SEO, SERP, ROI, etc. are acronyms you come across in the digital marketing landscape. NAP is also one of them even if it sounds simple - N for name, a for address, and P for a phone number, it is not. NAP in digital marketing does not offer the relaxation you enjoy referring to nap during the day. It is associated with the company name and contact information.
Google search for ‘Plumbers in Manly, Sydney’ pulls out a local map along with a small list of plumbing services with contact details drawn from their GMB [Google My Business] profile. With so many plumbers in a small suburb town, how do search crawlers decide which to add on the result page?
Google uses the name and contact details of your business pulled from GMB and compares it with your NAP’s listed on different online directories, websites, and social media profiles. Therefore, NAP consistency matters because based on it search engines rank your business in local searches.
NAP consistency basics
Consistent NAP means information has to be formatted and listed in the same way across different social media platforms, online directories, and your website or other portals. You can list business on as many online directories as you desire but make sure that the NAP information is the same because a single slip-up can damage your local search ranking.
For example, the address on GMB profile is ‘5790 Hober Street, Manly, Sydney’ but on Facebook account, the address is ‘5790 Hober St., Manly, Sydney’, Google does not recognize this as consistent even if St. is an acronym for Street. It is regarded as inaccurate or inconsistent. Consumers and search engines are confused with incorrect NAP details, which makes them lose trust even if you are an established brand. Search engines don’t attempt to find the correct NAP version but choose your competitor with consistent details.
Even check the domain authority of the paid or free online directory you plan to list your business. Bleen is an online directory with good traffic. It connects potential clients with relevant suppliers and service providers.
How does Google determine local rankings?
NAP consistency is based on three different factors
Relevancy
Search engines crawl across the local listings and choose the most relevant results but if your business lacks the information it cannot choose your business. NAP consistency across every citation is sufficient for Google to determine relevance for specific local searches.
Distance
Google pulls nearby results through user’s location access. Without mentioning the address, Google will not regard your business to be local. NAP consistency needs you to offer business names and contact information across every list. This offers search engine validation that your business is genuine.
Prominence
Gaining traffic or measuring prominence is a challenge, especially if you are not ranked. Nevertheless, with NAP consistency across many local directories allows your business to appear prominent to search engines.
How is NAP associated with your target?
Impressing Google means you will impress the audience. Target consumers may not be aware of the significance of NAP consistency but consider it while choosing a brand to purchase. A survey report states that 80% of clients lose trust in the local businesses if there is a single inconsistency in NAP details.
Clients hardly cross-reference with social media profiles or third-party blogs to find accurate details. They will use the most consistent and relevant option readily available.
On the BusyFox portal you can read tips and tricks of using NAP consistently and other local SEO tactics to enhance your digital exposure and online visibility. It is an online business news and content publishing platform offering good backlinks.
