Paid citation services can be a lifesaver if you’re juggling a million tasks and can’t be bothered to update every listing under the sun. They automate the grunt work of creating and maintaining citations, often leveraging direct partnerships with major directories. However, not all paid services are created equal. Some are about as valuable as a fake designer bag—you’ll get a cheap imitation of real SEO help. If you do it yourself, you maintain full control, ensuring every detail is correct. That said, it’s time-consuming, and you might miss some niche directories that a solid service would catch. If you’ve got the budget and hate mind-numbing data entry, go ahead and hire the pros. But don’t blindly trust them; audit their results. If you’re a lean startup with more time than cash, the DIY route can be just fine. Choose wisely.