Methodology & Factors

A number of factors when selecting the most important citation sources for each country. The majority of these factors’ values could easily be calculated and compared mathematically. However, there were a few factors, which were based on subjective observations and experience, and for some factors values were assigned based only on tentative data.

1. Structured Business Information

This practically means that the sources included in our lists are only, or predominantly, platforms that serve one main purpose – storing and distributing information about multiple businesses. These are the types of citation sources Google looks at most frequently when “they” are trying to confirm the accuracy of certain business information that has made its way in their database.

2. Distribution Network and Number of Connections

The more connections a citation source has to other citation sources, and the more important these other citation sources are, the higher the importance of that well-connected citation source. The logic behind this factor is the same as the one behind PageRank. If the citation source is known to supply business data directly to Google, this gives it significant boost in our lists’ rankings.

3. Number of Occurrences in Competitive Researches

This factor could indirectly relate to the size of the business database of the citation source. However, it is more important than the pure size of the database, because the latter could more easily be inflated with inaccurate, outdated, or duplicated business information.

4. Availability of Adding, Claiming, and Removing Standardized Processes

Is it at all possible to add, update, or remove a listing on certain citation source? If any of these processes is unavailable, it might be assumed that Google would not have enough trust in the citation source. It could also lead to the question of the accuracy of the information contained in the citation source’s database. Additionally, the more standardized and more difficult to be completed certain process is, the higher the protection from potential abuses (for instance, if phone verification is required).

5. Accuracy of Business Information

If certain citation source has been noted as featuring a significant number of inaccurate business details or duplicates, its rankings in our lists would be demoted and vice versa.

6. Size of Business Database

This factor, in the majority of the cases, could only be calculated using tentative data, including factor #3 above, and information about the number of indexed pages on the citation source. Some of the citation sources do share such information, though.

7. Domain Strength

Domain Authority (by Moz) and PageRank are the main sub-factors used to determine the relative domain strength of a citation source.

Qualification process

In addition to the factors mentioned above we also incorporated other elements that had an impact on the final list. Any citation sources that were unsuable for some of the following (or other reasons), were removed from our top lists:

No way to directly add or update business information to the site.

Example: The only way to add or update a business listing on Whitepages, according to their FAQ, is via ExpressUpdate’s feeds (might take 60 days for the information to get added or updated), or via Yext ($$$).

The website never, or almost never, takes action after reports of inaccurate or missing information.

Example: Justdial.com, and many others.

The website receives all their information from other sources.

Example: Allpages.com receive all their data from Acxiom.

There will be a lot of sites that simply do not operate anymore.

Example: Bundle.com.

Definitions

Citation

A Citation is any mention of your business on the web, with or without a link. It is any combination of your company name, phone number, address, zip or postal code. Citations can also be structured or unstructured.

Structured citation

Structured Citations are the most common form and can be found on business listing sites.

Unstructured citation

Unstructured Citation sources are mentions of your business on blogs, newspaper websites, event listings, job databases, government websites and so on.