Do you know what NAP is and why it is important for small businesses with physical locations? NAP is the acronym for Name, Address, and Phone. According to Search Engine Land, 43 percent of total Google search queries are local and 25% of Bing and Yahoo search queries are local. This means that one in three searches have local intent. Make it is easy for people to find your business by using a NAP that is the same on web pages, on social media channels, and in directory listings.
It is crucial for small businesses to use a NAP that is the same from site to site as Google and other search engines look for consistency across sites in order to build trust. Before you design your web site and before you submit it to the local search directories, take a minute and figure out your NAP. How will you list your address, for example, will you use Street or St.? Will you spell out or abbreviate your state name? Will you use a local or toll-free phone number?
Search engines view your NAP as a single entity and use it to distinguish between businesses with the same name. When your NAP is found frequently, your site will be assigned greater authority. So, even if you have multiple physical locations, designate one location for your NAP and use it consistently on your web pages, on social media channels, and in your directory listings.
Wondering how your NAP appears now? Type your phone number into your favorite search engine and see what happens.
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