In today’s online driven world, most business owners realize the importance of search engine optimization (SEO). Check any marketing strategy, and elements of SEO like using relevant keywords and focusing on the technical aspects of the website are included to gain a high ranking. But what some business owners don’t realize is the impact of NAP in SEO, especially with localized optimization.
NAP, which stands for name, address, and phone number, refers to the local citations on web pages, social media, and other directories. According to Search Engine Journal, NAP plays a crucial role in effective SEO and search engine ranking.1
Why Is Consistent NAP Information Important For Local SEO?
NAP has the potential to impact several important marketing factors, such as:
Search Engine Ranking
When consumers look for a business online, the first information they are likely to search for is the business name, address, and phone number. Google wants to provide the most reliable data for that search. Still, if the NAP information for that business is inconsistent, the search engine distrusts the information and is less likely to rank the company.
For example, if the NAP details on the Google My Business page differ from the NAP details on a Yelp page, the search engine doubts the authenticity of the information. Because of this, it’s more difficult for that business to rank successfully.
User Experience
Local searches play a considerable role in the success of businesses with physical stores. Research shows that up to 88% of local-intent mobile searches result in an offline store visit within a week – making local SEO a crucial way of being found.2
However, if the NAP information is incorrect or says different things across various online channels, you will confuse the user. Nobody wants to waste time trying to locate a physical store without a specific and consistent address.
In addition, if the NAP information is incorrect, users may become frustrated. For example, listing an old address or several phone numbers takes users on a wild goose chase to find what they need. This is a poor customer experience, which may reflect in your online business reviews.
Consistent NAP Can Reduce Paid Marketing Costs
When local citations are consistent across every online platform, businesses don’t have to spend as much on paid advertising. An effective NAP strategy boosts local SEO and increases the chances of a business ranking on search engines’ first page.
Updating NAP details improve the ranking by providing correct information to users, driving organic visitors. With more organic traffic to the site, businesses can reduce expensive paid ads. It’s a win-win situation for marketing teams.
How To Create Consistent NAP Information To Boost SEO
Ensuring NAP information is consistent across all channels may sound tricky, but it’s not impossible. However, finding and correcting NAP information is time-consuming, as businesses can have hundreds of local citations across numerous online platforms.
NAP auditing and editing is a lot of work, but it’s worth the payoff in better ranking and more organic traffic.
Carry Out An Audit Of All Existing Local Citations
You can determine if your business has consistent NAP information by visiting each website and channel associated with it. Decide what NAP information you will use, then visit each page to update the details.
If you’re unsure of where the business is listed, carry out an online search. Use the name, address, and number and vary the list to find the most sites. Every time NAP information is found, update it to the one standard name, address, and phone number.
Avoid Abbreviations
Inconsistencies arise when different people from the same company manage the local citations and listings across various channels. As a result, abbreviations may be used that cause search engines to question the validity of the information.
For example, a marketing manager may list the address on Google My Business as “Bridge Street,” whereas the social media manager may list the site on Facebook as “Bridge St.”
When auditing and creating citations, decide on a standard and keep the listings consistent across all channels. Avoid abbreviations as much as possible.
Include NAP On Websites
Surprisingly, there are still businesses that don’t include their address and phone number on their website. These businesses are missing out on incredible opportunities to drive local traffic.
For businesses, a website is an online directory – it should always contain the address and phone number of the company to ensure a smooth customer experience.
The best place to feature the NAP information on a website is in the header or footer, which is easy for visitors to find.
Add Local Schema To The Business Website
Schema markup is a code added to websites to help search engines understand what information the website contains and determine its value to search users.3
Local schema tells search engines the NAP of a business, making it more likely that the business information will show up as a snippet at the top or side of a search engine results page. Make sure you add local schema markup to your website with the standard name, address, and phone number.
Call In The Experts At Full Circle SEM To Build Consistent NAP in SEO For You
Is your local SEO suffering due to inconsistent NAP? Our SEO experts and data-driven geeks at Full Circle SEM carry out comprehensive NAP audits and updates quickly and efficiently to help boost your SEO ranking.
Contact Full Circle SEM today for more information. Let us take your NAP in SEO to the next level!
Sources:
[1] https://www.searchenginejournal.com/local-seo/why-nap-user-experience-are-crucial-to-local-seo/
[2] https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/local-search-to-store-visit-statistics/
[3] https://www.searchenginejournal.com/technical-seo/schema/
