Business NAP Consistency Key Takeaways:
- Local SEO is important for increasing sales, and local citations are a crucial component of local SEO.
- NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) consistency is essential in local citations to improve a business’s local SEO.
- NAP consistency means using the exact same NAP information in every local citation.
- Inconsistent NAP can confuse search engines and negatively impact a business’s ranking.
- To check for NAP consistency, search for your business name along with your location on search engines and inspect the citations for consistency.
- Inconsistencies in NAP citations may occur when websites create citations without permission, requiring manual correction.
- Fixing NAP inconsistencies is time-consuming, and hiring professionals or agencies is recommended.
- Maintaining NAP consistency allows search engines to become familiar with a business and improve its ranking.
- apnTech offers listing services to help businesses establish consistent NAP citations and improve their local SEO.
Do you want to make more sales? If so, you should strongly consider pursuing local SEO. Of course, if you’re going to pursue local SEO, you’ll need to obtain local citations.
A local citation is essentially a mention of a business’s contact info and, in particular, includes the business’s name, address, and phone number. This is often shortened to the acronym NAP.
Listing the NAP on different directories and review sites is vital to improving a business’s local SEO. However, you can’t just do it willy-nilly. You have to maintain NAP consistency from site to site.
What is NAP consistency? What is NAP SEO? Why does it matter? We’re going to review that and more below.
What Is NAP Consistency?
NAP consistency refers to always utilizing the same NAP in every local citation that’s created.
The exact same information needs to be used every time. So, if you referred to your business as “Ted’s Tires” in one citation, you need to refer to it as that in every citation. You can’t call it “Ted’s Tires and More” or simply “Ted’s”.
Doing this will confuse search engines, thus preventing them from giving your online identity the credit it deserves. In fact, it might even cause search engines to penalize your business’s ranking.
As such, you need to be sure that your name, address, and phone are exactly the same from citation to citation.
Checking for NAP Consistency
Now that you know what NAP consistency is, you might be wondering how to check for it. The answer is as simple as Googling your business name along with your business location. For instance, you might Google “Ted’s Tires Atlanta.”
This will return all of the links in which your local citations are included. From there, you can manually inspect them to determine whether they’re consistent.
Note that, in some cases, websites will create citations for you without first asking. These very often lead to inconsistencies, so you need to dig deep and ensure that every single citation has been found and corrected.
Fixing NAP Inconsistencies
Next, let’s move on to the subject of fixing NAP inconsistencies. Simply put, it’s a lot of work. You have to create accounts for all of the websites that list your business information and then edit those citations manually.
Or, you could hire someone else to do it for you. Unless you have dozens of hours on your hands, the latter option is advised. Whether it’s a local digital marketing company, an agency, or otherwise, they’ll ensure that your NAP Google My Business standing is on the up and up.
NAP Consistency Is Vital
If you want your website to rank for local SEO, NAP consistency is vital. By maintaining consistent NAP, you allow search engines to gain familiarity with your business, and thus improve your ranking on those search engines.
Need help with local citations? If so, apnTech has you covered. We offer listing services for businesses in all industries, helping them to establish themselves in their local markets.
Contact us today to discuss your needs!
Business NAP Consistency FAQs
Why is local SEO important for businesses?
Local SEO is important for businesses because it helps them increase sales, and local citations play a crucial role in achieving this goal.
What information is included in a local citation?
A local citation includes a business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP).
Why is NAP consistency essential in local citations?
NAP consistency is crucial in local citations because it ensures that the same NAP (name, address, and phone number) is used consistently across all directories and review sites.
What can happen if there are inconsistencies in NAP information?
Inconsistent NAP information can confuse search engines and potentially harm a business’s ranking.
How can business owners check for NAP consistency?
Business owners can search for their business name along with the location on search engines and review the citations displayed to check for NAP consistency.
What is the recommended approach for fixing NAP inconsistencies?
Fixing NAP inconsistencies requires manual editing of citations, which can be time-consuming. Therefore, hiring a professional or agency is recommended.
Why is maintaining NAP consistency crucial for improving website ranking in local SEO?
Maintaining NAP consistency is crucial for improving a website’s ranking in local SEO because search engines rely on consistent NAP information to become familiar with a business and determine its relevance to local searches.
How can apnTech help businesses with their local citations?
apnTech offers listing services to help businesses establish their presence in local markets and effectively manage their local citations.
What can businesses do if they need assistance with their local citations?
Businesses can contact apnTech to discuss their specific needs and obtain assistance with local citations.
