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Do you own a business in Lafayette? Are you trying to get more customers from Google? Then you’ve probably heard two words a lot: citations and backlinks.
Many business owners get confused. They ask: “Which one is more important? Should I focus on citations or backlinks first?”
Here’s the truth: both matter. They do different jobs. And your business needs both to show up on Google.
In this guide, I’ll explain citations vs backlinks in simple words. You’ll learn what they are, how they help your local SEO, and how to get them. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to do.
Let’s start!
A citation is when someone mentions your business name, address, and phone number online. That’s it!
Think of it like this: your business gets listed in an online phone book. People can see your name, where you are, and how to call you.
1. Structured Citations
These are listings on websites made for businesses. Examples:
Your business information sits in specific boxes on these sites.
2. Unstructured Citations
These are mentions of your business on regular websites. Examples:
Your business name, address, and phone appear in normal text.
Here’s something important to know: a citation doesn’t need a clickable link to your website. Just having your business name, address, and phone number listed helps you.
For example, if Lafayette Daily Advertiser mentions your bakery and lists your address, that’s a citation. Even if they don’t link to your website, it still helps your business show up on Google.
A backlink is different. It’s a clickable link on another website that takes people to your website.
Think of it like a recommendation. When another website links to yours, they’re telling Google: “Hey, this website is good. Check it out!”
1. Dofollow Links
These are the gold standard. They tell Google to count the link as a vote for your website. Most links are dofollow by default.
2. Nofollow Links
These links tell Google: “Don’t count this as a vote.” But don’t ignore them! They still bring visitors to your site. And Google does look at them a little bit.
3. Local Backlinks
These are links from other Lafayette businesses or Louisiana websites. Examples:
Local backlinks are super powerful because they tell Google you’re really part of the Lafayette community.
One link from Lafayette Daily Advertiser is worth more than 100 links from random websites nobody knows.
Google cares about:
Let me break down citations vs backlinks for you:
| Feature | Citations | Backlinks |
| Needs a Link? | No | Yes |
| Main Job | Build trust and show you’re real | Build authority and help rankings |
| Helps With | Google Maps rankings | Organic Google search rankings |
| Easy to Get? | Easier | Harder |
| What Google Checks | Name, address, phone match everywhere | Quality of the linking website |
Google uses citations to:
Google uses backlinks to:
For citations, everything must match perfectly. Your business name, address, and phone need to be the same everywhere.
If you’re listed as:
Google gets confused. This hurts your rankings.
For backlinks, matching information isn’t the main thing. Google cares more about the quality of the website linking to you.
Citations are super important if you want to show up on Google Maps. Here’s why:
You know when you search for “pizza near me” and Google shows three businesses on a map? That’s called the map pack or local pack.
Citations help you get into that map pack. The more quality citations you have, the better your chances.
Think about it from Google’s view. If your business is mentioned on 50 different websites with the same name, address, and phone, Google thinks: “This must be a real business!”
But if Google only finds your business on your own website? They might not trust you’re real.
There are big companies called data aggregators. They collect business information and share it with hundreds of other websites.
When you get listed on these big sites, your information spreads automatically. It’s like planting one seed that grows into many trees.
This depends on your business type and how competitive Lafayette is for your industry.
A basic goal:
But remember: quality beats quantity. Ten good citations beat 50 bad ones.
Backlinks help you show up in regular Google search results. Here’s what they do:
Every quality backlink makes your website stronger in Google’s eyes. It’s like getting votes in an election. More votes from important people = you win.
When Lafayette websites link to you, Google understands you’re a Lafayette business. This helps you show up when people search for:
Google got smarter over the years. They used to count every link equally. Now they look at:
One link from Visit Lafayette or UL Lafayette is worth more than 1,000 links from random blogs nobody reads.
Good backlinks don’t just help rankings. They also:
Yes! Here’s why the “citations vs backlinks” debate misses the point.
Citations are like getting your business registered with the city. They prove you exist and show where you are.
Backlinks are like getting recommendations from trusted friends. They prove you’re good at what you do.
You need both to succeed!
If Your Business Is New:
Start with citations. Get listed everywhere important. Make sure all your information matches perfectly.
Why? Because citations are easier to get, and Google needs to know you’re real before they’ll rank you.
If Your Business Is Established:
Balance both. Keep your citations up to date. But spend more time getting quality backlinks.
Why? You’ve already proven you’re real. Now you need to prove you’re better than your competitors.
If You’re in a Competitive Market:
Go hard on both! Your competitors are using the best strategies, so you need to as well.
In Lafayette, if you’re a lawyer, dentist, or restaurant, you’ll need strong citations AND backlinks to compete.
Here’s a powerful fact: citations with backlinks are stronger than citations without them.
If you’re listed on Yelp (citation) AND Yelp links to your website (backlink), that’s a double win!
So when you build citations, always try to get a link to your website too.
Ready to get citations for your Lafayette business? Follow these steps:
This is the most important citation you can have. Period.
Go to Google Business Profile and claim your listing. Fill out everything:
Make sure your information is perfect. This is your main citation.
Focus on these Lafayette and Louisiana sources first:
Local Lafayette Citations:
Louisiana Citations:
National Citations:
This is super important! Your business name, address, and phone must be exactly the same everywhere.
Wrong way:
Right way:
Even small differences confuse Google.
Different businesses have different citation sources:
Restaurants: Zomato, OpenTable, TripAdvisor Lawyers: Avvo, Justia, FindLaw
Doctors: Healthgrades, Vitals, WebMD Home Services: HomeAdvisor, Angie’s List, Thumbtack
Find the ones for your industry and get listed. Update all your citations when things change. For more tips on local SEO for small businesses, we have a dedicated guide.
Don’t do these things:
Citations aren’t a one-time thing. Check them every few months:
Update all your citations when things change.
Getting backlinks is harder than getting citations. Following proven SEO tips makes this easier. But these tactics work great for Lafayette businesses:
Team up with businesses that complement yours (not competitors).
Examples:
Ask if they’ll mention you on their website with a link. Offer to do the same for them.
Lafayette has amazing events:
Sponsors usually get listed on the event website with a link. This builds backlinks and helps your community!
These Lafayette organizations often link to members:
Join them, participate actively, and you’ll get a backlink.
Contact these Lafayette media outlets with interesting stories:
When they write about you, they usually link to your website.
Many Lafayette websites accept guest articles. Offer to write helpful content for them.
Example: If you own a landscaping business, offer to write “5 Plants That Thrive in Lafayette’s Climate” for a local home improvement blog.
They get free content. You get a backlink and exposure.
Make content other Lafayette websites will want to link to:
When your content is helpful, other websites naturally link to it.
Don’t try these backlink shortcuts:
Google is smart. They catch these tricks and will punish your website.
How do you know if your work is paying off? Track these numbers:
1. Total Number of Citations
Count how many websites list your business. Aim to add 5-10 new quality citations each month.
2. Citation Consistency
What percent of your citations have matching information? Aim for 95% or higher.
3. Map Pack Rankings
Search for your main keywords in Lafayette. Are you in the top 3 map results? Track your position weekly.
Example searches:
1. Total Quality Backlinks
Count backlinks from real, trusted websites. Ignore spam links.
2. Domain Authority of Linking Sites
This measures how strong the linking websites are. Higher is better. Aim for backlinks from sites with 30+ authority.
3. Organic Traffic
Check how many people find your website from Google search. This should grow as you get more backlinks.
4. Keyword Rankings
Track where you rank for important keywords. With good backlinks, you should climb higher.
Free Tools:
Paid Tools (worth it for serious businesses):
Start with free tools. When your business grows, consider paid tools.
Set aside time each month to check:
This helps you adjust your strategy and keep improving.
Let me clear up some confusion about citations vs backlinks:
The Truth: Citations absolutely still matter! Especially for showing up on Google Maps. Google confirmed they use citations to verify businesses.
Yes, they’re not as powerful as they were in 2015. But they’re still important for local businesses in Lafayette.
The Truth: Nofollow links help too! They bring traffic to your website. They build your brand. And Google does look at them, just differently.
A natural backlink profile has both dofollow and nofollow links. Don’t ignore nofollow links.
The Truth: Quality beats quantity. Having 500 citations on spam directories hurts you. Having 50 citations on trusted websites helps you.
Focus on getting citations from real directories that people actually use.
The Truth: Backlinks don’t replace citations. They do different jobs.
Great backlinks might help your website rank #1. But without citations, you won’t show up in the map pack. And most local customers click map results first!
The Truth: Good directories exist! Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific directories are legitimate and helpful.
The spam directories are the ones nobody’s heard of, that ask you to pay $99 for a “premium listing,” and that have no real users.
Stick to directories people actually use.
So, citations vs backlinks – which matters more?
The answer: both matter. They’re not competitors. They’re teammates.
Citations help you show up on Google Maps. They prove you’re a real Lafayette business. They’re easier to get. Start here if you’re new.
Backlinks help you rank higher in regular Google search. They prove you’re trusted and important. They’re harder to get but super powerful.
For the best results, work on both:
Remember: SEO is a long game. You won’t see results overnight. But in 3-6 months, you’ll notice:
Start today. Pick three citation sites and get listed. Reach out to one Lafayette organization about a partnership. Small steps add up to big results.
Your Lafayette business deserves to be found. Citations and backlinks will help you get there!
A: Citations can help within 2-4 weeks. Backlinks usually take 2-3 months to show impact. Be patient and stay consistent.
A: You can absolutely do it yourself! It takes time, but it’s not complicated. Follow the steps in this guide. If you’re too busy, hiring help is fine too.
A: You can start for free! Many citation sites are free. Backlinks through partnerships cost nothing but your time. If you hire help, expect $300-$1,000/month for a local business.
A: Build separate citations for each location with unique addresses and phone numbers. Each location needs its own Google Business Profile too.
A: No! You also need reviews, website optimization, social media, and great content. But citations and backlinks are two of the most important pieces.
A: Claim the listing and fix it! If you can’t claim it, contact the website’s support team. Most will help you correct information.
A: Yes! Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn business pages with your NAP information are citations. Keep them updated!
Struggling to compete for high-search-volume keywords? We help businesses like yours increase visibility, drive more traffic, and dominate competitive search terms—all while keeping your costs low. Our proven strategies focus on long-term growth and measurable results.
