---
title: "Audit and fix local citations for consistent NAP data"
description: "Citations are the directory listings that carry your business name, address and phone. Compare a competitor's citation footprint with your own using a quoted name search, find outdated or missing listings with BrightLocal or Whitespark, then correct the major and industry directories so every listing shows the same details."
url: "https://seo-mcp.io/t/audit-and-fix-local-citations-for-consistent-nap-data"
---

# Audit and fix local citations for consistent NAP data

Citations are the directory listings that carry your business name, address and phone. Compare a competitor's citation footprint with your own using a quoted name search, find outdated or missing listings with BrightLocal or Whitespark, then correct the major and industry directories so every listing shows the same details.

## Prerequisites

- Business name, address and phone in one canonical format
- Login access to the directory accounts you will edit or claim

## Steps

1. **Search a competitor's exact business name in quotes** — Copy the exact business name of a top-ranking local competitor, wrap it in double quotes, and run it as a Google search. Note the approximate number of results as a rough picture of their citation footprint.
   Check: A results page is returned for the quoted name and you have recorded the result count next to the competitor's name.
2. **Run the same quoted search for your own business** — Repeat the quoted search with your own exact business name and record the result count so the two figures sit side by side.
   Check: You have two recorded counts, one for the competitor and one for your business.
3. **Run a citation audit with a citation tool** — Use BrightLocal or Whitespark to list the directories where the business is already present, the ones where it is missing, and the listings whose phone number or address is out of date.
   Check: The tool report contains at least one missing listing or one listing flagged with a mismatched phone or address.
4. **Lock one NAP string before editing anything** *(general best practice)* — Write the business name, street address, phone number and category exactly as they will appear everywhere, then use that identical string on the site and in every listing.
   Check: The string used in the listings matches the NAP published in the site footer and LocalBusiness schema character for character.
5. **Correct the large general directories first** — Update or claim the listings on Yelp, Apple Maps, Bing, Facebook, the BBB and the local Chamber of Commerce so each shows the canonical NAP.
   Check: Each of those directory pages displays the exact business name, street address and phone number from the canonical string.
6. **Then correct the industry directories** — Work through the directories specific to the industry; for law firms that means Justia, Martindale, Lawyers.com and the state bar profile.
   Check: Each industry listing shows the canonical phone number and address, with no old office or former firm name.
7. **Re-audit after any name, phone or address change** — Whenever the firm changes its phone number, moves office or adds a partner to the name, rerun the audit and fix every listing in the same pass as the website update.
   Check: A fresh tool report shows zero listings with a mismatched phone number, address or business name.

## Source

@bowtiedbills on 2026-10-20: https://x.com/BowTiedBills/status/2112377164255355368

Canonical: https://seo-mcp.io/t/audit-and-fix-local-citations-for-consistent-nap-data