Top 10 Canadian Citations for Local Businesses and Search Marketers!
Updated January 2025 – The following list I’m going to share with you, my fellow small business owners and local SEO’ers – I’ve compiled myself over the last 10+ years with the help of many of the industries brightest. It may not be ‘news’ to some of you, but others may mind find a gem or two in here worth sharing or using in their arsenal.
For those of you who aren’t sure what citations are, read up on them here.
Do Citations Still Matter?
Citations are still important for local SEO, but their role has changed. Here’s why they matter in 2024:
- Trust & Authority: Citations from reputable sites (like YellowPages or Yelp) help build credibility with Google, though they don’t directly boost rankings as much as before.
- NAP Consistency: Your business’s Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) should match across all listings. Inconsistent info can hurt your local rankings.
- Local Search Results: Citations help improve visibility in Google Maps and Apple Maps, which is key for showing up in location-based searches.
- Reputation Management: Listings that allow reviews, like Yelp and Facebook, are increasingly important as reviews impact local SEO.
- Voice Search: Platforms like Apple Maps (used by Siri) rely on citations, so being listed correctly helps with voice search results.
- Quality Over Quantity: Fewer, high-quality listings are better than having lots of low-quality citations.
Andrews Top 10 Citations for Canadian businesses in 2024 & 2025 are …. *drumroll*
| Rank | Citation Source | 2024 & 2025 Updates for Local SEO & Directories |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | YellowPages | Still a key player for authority, especially in local search. Integration with more voice search platforms is emerging in 2024. |
| 2 | Maps.Apple.Com | Apple Maps is now integrating more with smart home devices and AI assistants, crucial for local SEO. |
| 3 | MapQuest.com | Continues to provide citations but has seen a decrease in traffic. Still relevant for local directory citations, but not a top-tier SEO player in 2024. |
| 4 | Yelp | Yelp is seeing a boost in importance due to Google pulling more review data from third-party sites. Critical for reputation management in 2024. |
| 5 | BBB.org | In 2024, BBB’s influence is stable, and it’s seen as a trust signal in local SEO, especially for Alberta businesses. |
| 6 | Facebook.com | In 2024, Facebook Business Pages are pivotal for local visibility, with more focus on local business discovery and reviews integration. |
| 7 | n49.ca | Continues to be valuable for niche Canadian directories and has added more local SEO tools in 2024 for small businesses in Alberta. |
| 8 | Ibegin | Its importance has dwindled slightly but is still considered useful for business citations in 2024. |
| 9 | Manta | In 2024, Manta remains a citation source, but it’s overshadowed by larger platforms like Yelp and Facebook in local SEO strategies. |
| 10 | Goldbook | No major updates for 2024, but Goldbook still provides solid citation opportunities, especially for Alberta businesses. |