💡 Intro Summary
If your Google Business Profile says “Main Street Suite 101” but Yelp says “Main Street Ste 101” and Facebook says just “Main St” — you might have a problem.
That’s called a NAP inconsistency — and it can hurt your rankings.
NAP = Name, Address, Phone Number
And Google expects it to be the same everywhere online.
In this blog, you’ll learn what NAP consistency is, why it matters for Local SEO, how to audit your business info across the web, and how to fix inconsistencies that are hurting your visibility.
📍 What Is NAP Consistency?
NAP stands for:
- Name of your business
- Address (including suite or unit #)
- Phone number (with or without area code formatting)
🎯 NAP consistency means your business info is identical across:
- Google Business Profile
- Your website
- Online directories (Yelp, Bing, Facebook, Apple Maps, YellowPages, etc.)
- Industry-specific platforms (like Avvo, Houzz, ZocDoc)
🤔 Why Does NAP Consistency Matter?
Google uses NAP to:
- Verify your business is real
- Match citations and mentions across platforms
- Determine your trustworthiness and authority
If your details vary, Google gets confused:
- “Is this the same business?”
- “Which one is correct?”
- “Should we rank this listing?”
🎯 Inconsistent NAP = lower trust = lower rankings.
🔍 Common NAP Mistakes That Hurt SEO
- Business name varies slightly (LLC vs. no LLC)
- Address formatting differences (St. vs. Street, Suite vs. #)
- Old or outdated locations listed
- Different phone numbers (or tracking numbers used without setup)
- Listings created by past employees or agencies without cleanup
✅ Even small differences matter to Google’s bots.
🛠 How to Audit Your NAP Across the Web
Step-by-step:
1. Search your business name and phone number in quotes
→ Example: “Elite HVAC Solutions” “(312) 555-0199”
2. Check all listings you find
→ Google, Facebook, Yelp, Bing, BBB, MapQuest, Apple Maps, local chamber sites, industry directories
3. Create a spreadsheet of all NAP info
→ Include: source/platform, business name, address, phone number, URL
🎯 Highlight anything that doesn’t match exactly.
🔧 How to Fix NAP Inconsistencies
Option 1: Manual Fixes
- Claim your listings on each site
- Update the info manually
- Keep a master document to track login info
✅ Good for DIY and low budget
Option 2: Use a Local SEO Tool
Platforms like:
- BrightLocal
- Whitespark
- Yext
- Moz Local
→ These tools scan hundreds of directories and allow bulk updates (some even automate them).
✅ Best for multi-location businesses or those short on time
📄 Pro Tips for NAP Management
- Always use your official, preferred format everywhere
- Avoid “tracking numbers” unless set up properly with call forwarding
- Use schema markup on your website to reinforce your NAP (LocalBusiness schema)
- Re-audit every 6–12 months — especially if you’ve moved or rebranded
✅ Key Takeaways
- NAP = Name, Address, Phone — and consistency across the web is key to local rankings
- Even tiny formatting differences can confuse search engines
- Audit all your listings, fix errors manually or with tools
- Consistent NAP builds trust with both Google and your customers
- Regular maintenance prevents future visibility issues
🧭 Want Us to Fix Your NAP for You?
We offer full NAP audits, cleanup, and listing optimization — so your business shows up clearly and confidently across the web.
👉 [Book Your NAP Consistency Audit]