Should You Update Citations After Moving Your Office?

When businesses relocate or undergo changes like acquiring another company, updating citations can become a pressing issue. But is it always necessary to spend time on this task? Let’s break it down.

The Situation: An Acquired Business with Old Citations

One of our clients recently acquired another company and discovered that citations for the old brand were still ranking on Google. These citations had incorrect contact information, including a dead phone number, which led to frustrated customers who couldn’t reach them.

The Problem: No Access to the Listings

In this particular case, the client had a major issue – they had no login credentials for the listings under the old brand. So, how can you update a citation without access?

The Solution: A Tip from Whitespark

Here’s a SOLID tip we received from Whitespark who are experts in citation management:

To regain access to a listing without logins, you’ll need to use a domain-based email address.

1. Email the website where the citation is listed.
2. From your company domain email, explain that the person who originally claimed the listing is no longer with the company, and you can’t access the listings.
3. Request the claim to be released so you can update it.

Pro Tip: Most sites will only release the claim if you’re contacting them from an email address tied to your company’s domain (e.g., info@yourcompany.com).

Once the claim is released, you can reclaim the listing and update the citation with the correct information.

When Should You Update Your Citations?

Before diving into updating citations, consider whether it’s worth the effort.

You only need to update citations if:

• They’re indexed on Google.
• They’re ranking for a branded search.

If the citation isn’t showing up in search results or isn’t connected to your brand, updating it is likely a waste of time.

Recommendation: Whitespark’s Citation Service

If the process of manually updating citations seems overwhelming, we recommend using Whitespark’s Citation Service. They handle the heavy lifting, ensuring your citations are properly managed and updated.

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