NAP Consistency: Why Your Business Info Must Match Everywhere

What Is NAP Consistency?

NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number—the core identifying information for your business. NAP consistency means this information is identical across every place it appears online:

Your website
Google Business Profile
Facebook
Yelp
Yellow Pages
Industry directories
Local Chamber of Commerce listings
And hundreds of other places

Why Does It Matter for SEO?

Search engines like Google use NAP information to verify that your business is legitimate and to understand where it's located. When your NAP is consistent, it's a trust signal that tells Google "this is a real business."

When your NAP is inconsistent, search engines get confused. They might:

Not connect all your listings together
Question which information is correct
Reduce your visibility in local search results
Show incorrect information to potential customers

Common NAP Inconsistencies

Address Variations

"123 Main Street" vs "123 Main St"
"Suite 100" vs "#100" vs "Ste 100"
"New York, NY" vs "New York City, NY"

Phone Number Formats

"(555) 123-4567" vs "555-123-4567" vs "5551234567"
Local number vs toll-free number

Business Name Issues

"Joe's Pizza" vs "Joe's Pizza LLC" vs "Joe's Famous Pizza"
Including taglines in the business name
Abbreviations vs spelled out

How to Audit Your NAP

**Search for your business** - Google your business name and note every listing you find
**Check major directories** - Yelp, Yellow Pages, Facebook, Apple Maps, Bing Places
**Use a tool** - Our NAP Consistency checker scans directories automatically
**Document everything** - Create a spreadsheet tracking each listing and its current NAP

How to Fix Inconsistencies

Step 1: Establish Your Canonical NAP

Decide on the exact format you'll use everywhere:

Exact business name (as registered)
Full address with consistent formatting
Primary phone number

Step 2: Update Your Website

Your website is your home base. Make sure your canonical NAP appears:

In the footer on every page
On your contact page
In your schema markup

Step 3: Claim and Update Major Listings

Start with the most important directories:

Google Business Profile
Yelp
Facebook
Apple Maps
Bing Places

Step 4: Use Data Aggregators

Services like Data Axle, Localeze, and Factual distribute business info to hundreds of directories. Updating your info with aggregators can fix many listings at once.

Step 5: Monitor Ongoing

New inconsistencies can appear from:

Old data resurfacing
Automated scraping sites
Business moves or phone changes

Run regular audits (monthly or quarterly) to catch new issues early.

Special Cases

Multi-Location Businesses

Each location needs its own consistent NAP. Use a location management system to keep everything synchronized.

Service Area Businesses

If you don't have a storefront, you can still have consistent NAP—just without the address displayed publicly.

Recent Moves

If you've moved, expect it to take 3-6 months for all directories to update. Be proactive about claiming and updating listings.