Structured citations
A structured citation is typically a directory or platform profile with fields for the business name, address, phone number, category, URL, and other attributes.
Because the data is stored in dedicated fields, structured citations are easy to audit for NAP consistency.
Unstructured citations
An unstructured citation can appear in a local news story, sponsor page, event page, blog post, neighborhood guide, trade article, or community resource. The business may be mentioned naturally in prose rather than through a standard profile template.
These mentions can also be valuable sources of referral traffic and local relevance.
How the workflows differ
Structured citation building is often a submission and verification process. Unstructured citations are more often earned through relationships, PR, sponsorships, partnerships, local involvement, or editorial coverage.
Do not try to manufacture editorial mentions with low-quality placements merely to increase a citation count.
Use both naturally
Maintain accurate structured listings while pursuing legitimate local visibility that can create unstructured mentions. This gives the business a more realistic web footprint.