For local SEO SaaS platforms, few topics are more misunderstood, or more damaging to long-term performance than how local listings and ranking algorithms actually work.

Multi-location brands and the SaaS platforms that support them often operate under assumptions that were once true… but no longer are. Others have inherited outdated ideas from the early days of local search when submitting to one “data aggregator” guaranteed distribution everywhere.

That’s not how it works anymore.

Let’s clear the air. In this post, we’ll unpack the most common myths around listings syndication and local rankings, explain the real mechanics behind today’s platforms, explore the consequences of misunderstanding them, and offer practical tips to avoid falling into the trap.

🔍 Myth #1: “Once I submit to a data aggregator, I’m done.”

This is one of the most persistent misunderstandings in the industry.

Yes, data aggregators like Neustar Localeze, Foursquare, or Data Axle play a role in distributing business information. But relying solely on them in 2025 is a risky strategy.

Why?

• Major platforms like Google, Apple Maps, and Yelp often prioritize direct submissions over syndicated data.
  
• Aggregator feeds can take weeks or months to propagate, and that propagation is not guaranteed.
  
• Publishers have become more selective about what third-party data they trust.
  

The takeaway: Syndication may help with coverage, but if you want speed, accuracy, and control, you need direct integration with top-tier publishers.

📉 Myth #2: “Google will fix or correct bad data on its own.”

Another dangerous assumption.

Google’s algorithm uses multiple data sources to verify information about your customers businesses, but it doesn’t “fix” errors automatically. Instead, it may:

• Suppress the listing entirely if confidence is low
  
• Show outdated or conflicting data it pulled from a third-party feed
  
• Flag the business as needing verification
  

What’s more, if competitors or users suggest edits (which they can), incorrect data may override yours if your information doesn’t have a strong enough trust signal.

Real-world impact: We’ve seen listings overwritten with wrong phone numbers, incorrect hours, and even “permanently closed” status because the system couldn’t confidently verify the truth.

🔄 Myth #3: “Once I publish listings, rankings will follow.”

This is the classic “build it and they will come” fallacy applied to SEO.

Publishing accurate listings is foundational but it’s only one piece of what influences local rankings. Others include:

• Relevance (business categories, content, keywords)
  
• Proximity (to the searcher)
  
• Prominence (review volume, backlinks, media coverage)
  
• Consistency (matching data across multiple sources)
  

Simply submitting listings won’t boost rankings if those listings aren’t complete, trusted, and connected to broader SEO signals.

Why Are These Misunderstandings So Common?

1. The industry evolved fast. What worked in 2015 doesn’t hold up in 2025. Platforms changed how they ingest and trust data.
   
2. Vendor marketing oversimplifies. Some platforms still sell “set-it-and-forget-it” syndication packages without clarifying limitations.
   
3. Google doesn’t explain much. Its local ranking algorithm is complex and not publicly documented in detail, leaving marketers to piece it together.
   
4. Fragmentation across platforms. Each publisher has its own logic, which makes standardization difficult and guidance inconsistent.
   

Consequences of Operating with the Wrong Assumptions

These misunderstandings don’t just create confusion but they cause real damage to local performance:

• Inconsistent NAP data leads to suppressed listings or duplicate profiles
  
• Slow publishing timelines hurt new location launches and visibility
  
• Client churn increases when listings appear broken or outdated
  
• Wasted budget goes to platforms that syndicate data without accountability
  
• Loss of control over brand reputation when you don’t manage your listings directly
  

And perhaps most importantly, rankings stay flat despite your efforts, and that leads to unnecessary spend on ads or agency services trying to compensate.

How to Fix It: The Modern Approach to Listings and Rankings

To truly improve performance in a multi-location SEO strategy, here’s what actually works:

1. Use Direct Publisher Integrations

Work with a platform or API provider like Local Data Exchange that pushes data directly to high-impact publishers like Google, Bing, Apple Maps, Facebook, Yelp, and Amazon Alexa.

This ensures your data is:

• Published faster
  
• Accepted more reliably
  
• Kept in sync automatically
  

2. Format Data to Publisher Standards

Each platform has its own rules for:

• Character limits
  
• Required fields
  
• Address formatting
  
• Phone number formatting 

Our Listings API handles these differences dynamically, reducing rejection rates and increasing accuracy.

3. Track Listings Status and Sync Health

Without real-time status tracking, you don’t know if your listings actually went live. Our API returns submission statuses and sync health so you can proactively identify and fix issues.

4. Layer in Local Content and Reviews

Listings are the entry point. To rank well, you need:

• Localized landing pages with keyword-rich content
  
• Review generation and management
  
• Quality backlinks and structured data
  

We recommend tying listings into a broader content and reviews strategy, which can be tracked with tools or our Reviews API.

Pro Tips from the Field

1. Verify your Google listings manually: especially for new locations. Syndication won’t cover it. This can be challenging at scale.
   
2. Run routine audits to check for duplicates, mismatches, or dropped profiles, using tools like LDE’s Entity Resolution API.
   
3. Use UTM tracking to prove value from listings-based traffic in Google Analytics.
   
4. Build publisher-specific content: Business descriptions should vary slightly by platform to avoid duplicate content penalties.
   
5. Stay updated: Publisher APIs and requirements change regularly—subscribe to documentation feeds or use a managed service like Local Data Exchange’s Listings API that keeps you up-to-date.
    

The idea that listings syndication alone will fix your visibility problems—or that local rankings are guaranteed if your data is clean—is outdated, oversimplified, and costs businesses real results.

Today’s local SEO success comes from understanding how listings feed into a more complex, dynamic algorithm and making sure your data flows through the right pipes.

At Local Data Exchange, we help SaaS platforms and agencies eliminate the noise and take full control over their listings footprint. With direct publisher integrations, dynamic formatting, and real-time feedback via API, you’re never guessing…and never leaving your performance up to outdated assumptions.