NAP Consistency and Local Citations: A Local SEO Guide
A name, address and phone number that match everywhere build Google's trust. Here is how to align them.
· 1 min read
In local SEO, two notions come up constantly: NAP and local citations. They help confirm to Google that your business really exists at the stated location.
Definitions
- NAP: Name, Address, Phone, meaning your business's name, address and phone number.
- Local citation: any mention of this information on another site, with or without a link: directories, yellow pages, mapping sites, social networks, local press sites, chambers of commerce.
Why consistency matters
Contradictory information between your website, your Google Business Profile and directories creates confusion, for bots as well as customers. Matching data strengthens your business's credibility and makes it easier to identify.
Typical inconsistencies
- "12 Main Street" on the site and "12 Main St." in a directory.
- An old phone number left in listings.
- A trade name different from the legal name across platforms.
- An old address after a move.
- Duplicate listings for the same location.
Steps to align everything
- Define the reference version: write down once and for all your name, address (exact format) and phone.
- List existing citations: search the web for your business name, number and address.
- Fix or remove errors and duplicates, starting with the most visible platforms.
- Register on the directories that are relevant to your industry and country rather than on every possible directory.
- Display the same NAP on your site, for example in the footer and on the contact page.
- Add
LocalBusinessstructured data (schema.org) that repeats exactly this information.
Quality before quantity
A few reliable citations on platforms your customers actually use are worth more than hundreds of listings in low-quality directories. Check your information whenever your hours, address or number change, and review it at least once a year.