When you see the acronym “NAP” do you immediately think about sneaking away for a bit of slumber? Its real meaning is crucial for local businesses, so wake up and make sure you understand how and why to use this important tool!
NAP stands for “Name-Address-Phone Number,” and for any local business, it is absolutely crucial. Why? Local (“geo-targeted”) search is becoming an enormous factor for businesses – and you want people to be able to find your business! These three details, combined, are what allows a search engine to drop a map pin identifying you in an online search.
To increase your NAP effectiveness, you want to build something known as “Citations.” These are mentions of your business’s name and address on other websites. The more Citations you have, the better your search ranking will be. Want to knock your competitors out of the virtual water? Spend the time and effort to make sure your Citations are in order.
How do you get Citations to boost your NAP? It’s not hard, though it will involve a little bit of legwork.
- First, make sure you have a listing with all the major search engines. With Google, make sure you have a Google Places page. Bing has Bing Places for Business. Yahoo has Yahoo Local Listings. If you don’t have a profile, create one – and then make sure to keep it up to date. These are absolutely critical to your Citation strategy.
- Then make sure you have a presence on location-based social media sites like Yelp, Citysearch and Foursquare. If your business lends itself, make sure you’re listed on Angie’s List, another important site for Citations.
- You certainly want to make sure you’re listed on all the major, reputable online directories – Superpages, InfoUSA, 411.com, YP.com, MerchantCircle, etc. Just be careful with this one! There are a number of copycat companies trying to scam consumers, so before you submit your information do a quick search with the name of the company to investigate whether they’re legit.
- Pursue listings with business organizations such as your Chamber of Commerce or the BBB. Getting a write-up in a local newspaper or blog is also a great way to boost your Citations – so don’t by shy about PR. Reach out to local influencers and let them know you exist. They’re always on the lookout for story ideas, and you might just find yourself with a flood of new traffic – and a new Citation.
One important – critical – note: If you move locations, be sure to update your address in all these places. Keep a spreadsheet detailing every place you’ve submitted your address (or do a quick Google search on your business, if you’re allergic to spreadsheets). When you change locations, spend the time to make sure your info is up-to-date – you’ll be glad you did. Especially for businesses with a physical storefront, having multiple addresses floating around in the pipes can be highly confusing for potential customers.