As the premier listings management agency in Naperville, Illinois, one of the most common questions we get asked by business owners is, “How can I get a top spot in Google Maps and organic listings?”
Several strategies can enhance a business’s visibility in local search results, such as verified information or the quantity and quality of online reviews. However, one of the most effective strategies is establishing “NAP Consistency” for the business across the web.
What Exactly is NAP Consistency?
NAP stands for ‘Name, Address, Phone Number.’ NAP Consistency refers to the consistency with which your company’s name, address, and phone number appear across the web — especially in business directories and local listing websites like Google My Business, Yelp, Facebook, Angi (formerly Angie’s List), Foursquare, Glassdoor, Better Business Bureau, and YellowPages.
Taking the NAP a step further, it’s just as important to have your website’s address consistently listed.
What Role Does NAP Consistency Play in SEO?
Google is all about confidence. More specifically, the search engine giant must be confident that a company and/or website can match the expectations of a user searching for a specific product or service.
Naperville in businesses should ensure that Google understands who they are and where they are located to improve their confidence score. Furthermore, Google bots are incredibly detail oriented. When crawling the web, they can (and will) detect even the slightest variations in a company’s name, address, phone number, and website URL. These variations can erode Google’s confidence.
Consider the following example. Let’s say your company’s name, address, and phone number are as follows:
Naperville Business, Inc.
1 S Main St.
Naperville, IL 60540
(123) 999-9999
Let’s also assume that you signed up for an online YellowPages ad with a tracking number a few years ago to track the phone calls generated by the ad. The form was filled out by a sales representative, who listed your company as:
Naperville Business Inc.
19 South Washington Street
Naperville, IL, 60540
123.999.9999
And perhaps you verified your Google My Business profile last year, listing your company as:
Naperville Business Inc
19 South Washington St.
Naperville, IL 60540
123-999-9999
Because Google bots are highly detail-oriented, all three listings may be looked at differently by the bots, lowering Google’s overall confidence and consequently bringing down your search ranking. A reputable listings management agency in Naperville, Illinois can help make sure all your business listings are consistent across the web.
How to Ensure NAP Consistency
To see if your Naperville company’s NAP is consistent across the web, type in your company name and the city location in the search bar. If you notice any variations in the search results, your NAP is not consistent.
There are a few automated listing management tools available online that check for NAP consistency, the most well-known of which is Moz Local. However, we always recommend double-checking their results for accuracy.
How to Fix an Inconsistent NAP
Fixing your company’s inconsistent NAP can be a hassle, but it is an essential piece of your online presence puzzle. You can fix your inconsistent NAP by going to each business directory and local listing site where your company is listed, registering with the site, and updating the listing. Keep in mind that this process can take a long time.
Partner with the Most-Trusted Listings Management Agency in Naperville, Illinois
Due to the amount of time it takes to edit your business listings across the web, many business owners look to partner with a listings management agency in Naperville, Illinois. Are you ready to do the same? If so, the team at Digital Destination LLC is here to help.
Contact us today at (312) 933-6806 or fill out an online form to get in touch with our Naperville local listings management specialists.