What is Citation?

Brand mentions in media, podcasts, press releases, and other sources that LLMs ingest during training or grounding to determine which brands to surface in response to a prompt.

From What Actually Drives Citations in LLMs With Solomon Thimothy

Every mention of a business around the web, which may feature all or part of the NAP, according to the article by Marcus Miller at Search Engine Land.

From #SEOPodcast 282 - Local SEO for Multi-Location Businesses

A reference to a local business, including its address or contact details, appearing on directories or other sites, used to support local search visibility.

From Local Search Strategy Tips - #seopodcast 191

Mentions of a business used to establish its online presence. The episode describes citations as paramount and the difference between a well-placed page and a non-well-placed page in competitive industries.

From #SEOpodcast Year End Review Part 1-3 - #SEOpodcast 260

A mention of a business name and location in online content that has no hyperlink back to the site but that search engines can associate with the business entity as a ranking signal.

From 62% of searches result in a phone call - Unknown Secrets of SEO E-Webstyle Number 52

References to your business name, address, and phone number on other credible websites such as directories, Yelp, and CitySearch. The quantity and quality of these citations are described as the most powerful off-page factor for Google Local Places rankings.

From Google Local Places Compliance - Internet Marketing Podcast - Number 95