Citations are the least glamorous part of local SEO and one of the easiest to get quietly wrong.

A citation is simply your business listed somewhere online with your name, address, and phone, and their job is to confirm to Google that you're a real, established, consistent business.

The mistake owners make isn't having too few; it's having inconsistent ones.

🎯 Consistency matters more than volume

The single rule that governs citations: your name, address, and phone (NAP) must match everywhere.

So the first job isn't building citations, it's auditing the ones you already have and fixing conflicts.

📋 Which directories are worth it

You don't need to be everywhere. Focus on the tiers that matter.

  • The core data aggregators and big directories (Google, Bing, Apple Maps, and the major players) that feed everyone else.
  • Healthcare and local directories relevant to your area.
  • Aesthetic-specific platforms where your patients actually look.

Beyond those, diminishing returns set in fast, so accuracy on the important ones beats presence on the obscure ones.

⭐ RealSelf and Yelp

Two platforms deserve a specific decision for med spas.

RealSelf reaches high-intent aesthetic patients and can serve as both a citation and a lead source, but it's a real investment, so weigh it against your treatment mix and market rather than joining by default.

Yelp still matters for local trust and shows up in searches, so a claimed, accurate Yelp listing is worth maintaining even if you don't advertise there.

🧹 How to clean up the mess

Most established practices have citation debt: duplicate listings, old addresses, wrong phone numbers.

Audit what's out there, fix or claim the important listings, and request removal of duplicates, then leave it alone, because citations are a foundation you set once and maintain, not a channel you grind on.

It's a step in the full local SEO stack, and one worth getting right before you invest in anything flashier.

❓ Frequently asked questions

What is a citation in local SEO?

A citation is any online listing of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP), such as a directory, Yelp, or an industry site. Consistent citations reinforce that you're a real, established business.

How many citations does a med spa need?

Fewer than you think. Consistency across the important directories matters far more than raw volume. A dozen accurate listings beat a hundred with conflicting addresses.

Is RealSelf worth it for a med spa?

It can be, for the right practice. RealSelf reaches high-intent aesthetic patients and can be a strong citation and lead source, but it's an investment, so weigh it against your treatment mix and market.