There is no magic number
A business does not become “optimized” at 50, 100, or 300 citations. The useful number depends on the market, industry, geography, existing footprint, directory quality, and operational cost of maintaining the listings.
Think in tiers
Start with important general platforms, then relevant geographic and industry-specific sources. Expand only when additional destinations are credible and useful for the business.
Audit before buying volume
Before purchasing a large package, determine how many relevant listings already exist and whether the bigger problem is missing coverage or incorrect data.