Most businesses have no idea how many places their information appears online. Without a professional approach to business listing management, key data can move unchecked across directories, apps and maps. And the more places that data appears, the harder it is to keep it accurate and consistent. Control over citation data begins with knowing how business data moves and spreads online.
How Business Data Spreads Online
Once a business’ details are listed online, they can spread quickly to a range of different platforms. Business data gets picked up and shared across a wide range of platforms including directories like Yelp, map services like Google Maps, review sites and voice search tools like Siri or Alexa.
Many of these platforms don’t actually collect data themselves. Instead, citation data is spread via data aggregators like Data Axle, Localeze and Foursquare. When these services distribute data, it goes out to numerous platforms at once. Of course, if a listing has a wrong address, old phone number or other mistake, this error can show up across the internet.
What Happens When Citation Data Is Unmanaged
When a business loses control of its citation data, any errors or changes will have real-world consequences. Different platforms end up displaying different versions of the same company, perhaps featuring conflicting phone numbers, the wrong address, or misleading opening hours.
When citation data is unmanaged, businesses and the agencies controlling their listings often don’t realize there is a problem, and this makes the situation even worse. Data aggregators might be syndicating error-filled business listings, and third-party edits could be creating inaccuracies on platforms where they’re allowed. And the result? Customers just don’t know what is true.
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