There are a million and one acronyms out there when it comes to SEO, but the NAP is the most vital. Name, Address, and Phone Number. Consistency in branding is the key to SEO, and brand-trust overall. Incorrect information can lead to poor user experience. Differences in your NAP on any of your business listings or websites can cause a lower SEO ranking as well.
An inconsistent NAP can be as simple as how your business name is typed. For example, VistaGraphics, Inc. Could be typed out as:
• Vista Graphics Inc
• Vista-Graphics
• VistaGraphics
To a search engine, all of these could be different companies. Search engines value consistency. If Google comes across multiple versions of your store hours, phone number, or address, which one will they know is accurate?
When Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Google Business Listing, Bing Business Listing, and your website all have the same NAP information displayed, Google et al can confidently display your contact information.
Future clients don’t only discover you from a Google search of your business name. There are many listing sites out there (Facebook, Yelp, Instagram, TripAdvisor, local Chambers of Commerce etc.) that may have inconsistent NAP’s that could affect your SEO score without you realizing it.
Often, we assume that users find our local businesses and brands through our websites, our guest posts and outreach, and our Google Business Profile listings.
Users, however, find our brand through a variety of online portals, including the directories where we build our citations and listings.
Your take away is really simple, be consistent with the naming of your company across the board.
