Your Easiest SEO + Authority Move

Citation directories are key signals to search engines that you are an authority and an expert. They are an easy way for you to stand out and improve your rankings without any technical SEO knowledge.

Author

Steve Kolock
July 03, 2025

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Hey Practice Builders — it's Steve with Healthcare Marketing Vitals!

Last week, we sailed the seven seas of patient retention strategies (I really don’t know why I chose pirate metaphors that week) to bring about sustainable, long-term growth.

This week, I'm diving into the easiest SEO strategy most practices overlook—one that builds authority signals across the internet and requires zero technical expertise!

The best part is you can do this yourself: It doesn't take all that much time, and it’s completely free.

In This Week’s Email:

  • [4 min] Spotlight: How to build internet-wide authority signals in 30 minutes

  • [30 sec] Worth Your Time: Free directories + authority building opportunities

  • [30 sec] By the Numbers: Why citation directories matter more than ever

  • [30 sec] Quote for the Week: A reminder about consistency in marketing

  • [30 sec] 🔥 Free PR Opportunities: Some free digital PR opportunities for this week (found through HARO)

3 Key Insights

✅ Citation directories are Google's trust signals - Search engines use consistent listings across multiple directories as ranking factors for local search results.

✅ Most practices miss the biggest opportunity - While 94% of patients rely on online reviews to evaluate providers, many practices only exist in 2-3 directories instead of 25+ easily available to them.

✅ AI search makes this more important than ever - ChatGPT and Google's AI seem to consider directory listings when recommending healthcare providers, making widespread presence crucial.

SPOTLIGHT

The 3 x 30-Minute Authority Building Strategy

4 min. read

Here's something most marketing agencies miss:

Citation directories are one of the easiest ways to build authority signals that both search engines and AI models use to determine if you're worth recommending.

Think of it this way—when someone asks ChatGPT “can you find me a male PCP who has early morning appointments“ or Google for a "therapist near me", these systems look for signals across the internet that validate your expertise.

Google never walked into your practice, and neither did ChatGPT. So they frankly have no idea about your level of care or how good you are at treating patients.

All they have to go on is what they can gather from the internet.

While this includes reviews (and I’ve mentioned before how important these are), that's not the only thing.

There are a bunch of different things called signals. One of those signals is being listed in multiple “citation directories”.

What Are Citation Directories?

Simply put, they're online directories that list your practice information (name, address, phone, website).

They sound boring, but they're really not. Well, they are…but they're important for marketing and SEO, so we ignore that.

In fact, they're more powerful than most practices realize—they're like having other websites "vote" for your credibility.

Why Do They Matter (More Now Than Ever)

With AI models like ChatGPT and Google's AI now answering healthcare questions, these systems scan the internet for authority signals.

A practice listed in 15+ relevant directories has more "votes" than one listed in just 2-3 places.

Here's the framework I use with practices to build these authority signals:

Your Winning Three-Tier Directory Strategy

Tier 1: General Business Directories Start with the basics that every practice needs:

These establish your baseline presence across major platforms. They aren't healthcare specific, but they're big and important. So your practice needs to be listed in them.

In a lot of these people can leave reviews, but here the reviews aren't as important as having a listing.

Yes, it's still good to get good reviews on them.

And if you have more positive reviews spread throughout a bunch of different places, plus great reviews on your Google business profile, that'll be phenomenal—but the key is really to get listed first.

*Shameless plug: I made my Ultimate Practice Visibility Starter Kit to help you solve this and other local SEO problems.

Tier 2: Healthcare-Specific Directories This is where most practices miss opportunities:

These directories carry more weight for healthcare searches because they're industry-specific.

Tier 3: Location-Based Directories The secret sauce most agencies ignore:

  • Your city's Chamber of Commerce directory

  • Local business associations

  • Regional healthcare directories

  • City government business listings

  • Local newspaper business directories

You'll have to look for these, but the easiest way I've found, if you're in a major city, is to use this directory listing from Bright Local.

This really attractive and witty patient acquisition specialist goes through this strategy in this video too.

Implementation: The 3 x 30-Minute Process

✅ Week 1: Spend 30 minutes listing your practice in all Tier 1 directories.

✅ Week 2: Spend 30 minutes on Tier 2 healthcare directories.

✅ Week 3: Spend 30 minutes researching and submitting to 2-3 Tier 3 local directories.

The Authority Signal Effect

According to Search Engine Journal, Google has confirmed that citations are a ranking signal for local search results.

As one SEO expert notes: "Google scrapes these third-party business directories and listing sites and takes the data into account when determining which business/website to show for geo-targeted searches."

This means when you're listed consistently across multiple directories, search engines see this as validation of your legitimacy and expertise.

And that’s what most people don't understand about SEO: It's not just about keywords.

It's about the internet broadly saying it believes you are an authority on a topic.

When you're listed in 25+ directories, search engines and AI models see consistency across multiple sources.

This creates compound authority—each directory listing reinforces the others.

What to Include in Every Listing:

  • Exact same business name (consistency matters)

  • Complete address (use Google Business Profile format)

  • Phone number (same across all listings)

    • You can use a HIPAA-compliant call tracking phone number as your primary phone number on your Google Business Profile. Everywhere else, just use your primary number

  • Website URL

  • Brief description highlighting your specialty

  • Same category selections when possible

The No-Technical-Expertise Advantage

Unlike complex SEO tactics that require technical knowledge, directory submissions are straightforward forms.

Most take 5-10 minutes to complete.

No coding, no technical setup—just consistent information across multiple platforms.

WORTH YOUR TIME

Tools to Help You Get Listed + Directories

📈 BrightLocal Citation Tracker - Check which directories already list your practice and find gaps you didn't know existed. Track Your Citations →

🐩 Oodles of Directories - Directories for medicine, doctors, dentists, mental health, and city directories. Check them all out →

🧠 Mental Health Newsletter - Every week Keith shares stories about mental health and overcoming the stigma of talking about it. Read Keith’s Newsletter →

🔎 SEMRush for Local SEO - Pretty amazing tool to help with all of your local SEO needs. Get Listed in 70+ Directories →

🎥 Citation Directories Deep Dive [7 min] - You need to get listed in key directories. Want to know which ones you need to be in, why, and how to get listed? I thought you might.

So instead of paying attention to your family and friends, watch this video →

TOGETHER WITH KERAGON

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BY THE NUMBERS

Why Directories Matter

  1. 94% of healthcare patients rely on online reviews to evaluate providers, making directory listings crucial for patient acquisition.

  2. The 6th most important local SEO ranking factor (and 2nd easiest to control), having your practice listed in citation directories is crucial.

  3. 72% visit a practice within five miles of themselves if they perform a local search, highlighting the importance of local directory presence.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
❝

Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out."

- Robert Collier, Author and Copywriter
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU

Be the Expert (and Get Free PR)

Here are a few recent opportunities from HARO to be quoted as an expert about medicine, mental health, or healthcare:

Summary: ADHD and ED: What's the link?

Name: Amelia Willson

Category: Health and Pharma

Media Outlet: Ro.co (https://ro.co)

Deadline: 3:00 AM ET - 7 July

Query: Hello! I’m seeking expert commentary from US-based urologists, psychiatrists, or therapists who treat patients with ADHD and/or ED for an article to be published on Ro.co (3+ million monthly visitors).

If you’re interested in being featured in this article, please respond to the following questions: —Can ADHD cause erectile dysfunction (ED) or other sexual dysfunction issues? —If a patient with ADHD has ED (or other sexual dysfunction issues), what treatment options do you recommend? Are there lifestyle changes, therapy, medications that can help? Thank you in advance!

Summary: Female Founders: How Did You Redefine Ambition After Success?

Name: Kristin Marquet

Category: Business and Finance

Media Outlet: FemFounder (https://www.femfounder.co)

Deadline: 12:00 AM ET - 11 July

Query: We’re looking for thoughtful insights from female entrepreneurs who achieved traditional markers of success (revenue milestones, exits, career growth, etc.)—only to realize their definition of ambition had changed.

We want to explore the inner pivot that happens after outer success—when hustle gives way to alignment, or when legacy begins to matter more than visibility. If you’ve redefined what ambition looks like for you personally or professionally, we want to hear from you.

Summary: Looking to Feature Authors Exploring Social Issues

Name: Monsoon R

Category: Podcasts

Media Outlet: Sociology Group (https://www.sociologygroup.com)

Deadline: 2:30 PM ET - 5 July

Query: Are you an author or researcher who writes about social issues, politics, or culture? We’d love to hear from you!

We're curating a series of engaging interviews with writers whose work sheds light on important conversations-;from inequality and identity to activism, policy, and beyond.

The interviews will be published on organisation platform read by students, educators, and change-makers from around the world.

If your work offers a fresh or critical perspective on the challenges our societies face today, this is a great opportunity to share your voice.

To express interest, please send:
1. Your name and a short bio
2. Title of your book or article and A brief (1–2 line) description of its central message

Summary: RDNs and MDs: Your Expertise On Supplements

Name: Kelsey Kloss

Category: Health and Pharma

Media Outlet: Everyday Health (https://www.everydayhealth.com)

Deadline: 3:00 AM ET - 7 July

Query: I'm looking to speak to RDNs and MDs not affiliated with supplement brands to speak on one or more of the following topics:

Should You Use Exogenous Supplements to Put Your Body in Ketosis?

Creatine Side Effects and Risks: What to Know Before You Try the Supplement

Probiotics and Prebiotics: What’s the Difference?

Does Magnesium Help to Reduce Anxiety?

What Is L-Arginine? Benefits, Known Risks, and More

If you're interested, please let me know what topics you'd like to speak on and I'll send questions via email. Thank you in advance!

Summary: Neurologist: Liraglutide helps reduce migraine frequency

Name: Nancy Schimelpfening

Category: Health and Pharma

Media Outlet: Healthline (https://www.healthline.com)

Deadline: 1:00 AM ET - 6 July

Query: A recent study found that “Ozempic-like” drugs containing liraglutide (i.e., Victoza, Saxenda) helped reduce instances of migraine: https://headachejournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/head.14991

Seeking commentary, including:

(1) What are the possible mechanisms of this effect?

(2) What further research might be needed before doctors recommend liraglutide as a treatment for migraine?

(3) In the meantime, what steps would you advise migraine patients to take to reduce their symptoms/number of migraine episodes?

When You’re Ready, Here are 2 Ways I Can Help

  1. Hit reply and tell me - What's your biggest marketing challenge? I read every response and use your questions to shape future newsletters

  2. Under 95% booking rates consistently? - Maybe it’s time for a growth sprint 👇

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That’s All for Now

Have a great week Practice Builders—now go out there and get listed!

See You Next Week,

Steve