Every business needs its information to be correct online in order to draw in customers, and this is no less true for industrial firms. One of the most important things to keep consistent in your online listings is your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) information. The guide below will help you understand the importance of NAP and how it can help you capitalize on industrial SEO.
What Is NAP in Local SEO?
NAP is a concept in local SEO that refers to “Name, Address, and Phone Number.” As a principle of local SEO, proper NAP optimization ensures that a business’ name, address, and phone number are consistent across all platforms. This helps improve search rankings, build trust, and maintain revenue streams.
Why NAP Consistency Matters for Industrial Firms
For industrial firms that rely on consistent business, NAP consistency is extremely important. Statistics show that inaccurate business information can alienate up to 73% of consumers, also leading to loss of place in search rankings. Every customer turned away by inaccurate NAP info is a potential lost transaction, making NAP vital for maintaining and growing revenue.
Common NAP Challenges for Industrial Companies
There are a few potential challenges industrial companies face when attempting to implement NAP consistency across their content. Some of the difficulties you might run into include:
NAP Challenge | Description |
Multiple Business Locations | Different locations require different listings for address and phone numbers, but search engines need to recognize all locations as part of the same business. |
Old Addresses or Phone Numbers | When locations or phone numbers change, outdated information persists online unless it is changed manually across all affected pages. |
Inconsistent Business Name Formatting | Rebranding, renaming, and address format differences can cause confusion in the absence of a master document with approved and consistently-updated formatting standards. |
Duplicate or Incorrect Directory Listings | Various employees, agencies, and members may create listings over time that are forgotten or not recorded, leading to duplicates and incorrect info. |
Call Tracking Numbers | Call Tracking Numbers used incorrectly on a Google Business Profile (GBP) or external directory can cause confusion, and should not be used over the primary business line. |
Where NAP Information Needs To Be Consistent
In order to maximize your odds of capitalizing on NAP information, there are a few key places where you need to ensure consistency in your posted business information. All of your NAP data should be consistent in the following places:
- Contact and Location Pages on your site
- Your Google Business Profile
- Your Bing Places Profile
- Industry and Local Directories
- Your Social Media Profiles
- Data Aggregators
How To Create a Master NAP Record
The best overall way to ensure NAP consistency across your web content is by creating a NAP record: a centralized document that details all of your standards and procedures for listing NAP info online. To create your master record, focus on the following areas:
Standardize the Business Name
Your business name should be standardized across all NAP listings, and should be your exact, legal business name, including corporate abbreviations such as “Inc.,” “Ltd.,” or “LLC.” Be sure to avoid adding keywords, locations, or promotional phrases that are not part of your registered name.
Confirm the Correct Address and Phone Number
Make sure that your address listings and phone numbers are the same, using the exact same format across all listings. When listing your address, be consistent with including or excluding apartment or suite numbers and either spell out or abbreviate words like “Street,” “Drive,” and “Avenue” consistently. Also include or exclude your postal code consistently. For phone numbers, be consistent in including or excluding your country code, as well as in your choice to use spaces, parentheses, dashes, or none.
Document Location-Specific Details
If you have multiple business locations, or if your firm is located in a shared building, add these details to every NAP listing and make sure they are formatted consistently. Make sure to create a specific listing or landing page for every location, including only that location’s NAP info on that page, but making sure to tie it to your overall firm.
Share the Record Internally
After creating your master NAP record, share it internally with anyone in your firm who can create online listings or who will be able to share your business information with others. Sharing your NAP record with everyone may not be necessary, but it is a good practice to give every employee access to your business information in the exact format you want it shown, and to encourage them to share it in that format.
How To Audit and Fix NAP Inconsistencies
NAP inconsistencies are common, especially for large industrial firms. If you encounter NAP inconsistencies, follow this procedure to audit and fix them:
- Find Existing Listings
- Compare Listings Against the Master NAP
- Correct High-Value Listings First (GBP, Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, Yelp, Facebook, BBB, Angi, Yellow Pages, and other Industry-Specific or Aggregate Directories)
- Remove or Merge Duplicate Listings
- Use Listing Management Tools (BrightLocal, Semrush Listing Management, Birdeye, Yext & Uberall, Moz Local)
How To Maintain NAP Consistency Over Time
To maintain your NAP consistency, make sure to focus on these key steps:
- Schedule Regular NAP Audits: Make sure to conduct a NAP audit every 3 to 6 months for maximum consistency.
- Update Listings After Business Changes: Schedule a NAP audit and a dedicated update after you change your business’ name, location, or phone number.
- Train Internal Teams: Train your supervisors and employees to refer to your master NAP record and use your standardized information every time they make a listing or share your business information with others.
- Monitor New Citations: Keep track of external listings on data aggregators or external directories to ensure that they follow your formats, and ask for changes if they do not.