Absolutely, and it’s not just SEO jargon. A citation is any mention of your NAP (name, address, phone) across the web, with or without a hyperlink. It’s like a digital footprint saying, “Yep, this business exists at this location.” Backlinks, on the other hand, are actual hyperlinks from one site to yours. They pass “link juice” that can boost your authority in search engines, assuming they come from reputable sites. Citations help confirm your legitimacy—critical for local SEO—but they’re not necessarily link-based. Yes, some directories give you a link, but even if they don’t, the mention alone can help local rankings. Backlinks are more about domain authority and overall SEO, but if you score a link from a top-tier directory, you get the best of both worlds. Basically, citations solidify your local presence; backlinks supercharge your overall organic search power.