whitespark-tool

Whitespark Tool

Note: LocalSEOData (localseodata-tool) now covers citation audits via citation_audit. Use LocalSEOData as default for citation data. Whitespark remains the preferred tool for citation building and review generation campaigns (Reputation Builder).

Whitespark does NOT currently have an MCP server. It's primarily a dashboard tool with managed services. The agent's role is to guide what to do in Whitespark and interpret data the user provides from it.

When to Use Whitespark vs Other Tools

You Need	Use Whitespark	Use Instead
Citation gap analysis (competitor vs you)	✅ Local Citation Finder	BrightLocal (also does this, has MCP)
Managed citation building (done-for-you)	✅ Best quality service	BrightLocal (also offers this)
Review generation campaigns (email/SMS)	✅ Reputation Builder	—
Review monitoring	✅	BrightLocal (has MCP, may be better for agent access)
Local rank tracking	✅	Local Falcon (geogrid is superior for local)
Citation accuracy audit	⚠️ Can do it	BrightLocal (better for NAP accuracy scoring)
Keyword research	❌	Semrush, Ahrefs
Backlink analysis	❌	Ahrefs
Technical audit	❌	Screaming Frog
Geogrid rankings	❌	Local Falcon

Whitespark vs BrightLocal

These two overlap significantly. Here's when to use which:

Feature	Whitespark	BrightLocal
Citation building quality	✅ Higher quality (manual review)	Good but more automated
Citation gap finder	✅ More thorough	✅ Also good
NAP accuracy scoring	Basic	✅ Better scoring system
MCP server available	❌ No	✅ Yes
Review generation	✅ Reputation Builder	✅ Also has this
White-label reports	Basic	✅ Better reporting
Industry reputation	✅ Citation specialists	✅ All-in-one local SEO
Pricing	Per-service	Subscription

Recommendation: If MCP connectivity matters (agent can pull data directly), use BrightLocal. If citation building quality is the priority and the user is willing to use the dashboard, Whitespark's managed service is excellent.

Core Workflows

Citation Gap Analysis

When: User wants to find directories where competitors are listed but they aren't.

What to do in Whitespark:

1. Run Local Citation Finder for target business AND 2-3 competitors
2. Compare citation sources across all businesses
3. Identify directories where competitors appear but user doesn't

What the agent can do:

• Guide the user on which competitors to check
• Interpret the citation gap report when the user shares results
• Prioritize which directories to target first

Citation priority framework:

1. Tier 1 (must-have): Google, Apple, Bing, Yelp, Facebook, data aggregators
2. Tier 2 (important): Industry-specific directories (Healthgrades, Avvo, Angi, etc.)
3. Tier 3 (nice-to-have): Local directories, chamber of commerce, BBB
4. Tier 4 (low priority): General web directories, niche sites

Managed Citation Building

When: Citation gaps identified and user wants help building them.

What Whitespark does:

• Manual submission to directories (higher quality than automated tools)
• Verification that listings are live and accurate
• Ongoing maintenance options

What to tell the user:

1. Provide exact NAP (must match GBP)
2. Provide business description, categories, photos
3. Specify target directories from the gap analysis
4. Expect 2-4 week turnaround for most directories
5. Re-audit in 6-8 weeks to verify everything is live and accurate

Review Generation (Reputation Builder)

When: User needs to systematically generate more Google reviews.

How Reputation Builder works:

• Import customer list (email or phone)
• Send automated review request via email or SMS
• Directs happy customers to Google review page
• Tracks who received requests, who left reviews

What the agent should guide:

1. Timing: Send review requests 1-3 days after service completion
2. Message: Keep it short, personal, include direct Google review link
3. Volume: Steady stream (5-10/week) is better than burst of 50
4. Filtering: Don't send to known unhappy customers (avoid negative reviews)
5. Compliance: Don't incentivize reviews, don't gate (filter based on rating)

Review velocity targets by business type:

Business Type	Monthly Review Target	Rationale
Restaurant	15-30	High transaction volume
Medical practice	8-15	Moderate patient volume
Home services	5-10	Lower transaction frequency
Legal	3-5	Fewer clients, harder to ask
B2B services	2-4	Low volume, high value

Local Rank Tracking

When: User uses Whitespark's rank tracker.

Whitespark's rank tracker is point-based (single location), not geogrid.

What the agent should know:

• This shows ranking at ONE point for a keyword — not geographic coverage
• For local businesses, Local Falcon geogrid is far more useful
• Whitespark rank tracking is fine for organic keyword tracking alongside geogrid

What to Do Next

What You Found	Next Action	Skill
Citation gaps identified	Build missing citations, starting with Tier 1	local-citations
Citations built, waiting for propagation	Work on other optimization while waiting (4-8 weeks)	gbp-optimization, review-management
Review generation campaign running	Monitor velocity and adjust messaging if response rate is low	review-management
Citation data needs to go in a report	Include in audit or monthly report	client-deliverables, local-reporting
Need MCP-accessible citation data	Use BrightLocal instead	brightlocal-tool

Default next step: Whitespark's strength is managed citation services. If you need automated, agent-accessible citation data, use BrightLocal. If you need the highest-quality citation building, use Whitespark's managed service.