Guide
Local citations and directories in Ireland
A citation is any place online that mentions your business name, address and phone number. Google uses them as corroboration. The work is boring, which is exactly why doing it puts you ahead.
Consistency beats quantity
Being listed on twenty sites with three different phone numbers is worse than being listed on eight with the same details everywhere. Pick one exact format for your name, address and number and never deviate.
That includes small things. Ltd or Limited, Rd or Road, and how you write your phone number.
Where to be listed
Focus on places real Irish customers and Google both recognise.
- Google Business Profile, first and most important
- Bing Places and Apple Business Connect
- Well known Irish business directories
- Your trade body or registration scheme if you have one
- Local chamber, GAA club or community listings in your area
Trade registrations carry extra weight
If you are on a recognised register for your trade, make sure that listing is complete and links to your site. Those pages tend to be trusted and they reassure customers as well as Google.
They are also a differentiator on your own site. Say clearly what you are registered for.
Cleaning up the old stuff
Most established businesses have listings from years ago with a dead number or a former address. Every one of those is noise working against you.
Search your business name and old phone number and work through what comes up. It takes an afternoon and it is worth it.
What not to bother with
Paid listings on low quality directories nobody uses are a waste. If the site exists purely to sell listings, skip it.
Anyone offering to blast you onto hundreds of directories is creating the exact inconsistency problem you are trying to avoid.
Common questions
Do business directories still help SEO in Ireland?
Recognised ones do, mainly by confirming your details are consistent. Low quality paid directories add little and can create inconsistencies.
What is a NAP and why does it matter?
It is your name, address and phone number. Google uses matching details across the web to confirm your business is real and located where you say.
Where to go next
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More guides like this
- Google Business Profile Guide for Irish TradesA plain English guide to setting up your Google Business Profile and showing up on the map in your area.
- Google Business Profile Setup for TradesA step by step run through of the free listing that decides whether you appear on the map.
- How to Get More Google ReviewsThe asking part is the hard bit. Here is a routine that works without feeling pushy.