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NAP

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Definition

Acronym for Name, Address, Phone: the three basic business details that must be identical everywhere on the web.

NAP (Name, Address, Phone) refers to the three fundamental pieces of information for a local business: its name, postal address, and phone number. NAP consistency, meaning the perfect uniformity of this information across all web platforms (website, Google Business Profile, directories, social networks, Yellow Pages), is an important ranking factor in local SEO. Any inconsistency, even minor (abbreviated vs. full form, old phone number), can confuse Google and users and penalize local rankings. NAP citations (mentions of this information on third-party sites) also help reinforce a business's local authority.

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Key Points

  • Even the slightest NAP variation can harm local SEO
  • Regularly audit your citations across directories, social networks, and third-party sites
  • Use a strictly identical format everywhere, including punctuation

Practical Examples

Inconsistency detected

A restaurant is listed as 'The Little Bistro' on Google, 'Little Bistro LLC' on Yelp, and 'The Lil Bistro' on TripAdvisor. This NAP inconsistency hurts its local rankings. A complete audit is needed to harmonize all citations.

Systematic NAP audit

An SEO agency audits its client's 45 web citations and discovers 12 NAP inconsistencies (old addresses, fax numbers instead of main phone). After correction, the client gains 4 positions on local queries within 8 weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Search your business name on Google and verify each result. Use tools like Moz Local, BrightLocal, or Semrush to automatically scan existing citations and detect inconsistencies. Correct each variation by directly contacting the platforms or updating your profiles.

It is recommended to display NAP in the footer of all pages and mark it up with Schema.org (LocalBusiness). This reinforces consistency and helps Google associate your site with your business listing. For multi-location businesses, create a dedicated page per location with specific NAP.

Go Further with LemmiLink

Discover how LemmiLink can help you put these SEO concepts into practice.

Ensure NAP consistency for your SMB NAP audit for your agency clients Strengthen your NAP citations with link building

Last updated: 2026-02-07