Maintaining NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) consistency is crucial for Google’s local search and Local Pack algorithms, as having uniform NAP information on your Google Business Profile and other online platforms can impact your local search rankings.
Consistency in NAP details is equally vital for user experience since directories and bookmarking sites are utilized by people as well as search engines. Ensuring a high level of accuracy minimizes errors made by search engines when processing data. It also reduces the friction users experience if they encounter incorrect contact details while trying to reach your business.
If Google finds multiple conflicting versions of your business hours, it might have difficulty determining which is correct, potentially diminishing trust in your data and negatively affecting your ranking in response to relevant searches.
For businesses with several locations, tracking key business information and ensuring its accuracy can be a challenging task. This complexity increases even with enterprise tools, especially now that Google has moved management of Google Business Profiles to Google Maps and larger businesses to Business Profile Manager.
### When The User Journey Starts
It is often perceived that the user journey and brand experience commence when a user initiates contact via phone or spends time browsing a company website. However, the beginning of the journey may occur much earlier.
Data from Google highlights five key touchpoints often leading to purchase decisions or affirmative actions on a site:
– Using a search engine.
– Visiting a physical store.
– Exploring a retailer’s website or app.
– Browsing another website or app.
– Utilizing maps.
The user journey effectively starts upon the first encounter with your brand, whether that’s through search results, a Local Pack, a map placement, or in-store visit. Keeping NAP details uniform is crucial for a seamless journey as users proceed from this initial contact.
Though many believe users discover brands through websites or Google Business Profile listings, they also find them via various online portals, including directories where business citations are posted.
### Influencing The User Journey At A Search Stage
The moment users begin their search process is your initial opportunity to make an impression. Appearing visibly in the Local Pack or SERPs, you should offer content that adds value and fulfills user intent when they click through.
#### Lazy Local Pages Help Nobody
Localized websites often produce content and pages that vary in effort and detail. However, “lazy” local pages ultimately benefit no one. Such pages are considered doorway pages—thin, low-value pages created only to rank for local terms. Google disfavors them due to poor user experience, penalizing them via updates like Possum in 2016, targeting spam and poor quality.
Doorways are defined by Google as sites or pages designed to rank highly for particular queries but delivering little unique value. They clutter search results, leading users to similar pages with minimal use beyond their destination.
Even if unique content across these pages avoids duplication but carries an identical message targeting different cities, it offers limited value. Although some niches with less competition may still see these pages ranked, Google prioritizes “beneficial purpose” and “query fit.”
Even without a physical location aspect, businesses might rank well if their content offers valuable information and a strong reputation for users seeking services in various locales.
#### Creating Good Local Value Pages
It’s simpler for businesses with physical stores to generate valuable local pages, but service-oriented companies can also achieve this. Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines categorize content as ‘main’ and ‘supporting,’ and this approach should be mirrored in local SEO.
For instance, when someone searches for [plumbers in london], Google differentiates between the main intent (finding a plumbing service) and supporting signals like location. The search results usually combine local business sites, aggregators, and local service listings.
Your website’s main content should reflect products or services offered while supporting content brings added value and context about the location, achievable through blogs, guides, or resources.
### NAP Consistency
Consistency in NAP details is not just crucial for search engines but is also important for potential customers who may be frustrated by incorrect information, potentially costing leads. Inconsistent NAP typically arises from human error, such as not updating citations post-address change, using varying phones for tracking, or having different business and mailing addresses.
These inconsistencies can lead to SEO issues and user experience problems, resulting in lost sales and brand damage. The user experience is central to the Local Pack and SERPs and encompasses the entire local journey, which must be intuitive and satisfying for all local intents.
Managing marketing metrics and reporting efficiency is critical, but over-reporting in local SEO could be problematic.
### Google Local Pack: User Experience & Attribution
Google’s Local Pack employs a unique algorithm influenced by user location during the search. The attribution challenge in Google Business Profile often categorizes clicks from profiles as direct rather than organic traffic in analytics. This can be resolved using specific URL parameters for tracking without affecting NAP consistency.
Consistency in NAP increases the likelihood of appearing in Local Pack results, which research shows encourages more clicks. Users with expectations of quick-loading, informative pages will follow.
#### Directory Attribution
Attributing marketing efforts precisely often involves unique phone numbers for separate directory listings, offering an accurate ROI gauge but at the risk of inconsistent NAP, leading to multiple conflicting Google Business Profile listings.
Such discrepancies degrade user experience, which can be rectified by declaring duplicate listings and requesting mergers with Google.
Maintaining consistency in your NAP details enhances Local Pack visibility, ensuring users have reliable information and expectations are met swiftly.
