In this article, we cover the Citation Builder update process, including how business information is submitted to data aggregators and distributed across directories, search engines, and apps. You'll learn about the typical update timeline, factors that affect citation changes, the importance of maintaining an active subscription, and the risks of discontinuing Citation Builder for long-term local SEO success.
Understanding Citation Builder’s Update Process
Citation Builder is an ongoing service designed to maintain and enhance your client's online presence. As soon as your client's business information is submitted, Citation Builder pushes it to two major data aggregators: Foursquare and TransUnion's Neustar/Localeze. These aggregators supply data to hundreds of directories, search engines, and apps, which update their records at varying intervals—some refresh weekly, others monthly or longer.
Because data distribution occurs on an ongoing basis, Citation Builder is sold as an annual subscription to ensure continued accuracy and visibility in search results.
Citation Update Timeline
- Update citations / start Citation Builder subscription: within 24 hours
- Confirmation from data aggregators: up to 6 weeks
- Data aggregators share information with various citation sources, which in turn publish updates: 2 - 3 months (varies by source)
- Client business data is picked up across various search engines and other citation sources: timeline varies based on each platform’s data refresh schedule
How to Speed Up the Process:
For faster updates, clients should manually update their key citations on major search engines and social platforms, as these sources often have their own validation processes that can cause delays.
How Does Citation Builder Affect Claimed Citations?
If your client has already claimed a citation, Citation Builder typically cannot override those entries (e.g., Google Business Profile). However, some platforms, such as Bing, may update their records if enough other trusted sources display different information.
If a citation has been manually claimed and verified, Citation Builder will not modify the citation’s details, preventing any unintentional overwrites.
Why Clients Should Stay Subscribed to Citation Builder
Even after your client’s citation information is corrected, it can be altered over time due to various factors, such as user edits, outdated public records, and changes in data sources. Citation Builder helps maintain local SEO consistency by ensuring that citation information remains correct across the web.
Benefits of Continuous Subscription:
- Prevents data reversion: Public business records (e.g., yellow pages, phone directories) may not reflect your client’s preferred data. If Citation Builder is discontinued, directories may revert to outdated or incorrect information.
- Maintains data consistency: Search engines prioritize consistent information across multiple sources. If old data resurfaces, citations may become inconsistent, reducing visibility in search results.
- Builds a long-term citation network: Citation Builder reinforces the “Citation Effect” by continuously supplying consistent data to multiple sources, increasing trust and improving search rankings.
- Google’s WebCrawler detects consistent information across sources, strengthening your client’s local search presence.
- Quality backlinks are created, enhancing your client’s SEO and online authority.
The Risks of Discontinuing Citation Builder:
Discontinuing Citation Builder can have significant consequences for your client’s online visibility and search rankings. Without regular updates, their citation information may become outdated due to user-generated edits, incorrect directory data, or lost citations. This inconsistency can cause search engines to lose trust in the business, leading to lower rankings and reduced visibility in local search results.
Furthermore, discontinued citations may revert to outdated public records, undoing the accuracy Citation Builder has established. A lack of citation maintenance leaves your client’s business vulnerable to conflicting information, which can confuse potential customers and negatively impact their credibility.
Maintaining an active Citation Builder subscription ensures a proactive rather than reactive approach to citation management. By keeping information consistently updated, your client’s business can sustain strong search visibility, build trust with search engines, and reinforce its online presence for long-term success.