Citation cleanup means finding every online listing of your business that shows wrong or outdated details, then correcting, merging or removing it so it matches your Google Business Profile. It matters most after a move, a phone number change, a rebrand, or years of different agencies submitting slightly different data.
The process has five parts: lock the correct record, audit what exists, fix the most visible listings first, resolve duplicates, then monitor on a schedule so errors do not creep back. Below you will find an audit checklist, platform-specific fixes for duplicates and moved or closed locations, and a monitoring cadence you can actually keep.
When a citation cleanup is worth doing
- You moved, even a few doors down or to a different suite in the same building
- You changed phone numbers, switched carriers or replaced a landline with a mobile
- You rebranded, merged practices or bought another business
- A previous agency, franchisor or listing service submitted data on your behalf
- Customers mention calling an old number or arriving at an old address
- Google Maps shows two pins for your business, or one under a former name
A ranking drop on its own is not proof of a citation problem. Before spending weeks on directories, check your primary category, recent review activity and any edits Google applied to your profile. Our guide to why rankings suddenly drop covers the more common causes.
Citation audit checklist
An audit is mostly careful searching and record keeping. Work through these steps in order and log everything in one spreadsheet so the fix phase follows a priority list rather than whichever listing you happened to find first.
- Step 1: Write down the canonical record from your verified profile: name, address, phone, website, hours and primary category.
- Step 2: Search Google for your business name plus city, your phone number in quotes in several formats, and every old address and old phone number.
- Step 3: Check core platforms directly: Apple Maps, Bing Maps, Facebook, Yelp and your main national directories, such as Yell, Yellow Pages Canada, True Local or JustDial.
- Step 4: Search Google Maps for duplicate pins under your current name, former names and the old address.
- Step 5: For each listing, record the URL, which fields are wrong, whether you control the login, and a priority.
- Step 6: Group listings into tiers: maps and review platforms first, national directories and aggregators second, the long tail last.
| Issue | Example | Fix | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrong phone | Old landline on Yell | Claim and edit; keep forwarding on the old number | High |
| Old address | Pre-move address on Bing Places | Edit; complete re-verification if asked | High |
| Duplicate listing | Two Yelp pages, one under an old name | Request a merge through platform support | High |
| Closed location shown open | Former second branch still listed | Mark closed or request removal | High |
| Name variation | "Dr Patel Dental" vs "Patel Dental Care" | Edit to match signage and Google | Medium |
| Wrong website | Old domain or http version | Edit; make sure the old domain redirects | Medium |
| Minor formatting | "St" vs "Street" | Fix when convenient | Low |
Fix order: work from the top down
Start with your Google Business Profile and website, because every other source should converge on them. Then fix Apple Business Connect, Bing Places, Facebook and Yelp, which customers see most and which some smaller sites copy. In the US, submit corrections to aggregators such as Data Axle, Neustar Localeze and Foursquare next, so downstream directories inherit the fix. Finally, work the long tail in priority order.
For listings you cannot claim, use the site's "suggest an edit" or "report incorrect information" form, or email support with proof such as a utility bill or business license. Do not chase every scraped directory. If a low-quality site has no login, ignores two support requests and sends no visitors, note it in the spreadsheet and move on.
Merging and removing duplicate listings
On Google, if you own or manage both profiles, contact Google Business Profile support and ask for a merge, giving both profile links. If the duplicate is unverified, open it in Google Maps, choose Suggest an edit → Close or remove, and pick the duplicate option. Take screenshots before you start; merges can take time, and reviews do not always transfer.
Other platforms each have their own route. Yelp handles duplicates through its business support team. Facebook offers a merge option for Pages you administer that share a similar name and address, though availability depends on the Page version. For Apple Maps, claim the correct place in Apple Business Connect and report the duplicate through Report an Issue. Wherever possible, merge rather than delete, because deleting a listing usually deletes its reviews too.
If a duplicate was created by someone else to impersonate you, treat it as spam rather than a data error. See how to report and remove GBP spam for the reporting process and the evidence Google asks for.
Moved, closed or renumbered businesses
You moved
Update the address in your existing profile under Edit profile → Location rather than creating a new one; a new profile leaves a duplicate behind and splits your reviews. Google may ask you to re-verify. Update the website the same day and the core directories that week. A Toronto dentist moving across the street needs this as much as one moving across town.
A location closed
Mark the profile Permanently closed instead of deleting it, so searchers see an accurate status. Our guide to permanently vs temporarily closed profiles explains when each applies. On directories, mark the listing closed or request removal, and remove the location from your website's location pages.
Your phone number changed
Keep the old number forwarding for several months while listings update. Change the primary phone in your profile and on your website first, then directories. If you add call tracking, Google's guidance is to use the tracking number as primary and your main number as an additional phone, while directories should keep your main number.
Citation monitoring cadence
Cleanup is expensive once; maintenance is cheap if it is scheduled. Google accepts edits suggested by users, directories re-scrape old data, and staff sometimes "fix" listings with outdated details. A light, regular routine catches these before customers do.
| Task | Frequency | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Review your profile for Google-applied updates | Weekly | Changed hours, phone, website or category |
| Check Apple, Bing, Facebook and your main review site | Monthly | Edits, new duplicates, unanswered questions |
| Search Google Maps for duplicate pins | Monthly (multi-location), quarterly (single) | Old names, old addresses |
| Search your phone numbers and old details | Quarterly | Scraped listings with stale data |
| Full citation audit | Every 6–12 months and after any NAP change | Everything in the checklist above |
For multi-location brands, name one owner per region and give franchisees a written rule: no listing edits without telling head office. The multi-location local SEO guide covers governance in more detail. GBP Local Ranker can track citations and flag profile changes, but a calendar reminder and the spreadsheet from your audit work too.
Next steps
Block two hours this week for steps one to four of the audit and build the spreadsheet. Fix your profile, website and the four core platforms before anything else, then schedule the monitoring tasks in a shared calendar. Once the core set is clean, return to the citation building guide before adding new listings.