neustar - Foursquare - GPS Network - YP Network Submissions to all 5 aggregator networks are included in every citation order. Timelines vary — most listings go live within 2–6 weeks of submission, though some may take longer depending on internal review processes. ❓ Why Google Business Profile and Yelp Are Not Included Customers often expect to see Google Business Profile, Bing, Apple Maps, and Yelp listed as completed citation entries. Here is why each is handled differently: - Google Business Profile (GBP): Google does not allow third-party services to create or manage GBP listings via API. Your GBP must be claimed and verified directly through your Google account. Search Atlas manages GBP activity through the Local section of the platform, but citation creation is not part of that flow. - Yelp: Yelp restricts automated listing creation through its API. Yelp listings must be claimed by the business owner at biz.yelp.com. Search Atlas does not submit to Yelp as part of the citation service. - Apple Maps: Apple Maps is not part of the Search Atlas aggregator submissions. - Bing Places: Bing Places is not part of the Search Atlas aggregator submissions. 🔗 Why Some Directories Show Missing Links (e.g., Waze) For certain directories such as Waze, a direct URL to your individual listing is not returned by the directory's API after submission. This means the citation report may show the submission as complete but without a clickable link to the live listing. This is a known limitation of how Waze surfaces listing data and does not mean the submission failed. Your business information is still delivered to Waze's database and will appear in the app for users. If you need to verify your Waze listing manually, search for your business name directly within the Waze app or at waze.com. 📊 How to Access Your Citation Report You can view the status and details of all submitted citations directly inside the platform. Follow these steps: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local. 2. Under the Local section, click Local Citations. 3. Your citation report will display each directory, submission status, and any available listing links. The report updates as directories confirm your listings. If a submission is still processing, its status will reflect that until the directory confirms the live listing. ⏱️ Expected Timelines by Directory Below is a general guide for when to expect listings to go live after submission: - Facebook: Typically 1–2 weeks - Foursquare: Typically 1–3 weeks - Data Axle: Typically 2–4 weeks - Neustar Localeze: Typically 2–4 weeks - Bing Places: Typically 2–6 weeks - Apple Maps: Typically 2–6 weeks - Waze: Typically 2–6 weeks (link may not be returned by API) These timelines are estimates. Directories occasionally experience processing delays outside of Search Atlas's control. If a listing has not appeared after 6 weeks, contact our team for a status check. 💡 Key Takeaways - Search Atlas submits directly to 7 permanent directories — not through aggregators. - Google Business Profile and Yelp are not part of the citation service and must be managed separately by the business owner. - Missing links for directories like Waze are an API limitation, not a failed submission. - Access your full citation report at Local → Local Citations in the left sidebar. - Allow up to 6 weeks for all listings to go live. 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.

🗺️ GBP Score Updates and Citations Visibility Explained

🔍 Overview If you have applied improvements using the GBP Playbook but your score has not changed yet, or if the Citations section cannot find your Google Business Profile even though it appears synced, you are not alone. Both situations have straightforward explanations and simple fixes covered in this article. ⏱️ Why Your GBP Score Has Not Updated Yet Your GBP score is not recalculated in real time. Search Atlas runs a nightly batch process that re-evaluates all connected Google Business Profiles and updates their scores once every 24 hours. This means: - Changes you make to your profile — such as updating your business description, adding photos, or responding to reviews — will not be reflected in your score immediately. - The score displayed during the day represents the state of your profile as of the most recent nightly recalculation. - After the nightly cycle completes, your new score will appear automatically. No manual refresh is required. What to do: After making improvements through the GBP Playbook, allow up to 24 hours for your score to reflect those changes. If your score has not updated after a full 24-hour period, continue reading or contact support using the instructions at the bottom of this article. 📋 Why Citations Cannot Find Your Google Business Profile The Citations section in Search Atlas has a specific connection requirement that is separate from the general GBP sync used elsewhere in the platform. This is the most common reason customers see the message that their profile cannot be found in Citations, even though it appears connected in other areas. Search Atlas supports two ways to connect a Google Business Profile: - Standalone mode: The profile is connected directly and independently through the GBP integration flow. This is the connection type the Citations section recognises. - Alternative connection paths: Some profiles are synced as part of a broader workflow — for example, through a client account setup or a bundled integration — rather than as a standalone GBP connection. Citations does not recognise profiles connected this way. If your profile was connected through an alternative path, the Citations section will behave as though no profile is linked, even though your data is accessible elsewhere in the platform. 🔧 How to Fix the Citations Connection To make your Google Business Profile visible in the Citations section, you need to connect it in standalone mode. Follow these steps: 1. Go to Settings in your Search Atlas account. 2. Navigate to Local → GBP Projects. 3. Check whether your profile is listed as a standalone connection. If it was added through a different flow, it may appear under a client workspace or bundled account rather than as its own entry. 4. Use the Connect GBP Account option (on the GBP Projects page) to add your Google Business Profile directly as a standalone connection. You will be prompted to sign in with the Google account that manages the profile. 5. Once the standalone connection is confirmed, return to the Citations section. Your profile should now be detectable. If you manage multiple locations, each location must be connected individually in standalone mode for Citations to recognise it. ✅ Quick Checklist Before Contacting Support - Have you waited at least 24 hours since making your GBP Playbook improvements? - Is your Google Business Profile connected in standalone mode under Integrations? - Are you signed in to Search Atlas with the account that has owner or manager access to the Google Business Profile? - If you manage multiple locations, have you connected the specific location you are trying to use in Citations? 💬 Still Need Help? If you have followed all the steps above and your GBP score is still not updating after 24 hours, or Citations still cannot detect your profile, our team is ready to investigate. 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.

📍 Edit Live Citations and Submit Non-OTTO Citations

📋 Overview Search Atlas lets you manage business citations in two ways: editing citations that are already live across directories, and submitting new citations for businesses that are not connected to an OTTO project. Both workflows run through the Local > Local Citations section and use BrightLocal for distribution and sync. ✏️ How to Edit Live Citations If a citation is already live and you need to update details such as your business name, address, phone number, or website, follow these steps: 1. Go to Local in the left sidebar and select Local Citations. 2. Find the citation listing you want to update. Use the search or filter options to locate the correct business or directory entry. 3. Click Edit next to the citation you want to change. 4. Update the fields you need to change — for example, NAP details (Name, Address, Phone), website URL, business hours, or category. 5. Click Confirm & Continue to push the updated information. Once submitted, the update is sent to BrightLocal, which syncs the corrected data across the relevant directories. Propagation time varies by directory but typically takes a few days. You can monitor the sync status from the Local Citations dashboard. Important: Editing a live citation does not consume additional Hyperdrive Credits if you are only updating existing information. Credit usage applies when new citation submissions are made. 🏢 Submitting Citations for Non-OTTO Projects You do not need an active OTTO project to submit citations. Citations can be submitted for any business by entering the details manually. This is useful when managing clients or locations that are not yet connected to OTTO SEO, or that you prefer to manage separately. 1. Go to Local in the left sidebar and select Local Citations. 2. Click Confirm & Continue (or the equivalent button displayed in your account). 3. When prompted to link a project, choose the option to enter business details manually instead of selecting an OTTO project. 4. Fill in the business information form with the following details: - Business name - Address (or service area, if applicable) - Phone number - Website URL - Business category - Business description 5. Review the details carefully, then click Confirm & Continue. The submission is processed through BrightLocal and distributed to the selected directories. You will be able to track the status of each citation from the Local Citations dashboard, even for businesses not linked to an OTTO project. 💳 Hyperdrive Credits and Citation Submissions Each new citation submission requires Hyperdrive Credits. Before submitting, make sure your account has enough credits to cover the number of directories selected. You can check your current credit balance in Billing → Plans & Top-ups, opened from the top-right avatar menu. - Credits are consumed at the point of submission, not when citations go live. - Editing an existing live citation does not require additional credits. - If you run out of credits mid-submission, the process will pause until credits are topped up. 🚫 Avoiding Duplicate Citations Submitting citations for a business that already has existing listings in the same directories can create duplicates, which can harm local SEO performance. To prevent this: - Run a citation audit before submitting new citations for any business, including non-OTTO projects. This identifies existing listings across directories. - If duplicates already exist, use the suppress or update options available in the Local Citations dashboard rather than submitting brand-new entries. - Confirm the business NAP details are consistent across all entries before submitting to avoid conflicting data. 🔄 Tracking Citation Status After submitting or editing citations, you can monitor progress directly in the Local Citations dashboard. Each listing displays its current status — such as Submitting, Quality assurance, On hold, Live checks, Completed, or Refunded — so you always know where things stand. Status updates are pulled from BrightLocal and refresh periodically. 🆘 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.

📋 Citation Submission Status and Processing Timelines

📋 Overview After submitting local citations through Search Atlas, it is normal for statuses to take some time to update. This article explains what happens after you submit a citation, how to check its current status, and how long the process typically takes. 🧭 How to Find Your Citation Submissions 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. In the left sidebar, click Local. 3. Select Local Citations from the sub-menu. 4. You will see a list of all citation submissions along with their current status. ⏳ Understanding Citation Processing Timelines Citation submissions go through a multi-step process before they are live on third-party directories. Here is a general breakdown of what to expect: - Submission queued (0–24 hours): Immediately after you submit, your citation enters a processing queue. During this window, the status may appear unchanged or show no activity — this is expected behavior. - Submission in progress (1–7 business days): Search Atlas begins submitting your business information to the relevant directories. Status updates will begin appearing as each directory is contacted. - Live or pending verification (7–21 business days): Most directories process and publish citations within this window. Some directories require additional verification steps, such as a phone call or postcard, which can extend this timeline. 🔍 What the Status Labels Mean Each citation in your Local Citations dashboard displays a status label. Here is what each one indicates: - Queued: Your submission has been received and is waiting to enter the active processing pipeline. - In Progress: Search Atlas is actively submitting your citation to the selected directories. - Submitted: The citation has been sent to the directory and is awaiting their review or publication. - Live: Your citation is published and visible on the directory. - Pending Verification: The directory requires you to complete an additional step (e.g., phone or postcard verification) before the listing goes live. - Rejected: The directory did not accept the submission. Check that your business information is accurate and complete, then resubmit. ⚠️ Why Your Status May Not Update Right Away If you submitted citations and the dashboard does not yet reflect any progress, this is usually not a cause for concern. Common reasons for a delayed status update include: - Your submission is still in the initial processing queue, especially if it was submitted within the last 24 hours. - The target directories have slower review cycles, particularly for new or unverified listings. - High submission volume across the platform can occasionally delay queue processing. Allow at least 2–3 business days before expecting visible status changes. If your citations remain in a Submitting state for more than 5 business days without any update, it is worth reaching out for support. ✅ Tips for Faster, Successful Citations - Ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent and accurate before submitting. - Add a complete business description, website URL, and category to improve acceptance rates across directories. - Avoid submitting duplicate citations to the same directory — check your existing citations list first. - If a directory requires manual verification, complete that step promptly to avoid delays. 💬 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.

🏪 How to Purchase Local Citations in Search Atlas

🗺️ What Are Local Citations? Local Citations help your business appear consistently across online directories, maps, and data aggregators. Search Atlas lets you build and manage these listings directly from the platform using its Local Citations tool, powered by Hyperdrive credits. 🧭 How to Navigate to Local Citations 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. In the left sidebar, click Local. 3. From the expanded menu, click Local Citations. 🛒 How to Purchase Local Citations 1. Once you are on the Local Citations page, review the available citation packages or aggregator options displayed on screen. 2. Select the package or listing tier that matches your business needs. 3. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm your selection. 4. Complete the purchase — the cost will be applied against your Hyperdrive credits balance. If your Hyperdrive credits are insufficient to complete the purchase, you will be prompted to top up your balance before proceeding. ⚡ Understanding Hyperdrive Credits Hyperdrive credits are the in-platform currency used for Local Citations and other Local tools. Here is what you need to know: - Credits are used to fund purchases — each citation package or aggregator submission draws from your available balance. - Check your balance before purchasing to confirm you have enough credits for your chosen package. - Top up at any time — if your balance is low, you can purchase additional Hyperdrive credits from within the platform. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions I can't see the Local Citations option in the sidebar. Why? The Local Citations sub-menu only appears after you click Local in the left sidebar to expand it. If it is still not visible, your current plan may not include this feature — check your plan details or contact support for assistance. 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.

Adding Service-Area Businesses to Citation Builder 📍

Overview Service-area businesses (SABs) — such as plumbers, cleaners, and mobile pet groomers — operate from a home or private location and choose not to display a street address publicly. Citation Builder requires an address to create a listing, so this article explains how to handle that requirement without exposing your private address. What You Need to Know First The address field in Citation Builder is mandatory and cannot be left blank. Because Citation Builder needs a physical address to generate and submit citations, SABs must supply a placeholder address to proceed. This address is used for citation-building purposes only — it does not have to be your public-facing business address, and you can use a non-public address (such as your home address) purely to satisfy the field requirement. What You Will Need Before You Start - A placeholder street address for your business (such as a registered agent address or your private home address — whatever you are comfortable providing for internal use) - Your business name, phone number, website URL, and service categories - A list of the cities, regions, or zip codes that make up your service area Steps: Adding a Service-Area Business 1. Open Citation Builder and locate or create the business listing you want to set up. 2. Fill in your business name, phone number, and website as normal. 3. In the Address field, enter your placeholder address. This is required to proceed — use a registered agent address, a non-public business address, or your private home address. 4. Enter your service area by adding the cities, counties, states, or zip codes your business covers. 5. Complete the remaining business details — categories, business description, hours, and media — then save or submit the listing. Important Notes About Address Visibility Entering a placeholder address in Citation Builder does not automatically hide that address from every directory. Address suppression must be managed separately, typically at the directory level (for example, in your Google Business Profile you can choose to hide your address and display a service area instead). If you are concerned about a specific directory publishing your address publicly, review that directory's listing settings after submission. Next Steps Once your listing is saved, review any directory-specific options to suppress the address from public view where needed. If you are unsure how to configure address visibility for a particular directory, our support team can help you identify the right steps for that platform. 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.

📋 Citation Order Edit Processing Timeline and Workflow

🔍 Overview When you submit a citation order for edits, it goes through a structured multi-stage review and publishing process. This process takes 40 or more days to complete from start to finish. This timeline reflects the complexity of updating your business information across hundreds of directories, each with its own review and publishing cycle. This article explains every stage of the workflow so you always know where your citation edit order stands. 📍 Where to Find Your Citation Orders To view your citation orders and their current status, navigate to Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations (statuses shown: Complete, Incomplete, Warning). From here you can monitor the progress of any active or completed citation edit orders associated with your account. 🔄 The Four Stages of a Citation Edit Order Every citation edit order moves through four distinct stages. Each stage must be completed before the next begins. 1. Submission — Your edit request is received and logged in our system. Our team reviews the details you provided, including updated business name, address, phone number, website URL, or other listing information. Orders at this stage appear as On Hold while the submission is being prepared and verified before outreach begins. 2. Quality Assurance — Each citation is checked for accuracy and consistency before being sent to directories. Our team cross-references your submitted information against your existing listings to prevent errors and ensure your updates meet each network's formatting requirements. This stage is critical to reducing rejection rates across directories. 3. Live Checks — Updated citations are submitted to the relevant directories and networks. Our team actively monitors each submission and follows up where a directory requires manual approval, additional verification, or has its own internal review period. Individual directories can take days or weeks to approve and publish changes, which is the primary reason the overall timeline extends to 40 or more days. 4. Completion — All targeted directories have published your updated information. Your citation order is marked complete, and the updated links and listing details are reflected in your Local Citations dashboard. At this point your business information is live and consistent across the networks included in your order. ⏱️ Why the Process Takes 40+ Days The 40-plus day timeline is normal and expected for citation edit orders. It is not a sign that something has gone wrong. The following factors contribute to the full processing window: - Directory review queues — Each directory operates independently and processes update requests on its own schedule. Some publish changes within a few days; others require several weeks. - Manual verification requirements — Certain high-authority directories require phone verification, email confirmation, or owner authentication before accepting edits. - Rejection and resubmission cycles — If a directory rejects a submission due to formatting rules or duplicate detection, our team corrects and resubmits it, which adds time. - Network propagation — Once a primary data aggregator is updated, secondary directories that pull from it need additional time to reflect the change. 📊 Understanding the "Incomplete" Status If your citation order displays an Incomplete status, this does not mean there is a problem with your order or your account. Incomplete is the default status during the Submission and early Quality Assurance stages while the order is being prepared. It transitions automatically as your order progresses through the workflow. No action is required from you while an order is Incomplete. ✅ When Will Updated Links and Details Be Visible? Updated listing information and live directory links will appear in your Local Citations dashboard once your order reaches the Completion stage. You will be able to see the live URLs for each updated listing at that point. If you check your listings on a specific directory before the order is marked complete, the old information may still be displayed — this is expected while that directory is still processing your update. 💡 Tips While Your Order Is Processing - Avoid submitting duplicate edit orders for the same listing while an order is already active, as this can cause conflicts during the Live Checks stage. - Make sure your business details in Search Atlas remain current and accurate throughout the processing window so there are no discrepancies if additional verification is needed. - Check your Local Citations dashboard periodically for status updates rather than contacting directories directly, as independent outreach can sometimes reset a directory's review queue. 🆘 Need Help with Your Citation Order? If your citation edit order has been in a single stage for an unusually long period, or if you have questions about a specific order, our team is here to 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.

📋 Citation Order Processing Timeline and To-Do Stage

📌 Overview After purchasing a citation package, your order will appear in the To-Do stage inside Local → Local Citations (Local Citations). This is completely normal. Citation orders can remain in the To-Do stage for up to 55 days while they are being actively processed behind the scenes. This article explains what to expect at each stage, why your order may not have moved yet, and when you should reach out for help. 🗺️ How to Find Your Citation Orders 1. Navigate to Local → Local Citations (Local Citations) in your Search Atlas dashboard. 2. Locate your order and review its current stage label. ⏱️ Understanding the Processing Timeline Citation orders go through a multi-step fulfillment process that involves submitting your business information to a network of directories and data aggregators. Because each directory has its own acceptance schedule, the full process takes time. - Expected processing window: Up to 55 days from the purchase date. - To-Do stage: Your order has been received and is queued for submission. No action is required from you. - Submitting stage: Your order has entered active outreach to individual directories. Not all orders move to this stage at the same pace. It is normal for an order purchased on a specific date — for example, September 17 — to still show To-Do for several weeks. This does not mean the order is delayed, failed, or forgotten. It means the order is in the processing queue. 📅 How Data Aggregator Date References Work Some citations are distributed through data aggregators, which are large data networks that push your business information to hundreds of directories at once. These aggregators operate on their own internal publishing schedules, which Search Atlas does not control. As a result: - The date shown on your order may reflect when the aggregator received the data, not when it was published. - Individual directories within the aggregator network may show your listing at different times. - You may see some citations go live well before others, even within the same order. This staggered behavior is expected and does not indicate a problem with your order. 🔄 Why Your Order Stays in 'To-Do' Longer Than Others Different citation orders can move through stages at different speeds depending on several factors: - Directory queue volume: High-demand periods mean more orders are in the pipeline at the same time. - Business information verification: Some directories require additional checks before accepting a listing. - Aggregator publishing cycles: Data aggregators publish on scheduled cycles, not in real time. - Order size: Larger citation packages involve more directories and naturally take longer to process. 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.

🗺️ Citations Feature Limitations by Country Explained

🔍 Overview The Local Citations feature in Search Atlas relies on a third-party data provider called BrightLocal to create and distribute business listings across citation directories. BrightLocal's citation network does not currently cover Denmark or several other countries, which means addresses registered in those regions cannot be processed through the Citations tool. If you are based in Denmark and attempting to create a citation, you will encounter a registration failure. This is a known geographic limitation — not a bug in your account or setup. 📍 How to Access the Citations Feature To reach Local Citations in the platform, follow this path: 1. Click Local in the left sidebar. 2. Select Local Citations from the sub-menu. If your business address is located in Denmark, the system will be unable to complete the citation creation process at this stage. 🚫 Why Danish Addresses Fail When you attempt to register a Danish address, the failure occurs because: - BrightLocal's citation distribution network does not include Danish directories or data partners at this time. - Search Atlas passes your business address to BrightLocal's API to identify and build citations. If BrightLocal does not support the country, the API returns an error and the citation cannot be created. - This is a third-party infrastructure limitation, not an issue with your account, subscription tier, or the information you entered. This limitation applies to the entire country of Denmark and is not specific to a particular city, postal code, or address format. 🌍 Other Affected Regions Denmark is one of several countries where BrightLocal's citation coverage is limited or unavailable. Coverage varies by region and is subject to change as BrightLocal expands its directory network. If you manage locations in multiple countries, check whether each country is supported before attempting to build citations through Search Atlas. ✅ Available Workarounds While full Citations support for Denmark is not yet available inside Search Atlas, you can take the following steps to maintain your local SEO presence in the meantime: - Manual citation building: Submit your business information directly to major Danish directories such as De Gule Sider, Eniro, and Krak. These submissions are free and give you direct control over your listings. - Google Business Profile optimisation: Use the Local section of Search Atlas to manage and optimise your Google Business Profile fully. Navigate to Local → Overview to monitor your profile health, and use Local → Posts and Local → Reviews to stay active and engage with customers. - Third-party citation tools: Platforms such as BrightLocal's own self-service dashboard or Whitespark support manual citation submissions for Denmark and may offer broader Nordic directory coverage. - Track progress with Search Atlas: Even without automated citation creation, you can continue using Local → My Tasks to manage action items and Local → Media Library to keep your business assets organised and ready for when support is extended. 🗓️ Timeline for Denmark Support Search Atlas is actively working with BrightLocal and evaluating additional data partners to expand citation coverage to Denmark and other currently unsupported countries. There is no confirmed release date at this time. When Denmark support becomes available, it will be announced in the platform release notes and communicated to affected customers. 🛠️ What to Do If You See an Error Message If you receive a technical error when attempting to add a Danish address under Local → Local Citations, follow these steps: 1. Confirm that your business address is located in Denmark — this is the most common cause of the failure. 2. Do not attempt to re-enter the address multiple times; the result will be the same until platform support is added. 3. Use the manual workarounds described above to continue building your local presence. 4. If you believe your address is in a supported country and you are still seeing an error, contact our support team for further investigation. 💬 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.

📍 Finding Active Citations in Local Citations

📋 Overview Active citations pulled from your Google Business Profile report are located under the Local Citations page in Search Atlas. There is no intermediate Local SEO submenu — the path is a single step from the Local section in the left sidebar. 🗺️ How to Navigate to Local Citations 1. Open Search Atlas and look at the left sidebar. 2. Click Local in the sidebar. This expands the Local section and takes you to your GBP projects. 3. Click Local Citations directly in the expanded sidebar menu. The full navigation path is: Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations The URL will follow the pattern /gbp-galactic/local-citations (Local Citations) once you are inside the Local section. ✅ What You Will Find on the Local Citations Page Once you are on the Local Citations page, you can view and manage citation data associated with your Google Business Profile, including: - Active citations — listings that are currently live and consistent with your business information. - Citation sources and their status. - Any inconsistencies or opportunities to build additional citations. ⚠️ Common Navigation Mistake to Avoid There is no submenu called "Local SEO" inside the Local section. If you are looking for a path such as Local → Local SEO → Citations, that path does not exist in Search Atlas. Following it will prevent you from finding the feature. Always go directly to Local → Local Citations as described above. 🔍 Full Local Section Navigation Reference For reference, here are all the pages available under the Local section in the left sidebar: - Local → Overview - Local → Media Library - Local → My Tasks - Local → Posts - Local → Reviews - Local → Local Citations If you cannot see all of these options, make sure you have clicked Local in the sidebar to fully expand the section. 💬 Still 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.

🗂️ Order Citations Without a Search Atlas Project

Overview You do not need to set up a Search Atlas project to order citations for a business. You can purchase Hyperdrive credits through the Billing section of your account and then place a citation order directly inside the Local Citations tool. This guide walks you through the general process. Step 1: Purchase Hyperdrive Credits 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Click your avatar in the top-right to open the Account Menu, then select Billing. 3. Locate the Hyperdrive Credits section on the Billing page. 4. Choose the number of credits you want to purchase and complete the checkout process. 5. Once payment is confirmed, your credits are added to your account and are available to use across any citation order. Step 2: Open the Local Citations Tool 1. Navigate to the Local Citations tool within your Search Atlas account. 2. The citation ordering interface will open. You do not need an existing project to proceed. Step 3: Enter the Business Details When you open the citation ordering interface, the business information fields may be pre-populated with details from a previously used business or project. You can clear those fields and enter the correct business information for the order you want to place. 1. Review any pre-populated business information shown at the top of the form. 2. If the wrong business is shown, click into the relevant field and update or replace the existing content with the correct details. 3. Complete all required business details, which typically include the business name, address, phone number, website URL, and business category. Important: Updating a pre-populated entry only affects the current order form. It does not permanently delete any saved project or business profile in your account. Step 4: Configure and Place Your Citation Order 1. After entering the correct business information, select the citation packages or directories you want the business listed on. 2. Review the total Hyperdrive credit cost shown in the order summary and confirm you have sufficient credits available. 3. Submit the order using the available submit option to complete the citation submission. 4. Your order status will be reflected in the Local Citations section of the platform once the submission is processed. 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.

📍 Local Citation Categories: Aligning with Your GBP

🗺️ Why Citation-to-GBP Category Alignment Matters Local citations are a key trust signal for Google. When your citation categories match your Google Business Profile (GBP) category, Google can confidently confirm your business type across multiple sources. Mismatches can create conflicting signals that dilute your local ranking authority — even if the difference seems minor, like home care service vs. home health care service. Google uses citation data to validate the information on your GBP. Consistent category language across directories reinforces what your GBP already tells Google, strengthening your local prominence score. 🏥 Home Care vs. Home Health Care: Which Category to Use? These two categories are not interchangeable in Google's eyes, and the distinction matters for both compliance and rankings: - Home health care service — typically implies licensed medical or clinical care (skilled nursing, physical therapy, Medicare-certified agencies). - Home care service — typically implies non-medical assistance (companionship, personal care, daily living support). If your client's GBP is set to home health care service and they are already ranking well, your citation categories should match that exact wording. This is the most important rule: your primary citation category should mirror your GBP primary category as closely as each directory allows. Using a different category on citations — even one that feels like a synonym — introduces a signal inconsistency. Over time, this can slow ranking momentum or create confusion about the business type in Google's local index. ⚖️ Consistency vs. Change: The Trade-Off Explained If your client is already ranking well, the risk calculus changes. Here is how to think about each scenario: - If citations currently say "home care service" and rankings are strong: Do not make bulk changes immediately. Abrupt category shifts across many directories can temporarily disrupt the consistent signal pattern Google has already learned. Audit first, then update gradually. - If you are building new citations from scratch: Always use home health care service to match the GBP from day one. Consistency is easiest to establish before citations exist, not after. - If a directory does not offer the exact GBP category: Choose the closest available option. Document the exception. A small number of approximate matches across minor directories will not significantly harm a strong local profile. The general principle is: protect what is working, align what is new, and fix mismatches incrementally. ✅ Best Practices for Citation Category Selection 1. Start with your GBP primary category. This is your anchor. Every major citation source (Google Maps data aggregators, Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, data aggregators like Data Axle and Neustar) should reflect this category as closely as possible. 2. Check each directory's category taxonomy. Not every directory uses Google's exact category names. Map your GBP category to the closest equivalent on each platform and document your choices. 3. Prioritise high-authority directories. Mismatches on high-authority sites (Yelp, Facebook, Apple Maps, Better Business Bureau) carry more weight than mismatches on minor niche directories. 4. Audit existing citations before making changes. If your client already has a strong ranking, run a citation audit to identify and score inconsistencies before touching anything. 5. Update gradually if correcting existing citations. Change a small batch of directories per week rather than all at once to avoid a sudden shift in your citation signal pattern. 6. Document every category decision. Keep a simple spreadsheet logging the directory name, the category used, and any deviation from the GBP category with a reason. This protects you during future audits. 🔍 How to Check Your GBP Category in Search Atlas You can verify your client's active GBP primary category directly inside Search Atlas: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local (lands on GBP Projects). 2. Find your client's project and open it. 3. Review the GBP category displayed in the project overview. This is the category your citations should align with. Use this as your reference point every time you build or audit citations for the account. ⚠️ Special Considerations for Senior Care Businesses Senior care is a competitive and regulated niche. Category accuracy has both SEO and compliance implications: - Using home health care service for a non-medical agency could attract searchers expecting clinical services, increasing bounce rates and reducing conversion quality. - Some directories flag or restrict health-related categories, so verify that your client qualifies for the category before submitting. - If your client offers both non-medical and medical services, confirm with the client which GBP category best represents their primary service before setting it as the citation standard. When in doubt, align citations with the GBP category your client has already validated and is ranking for. Changing the GBP category itself is a separate strategic decision that should be evaluated carefully and is outside the scope of citation management alone. 💬 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.

How to Submit Local Citations in Search Atlas

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.

📍 Why Local Citations Don't Show as GSC Links

🗺️ Overview After purchasing a local citation package, you may notice two things: some citations marked Completed don't appear as links in Google Search Console (GSC) or third-party tools, and others seem stuck in progress for months. Both situations are normal in many cases — but there are also scenarios that require escalation. This article explains what to expect and what to do. 🔗 Why Some Citations Never Produce a Link Not every directory creates a publicly indexed, clickable backlink. Several major citation networks store your business data in aggregated databases that power GPS devices, voice assistants, and map applications — rather than hosting a standalone webpage for your listing. Networks that typically do not produce a direct URL or GSC-visible link include: - GPS Network (Data Axle / Localeze / Acxiom): These data aggregators distribute your business information to hundreds of downstream partners. There is no individual listing page to link to. Completion means your data has been submitted to the aggregator feed — not that a webpage exists. - Foursquare: Foursquare's primary function is a location data platform. Business records may exist in their database without generating an indexed public URL. - Navigation and IoT platforms: Services that push data to in-car navigation systems, smart devices, or syndication networks behave the same way. A citation marked Completed on these networks is accurate — the data submission was successful. The absence of a link in GSC is expected, not a mistake. ⏳ Indexing Delays and GSC Visibility Timelines Even for directories that do publish a public listing page, there is no guarantee GSC will pick it up quickly. Several factors affect how long this takes: - Googlebot crawl frequency: Smaller or newer directories may only be crawled every few weeks or months. - Domain authority of the directory: High-authority directories like Yelp or Yellow Pages tend to be indexed faster than niche or regional directories. - GSC reporting lag: GSC typically reflects links discovered within the last 90 days, but the Links report is not exhaustive and can take additional time to update. - Third-party tool delays: Tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz crawl the web independently. A link may be live but not yet discovered by their crawlers — this can add weeks to months on top of GSC lag. As a general guideline, allow 30–90 days after a citation is marked Completed before expecting it to appear in GSC or backlink tools. For aggregator-based networks, do not expect a link to appear at all. ✅ How to Verify a Citation Is Live Before escalating, confirm whether the citation actually exists on the directory by searching for your business name and city directly on the directory's website or via Google. If the listing page is live but not yet in GSC, allow additional time before escalating. If the listing does not appear at all after 90 days, contact support with your project name, the specific citation network, and the date it was marked Completed. 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.

💳 Local Citations Hyperdrive Credits Billing Explained

🔎 Overview When you submit a Local Citations Hyperdrive campaign, Search Atlas charges credits based on the submission package you select. Understanding how your credit balance is applied toward submission costs helps you plan ahead and avoid unexpected charges. 💡 How Credits Work for Hyperdrive Submissions Credit costs and billing logic for Local Citations Hyperdrive campaigns depend on the specific package you select and your current account plan. The exact credit amounts, deduction timing, and how existing balances are applied may vary — our support team can confirm the precise billing behavior for your account. If you have questions about a specific charge or want to understand how credits are calculated before launching a campaign, contact our team directly so they can walk you through the details that apply to your account. ⚠️ If You Were Billed Unexpectedly If you believe you were charged incorrectly or see an unexpected credit deduction related to a Hyperdrive campaign, please have the following ready when you reach out to support: - Your project or campaign name - The submission package selected - The date of the transaction - The exact credit amount deducted - A description of what you expected versus what you were charged Having these details on hand will help our team investigate and resolve the discrepancy as quickly as possible. 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.

📋 Data Aggregator Citations: Visibility, Timeline & Access

📌 What Are Data Aggregator & Network Submissions? When you purchase the Data Aggregator & Network Submissions service, Search Atlas submits your business information to major data aggregators — large data networks that distribute your business details to hundreds of downstream directories, apps, and platforms automatically. This is different from direct, one-to-one citation submissions. Instead of building each listing individually, your information is pushed to a small number of aggregator hubs, which then syndicate your data across their entire partner networks. This is why the number of citations visible in your dashboard early on may appear low — the bulk of listings are created externally by the aggregators themselves over time. 🔢 How Many Citations Should I Expect? Seeing only 7 citations in your dashboard shortly after purchase is completely normal and does not mean something went wrong. Here is what actually happens: - Initial dashboard entries: Search Atlas logs the direct submissions made to the primary aggregator networks. This typically results in a small number of entries visible in your dashboard right away — often fewer than 10. - Downstream distribution: Each aggregator then syndicates your business data to hundreds of partner sites and directories within their network. These downstream listings are created independently by the aggregators and are not individually logged back into your Search Atlas dashboard. - Total reach: The full citation footprint across aggregator partner networks can reach hundreds of platforms. The 7 (or similar small number) you see in your dashboard represents the aggregator-level submissions, not the total number of listings that will exist across the web. ⏱️ What Is the Delivery Timeline? Citation delivery is not instant. Aggregators process and distribute business data on their own schedules. Here is a general timeline to set expectations: - 0–7 days: Your submission is accepted by the primary data aggregators and the initial dashboard entries are created. - 2–6 weeks: Aggregators begin distributing your data to their downstream partner networks. New listings start appearing across directories and apps. - 6–12 weeks: The majority of downstream citations are live. Some niche or slower-updating platforms may take longer. - Ongoing: Aggregators continue to push your data to new partners they add to their networks over time. If you are within the first few weeks of your purchase, your citation footprint is still actively growing. Checking back after 6–8 weeks will give you a much more accurate picture of your full reach. 👁️ How Do I View My Citations in Search Atlas? To see the citations that have been submitted and tracked within the platform, follow these steps: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. Navigate to Local → Local Citations from the main dashboard. 3. Select your business location to view its citation data. 4. Review the listed citations, which reflect the direct aggregator-level submissions logged for your business. Keep in mind that downstream citations distributed by aggregators to their partner networks may not all appear here — this does not mean they do not exist. The dashboard reflects the submissions Search Atlas directly tracks. 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.

📞 YP Network Citation Phone Number Correction Timeline

🔍 Overview When you update a business phone number through Search Atlas, the change must propagate to every citation directory in your network — including the YP Network. This process is not instant. Understanding the timeline and what happens behind the scenes can help you set accurate expectations and avoid confusion while the correction is in progress. ⏱️ Why Phone Number Updates Take Time Search Atlas submits citation updates to directories like YP Network on your behalf, but each directory controls its own review and publishing schedule. Once a correction is submitted, the directory must: - Receive and queue the update request - Validate the new information against their records - Publish the corrected listing on their platform This end-to-end process typically takes 4 to 12 weeks for YP Network citations, depending on the directory's current processing volume. In some cases, the old phone number may continue to appear publicly until the directory completes its internal review. 📋 What to Check in Search Atlas Before assuming a correction has not been submitted, verify that the correct phone number is saved in your business profile inside the platform: 1. In the left sidebar, navigate to Local → Overview. 2. Select View project for the relevant business (e.g., Alpha Shielding LLC). 3. Open the About tab (GBP Profile Completion) and confirm the correct phone number is displayed. 4. If the number shown is still incorrect, update it now — this ensures all future citation syncs use the right information. Once the correct number is saved in Search Atlas, the platform will include it in the next scheduled sync to citation networks, including YP Network. 🛠️ What Happens After You Save the Correct Number Search Atlas automatically queues citation updates when business information changes. Here is what the correction workflow looks like: 1. Update saved — You confirm the correct phone number in your project profile. 2. Sync submitted — Search Atlas packages the correction and sends it to all connected citation networks. 3. Directory review — YP Network and other directories review and process the incoming update. 4. Listing published — The corrected phone number goes live on the directory's website. You do not need to take any additional action after saving the correct number. The platform handles submission automatically. 📊 Expected Timeline at a Glance - Search Atlas sync submission: Within 24–48 hours of saving the correct number - YP Network processing time: 4 to 12 weeks (varies by directory) - Visible on YP Network: After the directory completes its internal review and publishes the update If the wrong number is still showing publicly after 12 weeks from the date the correct number was saved in Search Atlas, this may indicate a processing issue that requires manual follow-up. 💡 Tips to Avoid Future Citation Errors - Always update your phone number in Search Atlas before changing it anywhere else — this ensures the platform syncs the correct number to all directories simultaneously. - Double-check the number format when entering it. Use a consistent format (e.g., (541) 588-5414) to avoid formatting mismatches across directories. - After making a change, revisit your citation listings after 6 weeks to spot-check that updates are appearing correctly. 🆘 Need Further Help? If the incorrect phone number is still showing after 12 weeks, or if you need help confirming that your correction was submitted successfully, we are here to 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.

📍 Find and Run Local Citation Scans in Search Atlas

📋 Overview Local citation scanning helps you verify that your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across directories and data aggregators. This article explains where to find the citation tools in Search Atlas, how to run a scan, and what to do if the option is not available for your location or business type. 🗺️ Where to Find Citation Scanning The citation tools live inside the Local section of Search Atlas, under Local Citations — not a standalone menu item. Some customers expect to see a dedicated Scan Citations button in the top navigation or sidebar, but it is accessed through your GBP location profile instead. Follow these steps: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local, then select Local Citations. 2. From the Local Citations dashboard, click Import from Google Business Profile if you have not yet connected a location. This pulls your GBP data — including your NAP details — into Search Atlas. 3. Once a location is imported, open that location's profile. You will see the citation scan option within the location view, allowing you to initiate a scan against major directories and aggregators. If you previously saw a Scan citations button described in documentation or a support conversation but cannot find it in the current UI, this is likely because the entry point has moved into the per-location workflow described above. The functionality is the same — it is simply launched from within the location record rather than from a top-level menu. 🔄 How GBP Citation Sync Works When you import a location from Google Business Profile, Search Atlas uses your verified NAP data as the baseline for citation checking. The tool then compares that baseline against listings across data aggregators and popular directories, calculating a Citation Score that reflects how consistent and complete your listings are. - Credit cost: Syncing citations with individual aggregators costs 40 credits per aggregator. Review your available credits before running a sync across multiple aggregators. - Citation Score: After the scan completes, your Citation Score updates automatically to reflect any new matches or inconsistencies found. - Re-scanning: You can re-run scans after making corrections to track improvement over time. ⚠️ When the Citation Scan Option Is Unavailable There are two known situations where the citation scan option may not appear or may not be usable: - Unsupported country: Citation scanning is currently only available for locations in supported countries. If your GBP location is in an unsupported region, you will see an eligibility message when selecting that location in the citation workflow. Support for additional countries is planned for future releases. - Address-less or e-commerce businesses: Citation scanning relies on a physical NAP (name, address, phone number) to match listings across directories. If your business does not have a public address — for example, a service-area-only or online-only business — the scan cannot run because there is no address to match against. A website-based alternative for address-less businesses is not yet available but is being evaluated. If neither of these situations applies to your business and the option is still missing, try refreshing your browser or clearing your cache, then navigate back to Local → Local Citations and open your location record again. ✅ Step-by-Step: Running Your First Citation Scan 1. Go to Local → Local Citations in the left sidebar. 2. Click Import from Google Business Profile and follow the prompts to connect and import your location. 3. Select the imported location to open its detail view. 4. Locate the citations section within the location profile and click to initiate a scan. 5. Review the list of aggregators, confirm the credit cost (40 credits per aggregator), and start the sync. 6. Once the scan completes, review your Citation Score and any flagged inconsistencies in the results panel. 💬 Still 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.

📡 Data Aggregator GBP Requirement and Citation Builder Alternative

🔍 Overview Data Aggregator is a Search Atlas tool that pushes your business information to major data networks, helping ensure your local listings stay accurate and consistent across the web. To use Data Aggregator, a connected Google Business Profile (GBP) is mandatory. If you do not have a GBP connected, you will see an error and will not be able to proceed with Data Aggregator. However, you can still manage local citations manually using Citation Builder as an alternative workflow. ⚠️ Why GBP Is Required for Data Aggregator Data Aggregator pulls your verified business information directly from your connected Google Business Profile. This ensures the data distributed to third-party directories and data networks is accurate and matches your authoritative business listing. Without a connected GBP, Data Aggregator has no verified source of business information to work from and cannot function. If you attempt to use Data Aggregator without a connected GBP, you will receive an error message indicating that a Google Business Profile connection is required before you can proceed. No data will be submitted until this requirement is met. 📋 What You Need to Use Data Aggregator - An active Search Atlas account with Local features enabled. - A verified Google Business Profile connected to your Search Atlas workspace. - Your GBP must be linked before accessing Data Aggregator — partial or pending connections will not unlock the tool. 🏗️ Using Citation Builder as a Manual Alternative If you do not currently have a GBP connected, Citation Builder is available as a manual alternative. Citation Builder allows you to create, manage, and track local citations across directories without requiring a GBP connection. It gives you direct control over individual citation submissions while your GBP setup is in progress or if GBP access is unavailable. To access Citation Builder, follow these steps: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local. 2. Under the Local section, click Local Citations. 3. From the Local Citations page, you can manually add and manage citations for your business across supported directories. 🔄 Citation Builder vs. Data Aggregator: Key Differences - Data Aggregator — Automated bulk distribution to major data networks. Requires a connected GBP. Faster and broader reach with less manual effort. - Citation Builder — Manual citation management across directories. No GBP required. Gives you direct control over individual listings but requires more hands-on effort. Citation Builder is a practical short-term solution, but for full automation and broader data network coverage, connecting a GBP and using Data Aggregator is strongly recommended. 🚧 Limitations When GBP Access Is Unavailable Using Citation Builder without a connected GBP comes with some limitations you should be aware of: - Citations must be submitted and managed individually rather than distributed automatically in bulk. - Data Aggregator's automated network syndication is not available, which may slow the spread of accurate business data across the web. - Ongoing synchronisation between your business information and distributed listings will not occur automatically without GBP. - Some advanced Local features within Search Atlas that depend on GBP data may also be restricted or unavailable. ✅ How to Connect Your Google Business Profile When you are ready to unlock Data Aggregator and full Local functionality, connect your GBP by following these steps: 1. In the left sidebar, click Local → GBP Projects. 2. Click Overview. 3. Follow the on-screen prompts to connect your Google Business Profile to your workspace. 4. Once your GBP is successfully connected, return to Data Aggregator to begin automated data distribution. Make sure the Google account you use has ownership or management access to the GBP you want to connect. Viewer-only access will not be sufficient to complete the connection. 💬 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.

🔗 Align Your Google Business Profile URL with Local Citations

🎯 Why URL Consistency Matters for Local SEO Your Google Business Profile (GBP) and your local citations (directory listings, data aggregators) work together to signal trustworthiness to search engines. When the website URL in your GBP differs from the URL submitted to data aggregators — even by a redirect — it can create NAP inconsistency (Name, Address, Phone/URL mismatches) that weakens your local search rankings. A redirect may work for a browser, but many data aggregators and citation sources store the URL exactly as submitted. If Google sees one version and aggregators store another, the mismatch undermines your local authority. 🔍 Understanding the Redirect Problem A common scenario looks like this: - Your GBP currently shows http://example.com (which redirects to https://www.example.com). - Your citation submissions use https://www.example.com (the final destination URL). Even though both URLs lead to the same page, they are treated as different values in citation databases. This creates inconsistency that can dilute your local ranking signals. ✅ Which URL Version Should You Use? Always use the canonical, final destination URL — the version a browser lands on after all redirects have resolved. To find it: 1. Open a browser in incognito mode. 2. Type your current website URL and press Enter. 3. Copy the URL shown in the address bar after the page fully loads. This is your final destination URL. Check for these details in the final URL: - Protocol: Is it http:// or https://? Always prefer https:// if your site supports it. - Prefix: Does it include www. or not? Use whichever the site resolves to. - Trailing slash: Match it exactly (e.g., https://www.example.com/ vs. https://www.example.com). Once identified, this single URL format should be used everywhere — your GBP, all citation submissions, and any other directory listings. ⚙️ How to Update Your Google Business Profile URL To update the website URL on your GBP, sign in to your Google Business Profile account and navigate to the profile you want to edit. Locate the website field within your profile's contact or business information settings and replace any redirect URL with your final destination URL. Save your changes and allow time for the update to reflect across Google's systems. 📋 How to Submit the Correct URL via Local Citations in Search Atlas Once your GBP is updated, make sure your citation submissions use the same final destination URL. When submitting or updating citations through Search Atlas, enter the exact canonical URL you identified above — not a redirect version. Consistency between your GBP and all citation sources is the key to reinforcing your local authority signals. 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.

🗺️ Multi-Location GBP Strategy with OTTO and NAP

📋 Key Concepts Before You Begin - NAP consistency: Your business Name, Address, and Phone number must match exactly across your GBP, website, and all citations. Even small differences (e.g., "St." vs. "Street") create conflicting signals. - GBP equity: An established profile with reviews and ranking history has real SEO value. Avoid merging, replacing, or re-verifying it unless absolutely necessary. - OTTO SEO: Search Atlas's AI automation layer applies on-page and local optimisations to a connected property. Each OTTO activation should correspond to one distinct, verified web property or location. 🏢 Scenario: Existing Profile + Current Office + Future Location This is the most common multi-location setup: you have an established GBP (e.g., a Corona office with strong equity), an active operating location (e.g., Los Angeles), and a planned future office. Here is how to handle each layer cleanly. 1. Keep the Corona GBP intact. Do not change its NAP, re-verify it, or merge it with another profile. Its existing reviews and ranking history are assets. Only update information on that profile if the Corona address is genuinely still valid for your business. 2. Create a separate GBP for the LA location. Use the exact legal business name, the precise LA address, and the primary phone number for that office. Do not reuse the Corona phone number or address on the LA profile. 3. Hold off on the future office until it is operational. Google and local ranking algorithms penalise profiles created for addresses where no one is actually working. Wait until the new office is open before creating its GBP. 4. Audit your citations before expanding. Use the Search Atlas Local SEO tools to identify any existing citations that mix addresses or phone numbers. Clean these up before adding a new location to prevent compounding errors. ⚙️ Configuring OTTO for Multiple Locations When setting up OTTO across multiple locations, each location should have its own project connected to its corresponding domain or location landing page. Do not point two location profiles at the same URL unless you are using location-specific subfolders (e.g., /los-angeles/) and have confirmed that your site architecture supports it. Connecting multiple locations to a single project can cause OTTO to apply conflicting local signals, undermining rankings for both profiles. 🔑 NAP Management Best Practices - Ensure the NAP on each location's GBP matches the NAP on the corresponding location page of your website exactly. - Use local schema markup on each location page to reinforce NAP signals to search engines. - Regularly audit citations using Search Atlas's Local SEO tools to catch and correct any inconsistencies introduced during expansion. 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.

💡 Foursquare Citation Credits Charge Explained

🔍 Overview If you notice a credit charge for a Foursquare citation that shows an incomplete or unresolved status, this article explains why that charge occurred and what you can expect going forward. 📋 What Happened with Foursquare Citations Foursquare discontinued support for direct business listing management through third-party citation tools, including the integration previously available in Search Atlas. This means that citations submitted to Foursquare through our platform may display an incomplete status because the submission pathway is no longer supported on Foursquare's end — not because of an error in how the citation was processed by Search Atlas. The credits associated with these submissions were charged at the time the citation job was initiated and submitted. Our system records the credit deduction when the task is dispatched, which is standard practice across all citation submissions regardless of the destination directory's response. 💳 Why Credits Were Still Charged Credits are consumed when a citation submission is actively processed and sent — not only when a listing is confirmed live. Here is a breakdown of how this works: - Credit deduction timing: Credits are deducted the moment a citation task is queued and dispatched to the target directory. - Third-party dependency: Whether a directory accepts, rejects, or discontinues support for submissions is outside Search Atlas's control. - Processing costs: The underlying infrastructure and data processing required to attempt the submission still incur operational costs, which the credit system reflects. Because the credits were used to initiate a real submission attempt — and not held speculatively — the charge stands even when the directory is no longer able to complete the listing. 🚫 Why Refunds Are Not Issued in This Case Search Atlas does not issue credit refunds for Foursquare citation charges in this scenario for the following reasons: - The submission was attempted in good faith using a feature that was active and functional at the time of the order. - The discontinuation was a decision made by Foursquare, not Search Atlas. - Credits reflect the cost of the submission attempt, which was completed by our system. - Issuing refunds for all third-party directory changes would be operationally unsustainable and is not covered under our standard credit usage policy. ✅ What You Should Do Next While a refund is not available for these charges, here are the recommended next steps to make the most of your citation strategy: 1. Review your citation targets: In your Search Atlas dashboard, audit any pending or incomplete citation listings and identify directories that may be inactive or discontinued. 2. Redirect your citation budget: Replace Foursquare with other high-authority directories that are currently active and accepting submissions. Our platform regularly updates the available directory list. 3. Check your citation report: Use the Citations tool to filter by status. Any listing marked incomplete due to a discontinued directory will be clearly labeled so you can plan accordingly. 4. Avoid resubmitting to Foursquare: Resubmitting will result in another credit deduction with the same outcome. Save those credits for active directories. 🛠️ How Search Atlas Handles Discontinued Directories When a directory partner discontinues third-party listing support, Search Atlas works to remove or flag that directory from the active submission list as quickly as possible. Foursquare has been flagged accordingly, and new citation orders will no longer include Foursquare as an available target. This prevents future credit charges for a submission that cannot be fulfilled. We understand this situation is frustrating, and we are committed to keeping our directory network current and transparent so your credits are always used effectively. 💬 Still Have Questions? 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.

📊 Why Citation Score Shows Google Listings Not Found

🔍 Overview If your Citation Score inside GBP Galactic shows Google or Google Maps as listing not found, you are not alone. This is a known display behaviour, and it does not mean your Google Business Profile is missing or broken. This article explains why it happens and what you can expect. 💡 Why Google and Google Maps Show as 'Listing Not Found' The Citation Score feature scans a wide network of third-party directories to detect and verify your business listings. However, Google and Google Maps are not accessible through the same automated scanning method used for other directories. Google restricts external tools from crawling and verifying Google Business Profile data in the same way. Because of this restriction, the Citation Score tool cannot automatically confirm the presence of your Google or Google Maps listing — even when your GBP profile is fully active, verified, and connected to GBP Galactic. The listing not found status for these two sources reflects a technical limitation of the scan, not an actual problem with your profile. ⚙️ Can I Manually Add Google and Google Maps Citations? At this time, Google and Google Maps cannot be manually added as citations within the Citation Score tool. Because these platforms fall outside the supported directory network, they are not available as sources you can submit or override manually. Your Citation Score will continue to reflect the status of all other supported directories, and your Google Business Profile remains fully functional and connected to GBP Galactic regardless of what the Citation Score displays for these two sources. ✅ How to Check Your Google Business Profile Is Working Correctly To confirm your GBP profile is active and properly connected, follow these steps: 1. Go to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects to open GBP Galactic. 2. Select the relevant GBP project from your project list. 3. Review the Overview page (Left sidebar → GBP Projects → Overview) to confirm your profile details, status, and connected account are displaying correctly. 4. Check Left sidebar → Local → Reviews (GBP Reviews) and Left sidebar → Local → Posts to confirm data is syncing from your live Google profile. If your Overview is loading profile data and your Reviews or Posts are syncing, your Google Business Profile is connected and working as expected. 📋 What the Citation Score Does Measure The Citation Score is still a valuable indicator of your broader local presence. It measures how consistently your business information appears across supported third-party directories, including platforms like Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, and many others. A strong Citation Score on these platforms supports your overall local SEO health. To review your full citation status, navigate to Left sidebar → Local → Local Citations. Here you can see which directories have been found, which have inconsistencies, and where opportunities exist to build or fix listings. 🛠️ Summary - Google and Google Maps showing as listing not found in Citation Score is expected behaviour — it is a scan limitation, not a profile error. - Your GBP profile remains active and connected to GBP Galactic regardless of this display. - Manual citation submission for Google and Google Maps is not currently supported. - Use the Local Citations page to manage and improve citations across all other supported directories. 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.

🗺️ GBP Galactic Citation Score: Google Listings Not Found

🔍 Overview If your Citation Score in GBP Galactic displays listing not found for Google or Google Maps — even though your profile is actively linked to GBP Galactic — you are not alone. This is a common source of confusion because linking your Google Business Profile and discovering that profile as a citation are two separate processes. This article explains why this happens and what to do next. ⚙️ Why 'Listing Not Found' Appears for Google and Google Maps Connecting your Google Business Profile to GBP Galactic gives the platform permission to manage and sync your profile data. However, the Citation Score tool works differently — it independently scans public directories and data sources across the web to detect whether your business listing exists and is consistent on each platform. Google and Google Maps are scanned the same way as any other directory. A listing not found result can appear even when your GBP account is connected, because the Citation Score reflects what an independent scan finds in the public web, not what is connected inside the platform. ✅ What to Do When You See 'Listing Not Found' for Google Because the source of this issue requires investigation on the backend, please have the following information ready when you reach out to our team: - The exact business name, address, and phone number stored in GBP Galactic. - The exact business name, address, and phone number currently shown on your Google Business Profile. - The current verification status of your Google Business Profile (verified, pending, or suspended). - The date of any recent changes made to your business name, address, or phone number on Google. - A screenshot of the Citation Score result showing the 'listing not found' status for Google or Google Maps. Our team will review your account and Citation Score scan results to identify the cause and advise on next steps. 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.

Update Phone Number NAP Across GBP, Citations, and OTTO

🔍 Why NAP Consistency Matters NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number — the three core pieces of business information that search engines use to verify your local presence. When your phone number differs across your Google Business Profile (GBP), local citations, and OTTO SEO settings, it can confuse search engines and hurt your local rankings. This article explains what to do when your phone number is not propagating consistently across GBP, Citations, and OTTO SEO in Search Atlas. ⚠️ What Is NAP Propagation? When you update your phone number in one place — such as your Google Business Profile — that change needs to be reflected everywhere your business information appears: local directory citations and your OTTO SEO project. If these are out of sync, it can negatively affect your local SEO rankings. Propagation is not always instant and may take time to reflect across all connected systems. ✅ Recommended Order to Update Your Phone Number To ensure your new phone number propagates correctly and consistently, follow this sequence: 1. Update your Google Business Profile (GBP) first. Log in to your Google Business Profile and update the phone number there. GBP is the authoritative source that Search Atlas syncs from, so this must be done before making any changes in Search Atlas. 2. Update your Citations in Search Atlas. Navigate to the Local Citations section in Search Atlas and update the phone number for the affected business location. This ensures your directory listings reflect the new number. 3. Update your OTTO SEO project. Go to your OTTO SEO project settings and confirm or update the phone number there so it matches your GBP and Citations entries. 4. Allow time for propagation. Changes may not be instant. Wait 24–72 hours for the updated number to propagate across connected systems and local directories. 5. Verify consistency. After the propagation window, check all three areas — GBP, Citations, and OTTO SEO — to confirm the phone number is consistent. 📋 If the Number Is Still Not Updating If after following the steps above your phone number is still inconsistent across GBP, Citations, or OTTO SEO, please have the following ready before reaching out to our support team: - The exact business location or project name affected - The old phone number and the new phone number you need reflected - Which specific area is still showing the incorrect number (GBP sync, Citations list, OTTO SEO project, or all three) - Any steps you have already taken to update the number and when you took them 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.

📋 Data Axle Citations: Timeline and Link Visibility

🔍 Overview When you order citations through the Data Axle aggregator in Search Atlas, your order status may show Completed shortly after submission — but this does not mean all citations are live yet. Data Axle distributes your business information to a large network of partner directories, and the full set of live citation links becomes available approximately 4 weeks after submission. This article explains what to expect at each stage and where to find your live links once they are ready. 📦 What "Completed" Status Actually Means The Completed status in your order confirms that Search Atlas has successfully submitted your business data to the Data Axle aggregator. It does not mean that all partner directory sites have published your listing yet. Data Axle operates as a data aggregator, meaning it distributes your business information across its network of partner directories and data consumers over time. The initial completed status typically reflects the primary Data Axle record being created. The broader network of downstream directories then picks up and publishes your information on their own schedules, which can vary significantly. Seeing only 1 citation immediately after completion is completely normal. ⏱️ The 4-Week Citation Timeline Here is what typically happens after your Data Axle submission is marked Completed: 1. Week 1–2: Your business data is queued and distributed by Data Axle to its partner directory network. The primary Data Axle record generally appears first, while partner and downstream directories publish your information on their own update cycles. Very few or no partner links may appear yet. 2. Week 3–4: Partner directories begin publishing your listing. Citations start appearing as live links in your Search Atlas dashboard. 3. Around Week 4: A complete report with all available live citation links becomes accessible. This is when you will see the full picture of your citation coverage. Full distribution across all partner sites may take longer in some cases. The exact timing can vary slightly depending on partner directory processing speeds, but the 4-week window is the standard expectation for a full report. This timeline is controlled by Data Axle and its network partners — it is not something Search Atlas can accelerate on your behalf. 🗺️ Where to Find Your Live Citation Links Once your citations begin going live, you can view them directly inside your Search Atlas account. Log in to Search Atlas, go to your Local SEO or Citations area, and open the relevant campaign or order. Navigate to your citation order within the platform and open the order details to see live citation links as each partner directory publishes your listing. Check back regularly over the 4-week period as new links are added. You do not need to take any action to trigger the links to appear — they populate automatically as partner sites go live. 🔗 Submitting Live Links to an Indexer Once your citation links are visible in your order details, you can copy them and submit them to an indexer to accelerate discovery by search engines. You can also use the platform's URL indexing feature for this purpose. This can help ensure search engines find and credit your new citations more quickly. 💡 Tips While You Wait - Do not resubmit the same order if links appear sparse early on — allow time for the network to propagate your data before taking further action. - If you are unable to locate your citation links within your account after an extended period, contact support with your order details so the team can look into the status directly. 📋 What to Have Ready If You Need to Escalate If after 4 weeks your citation links have still not appeared or you are seeing an unexpectedly low number of live citations, please be ready to provide the following when contacting support: - Your Search Atlas account or project name - The date your Data Axle order was marked Completed - The number of live citation links currently visible - Any error messages or unexpected statuses shown in your order 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.

🔍 Understanding GBP Citation Visibility

📌 What “Complete” means A citation marked Complete means the submission was processed successfully at the time it ran. It does not guarantee that the listing will remain visible forever in the Search Atlas account or on the publisher’s website. ⏳ Why older citations may disappear Completed citations can become unavailable in the account after an extended period, including submissions that are more than 12 months old. Publisher directories may also update, merge, remove, or change listings independently of Search Atlas. This means an older campaign can show as complete while its citation details are no longer available in the current account view. A missing citation does not automatically mean the original submission failed. 🔎 How to check a citation 1. Open the relevant project in Search Atlas. 2. Go to the GBP or Citations area. 3. Search for the campaign or citation using its name, business details, or campaign ID. 4. Review the current status and any available publisher or listing URL. 5. Open the publisher URL, if available, to confirm whether the listing is still live. 🛠️ What to do when it is not visible - Confirm that you are viewing the correct project, location, and account. - Check whether the citation is older than 12 months. - Search the publisher directly using the business name, address, and phone number. - Allow for publisher changes, indexing delays, or listing removals. - If the citation is important and no longer exists, consider submitting it again through a current citation campaign. ✅ Important expectations Citation delivery is not a permanent guarantee. Publisher websites control their own directories, and listings can be edited or removed after a submission is completed. Search Atlas may also limit the visibility of older campaign records as the platform is updated. Do not create duplicate submissions immediately if a citation is still processing or recently completed. First verify the campaign status and publisher listing to avoid unnecessary duplicates. 💬 Need help checking a citation? 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.

📍 SAB Citation Aggregator Coverage and Link Counts

🗺️ What Are SAB Citations? Service Area Businesses (SABs) serve customers at the customer's location — think plumbers, landscapers, or mobile consultants — without displaying a physical address publicly. Citation aggregators can still distribute your business data (name, phone, service area) across their downstream publisher networks, but SAB-specific coverage varies significantly between aggregators. Choosing the right one protects your credits and maximises your citation footprint. ⚙️ How SAB Citations Work in Search Atlas Search Atlas fully supports citation submissions for SABs. When configuring your listing, enter your business ZIP code and leave the street address hidden so it is never shown publicly. The aggregator still receives and distributes all other business data across its network. Each aggregator submission costs 40 credits, so understanding SAB-specific downstream coverage before submitting is essential — especially when managing multiple SAB listings. 📊 Aggregator Comparison: SAB Coverage and Downstream Links The three aggregators available in Search Atlas handle SAB listings differently. Here is how they compare for businesses with no physical address displayed: - Data Axle — Best SAB coverage (~60–80+ downstream sites). Data Axle has the largest publisher network and imposes the fewest address requirements on its downstream partners, making it the highest-yield option for SABs. Service area data is distributed broadly even without a street address, so you are unlikely to see the severely limited link counts that affect other networks. - Neustar Localeze — Good SAB coverage (~30–50 downstream sites). Localeze maintains a strong network of local directories and data partners and supports SAB profiles. A subset of its downstream partners do require a physical address to publish a listing, which reduces total coverage compared to a standard listing — but overall volume remains solid for service area businesses. - Foursquare — Limited SAB coverage (~10–20 downstream sites). Foursquare's platform is optimised for venue- and location-based data. Without a physical address, SAB listings qualify for far fewer placements in its network. Foursquare is the lowest-yield option specifically for SABs and is best reserved for brick-and-mortar businesses. 🏆 Recommended Submission Order for SABs For maximum citation return on your credits, follow this priority order: 1. Data Axle first — Widest SAB-compatible network and highest downstream link count. Start here for every SAB listing. 2. Neustar Localeze second — Strong secondary coverage; complements Data Axle with additional directory reach. 3. Foursquare third (optional) — Only consider once the first two are submitted and your credit balance allows. Expected SAB yield is significantly lower. If you are managing two SAB listings on a limited credit budget, submitting both to Data Axle will typically return more total citations than spreading credits equally across all three aggregators. 🛠️ How to Submit SAB Citations 1. In the left sidebar, go to Local → Local Citations. 2. Open the GBP project for your SAB listing. 3. Navigate to the Local Citations section inside the project. 4. When prompted for address details, enter your ZIP code only and leave the street address field blank or set to hidden so the address is not displayed publicly. 5. Select your target aggregator — start with Data Axle for the best SAB results. 6. Confirm the submission. 40 credits will be deducted per aggregator. Important: Downstream distribution is not instant. New listings typically appear on partner sites within 4–12 weeks after aggregator submission. Active citation counts in your dashboard update only once links are confirmed as live, so early counts may appear lower than the final total. ❓ Common Questions About SAB Citations Will hiding my address always reduce my link count? Yes, to varying degrees. Every aggregator has some downstream partners that require a physical address. Data Axle has the fewest such restrictions, which is why it consistently produces the highest SAB link counts. Can I submit one SAB listing to all three aggregators? Yes — each aggregator submission is independent. Submitting to multiple aggregators increases your total citation footprint and strengthens local SEO signals across a wider range of data sources. My citation count looks very low right after submission — is something wrong? Not necessarily. Counts reflect only verified live links, not pending distributions. Allow the full 4–12 week window before drawing conclusions about coverage. 💬 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.

📍 Submitting Citations for Service Area Businesses

🏢 What Is a Service Area Business (SAB)? A Service Area Business (SAB) is a business that travels to customers rather than serving them at a fixed storefront — think plumbers, landscapers, or mobile dog groomers. On Google Business Profile, SABs hide their physical address from the public and instead list the geographic areas they serve. Because citations rely on consistent business information (Name, Address, Phone — or NAP data), SABs present a unique challenge: the address field is either hidden or absent, yet most citation directories still require location data. ✅ Can SABs Submit Citations? Yes — citations can and should be submitted for SAB listings. Citations help establish local authority and trust signals for your business, even without a publicly displayed address. However, you must use a real, consistent address rather than descriptive text in the address fields. Search Atlas's citation submission form currently requires a physical address to validate and submit your citation request. Typing text such as "This is a Service Area Business" into the address fields will trigger a validation error (for example, "Please enter a valid ZIP / postcode") because those fields expect real location data. ⚠️ Why the Form Shows Validation Errors When the SAB toggle is set to Yes, the form still requires valid address fields to route your citation to the correct directories. Entering service area names (such as "Ocala, FL, USA") or placeholder text in the Address Line 1, City, State, or ZIP fields will cause the form to reject the submission. This is a known UI limitation. The form does not yet auto-hide or mark address fields as optional when SAB mode is enabled. 📝 How to Submit Citations for an SAB Listing Follow these steps to successfully submit citations for a Service Area Business: 1. Use your real business address — even if it is hidden from your public GBP listing, most citation directories accept a private business address (such as a home office or registered business address). This address will not necessarily be displayed publicly on every directory. 2. If you do not have a fixed business address, use the address of your primary service area — for example, the city, state, and ZIP code of the main area you serve. This must be a real, valid address format (a real ZIP code for that city). 3. Navigate to Local → GBP Projects in the left sidebar, then open your SAB project. 4. Locate the Citations section and begin the submission form. 5. In the address fields, enter the address chosen in Step 1 or Step 2. Do not enter service area names or descriptive text in these fields. 6. Complete all remaining required fields (business name, phone number, website) and submit. Consistency is critical. Whichever address you choose, use the exact same format across all citation submissions for that listing. Inconsistent NAP data can harm your local rankings. 📊 What to Expect from Citation Scoring for SABs SAB listings that do not have latitude/longitude coordinates attached to their GBP profile may see limited data in the Citation Score, Competitor Benchmark, and Keyword Rankings sections of the GBP Audit. This is a known issue currently being addressed by the Search Atlas engineering team. Despite these display gaps, your submitted citations are still being processed and will count toward your listing's authority. Citation score data for SABs will improve as this is resolved in an upcoming update. 💡 Best Practices for SAB Citations - Submit citations using one consistent address per SAB listing — do not mix addresses across submissions for the same business. - Prioritize high-authority directories such as Google, Bing, Apple Maps, and Yelp before expanding to niche directories. - If you manage multiple SAB listings (for example, two service-area businesses for different brands or regions), treat each listing independently with its own consistent address. - Avoid entering service area city lists or placeholder text in any address field — this will always trigger a validation error. 💬 Need Further Assistance? 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.

📊 How Search Atlas Vets Citation and Link Quality

Search Atlas vets the quality of links and citation sources using Majestic Trust Flow (TF) and Citation Flow (CF) — not Domain Authority (DA). There is no DA cutoff enforced by Search Atlas for citations. Here is how the quality check actually works: - Trust Flow below 5 is automatically flagged as low-quality ("Disavow: Metric"). - A low Trust-to-Citation Flow ratio (roughly TF ÷ CF below 0.25) is automatically flagged as potentially spammy ("Disavow: Ratio"), regardless of the absolute Trust Flow score. - Trust Flow below 10 combined with a TF/CF ratio below 0.5 may be flagged as a possible disavow candidate for manual review. A few things to keep in mind: - Higher Trust Flow and a healthy TF/CF ratio indicate a more trustworthy source. These are Majestic's own quality metrics, not an official Google ranking factor. - Context matters. In some niches, high-Trust-Flow sources may be harder to find. Using the best available source is always better than using none at all. - These metrics are one signal among many. Relevance, recency, and accuracy of a source still matter when choosing what to cite. If you have questions about how citation quality is being evaluated for your specific content, feel free to chat with a human teammate using the in-app live chat widget.

How to Scan Your Local Citations in Search Atlas

What Is a Citation Scan? A citation scan checks your business listings across directories and data sources to identify inconsistencies, missing entries, or errors in your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) data. How to Navigate to Local Citations Follow these steps to reach the Local Citations section: 1. Log in to your Search Atlas account. 2. In the left sidebar, click Local. 3. From the expanded menu, click Local Citations. This takes you directly to the Local Citations page, where you can initiate new scans and review existing citation data. How to Initiate a Citation Scan Once you are on the Local Citations page, follow these steps to run a scan: 1. Confirm that the correct GBP project is selected. If you manage multiple locations, make sure the appropriate project is active before scanning. 2. Look for the option to scan citations on the page and click it to initiate the scan. 3. Wait for the scan to complete. Depending on the number of directories being checked, this may take a few moments. The page will update when results are ready. Important: If no scan has been run before for your project, the citations panel may appear empty. Running your first scan populates the data for that location. How to Review Your Citation Scan Results After the scan completes, your results will display on the Local Citations page. Here is what to look for: - Matched citations: Listings where your NAP data is consistent and accurate. - Inconsistent citations: Listings where your business name, address, or phone number does not match your primary source of truth. - Missing citations: Directories where your business has not yet been listed. Click on any individual listing to open the detail view and review the specific data found for that citation. Still Need Help? If you run into any issues initiating a scan or interpreting your results, please reach out to our support team via the chat widget and we will be happy to assist you.