What Are NAP Citations?

Story Based Question

Imagine you’ve opened a brand new fitness studio called Fit Nation in your town. You’ve set up your Google My Business (GMB) profile, created a website, and even posted on social media. But you notice that your local competitors are ranking higher on Google when people search for “gym near me.” You’re wondering what could be missing. Then you hear about NAP citations and wonder, “What are they, and how can they help my fitness studio get noticed by Google?”

Exact Answer

NAP citations are online mentions of your business’s Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP). Consistent and accurate NAP citations across different online directories, websites, and platforms help improve local SEO and increase your visibility in local search results.

Explanation

NAP citations are a key factor in local SEO because they help search engines like Google verify your business’s legitimacy and relevance to local searches. These citations are essentially references to your business on other websites, such as local business directories, review sites, or local news articles.

Here’s why NAP citations matter for your business:

1. Boost Local SEO: The more consistent and widespread your NAP citations are across the web, the better your business can rank in local search results.
2. Verify Business Information: Google uses NAP citations to confirm that your business information is accurate. If your name, address, and phone number are consistent across different sources, it helps Google trust that your business is legitimate.
3. Increase Visibility: Being listed on multiple high-authority websites can increase your business’s visibility, making it easier for potential customers to find you.
4. Build Trust with Customers: When customers see the same business info on various trusted platforms, they’re more likely to trust your business.

Example

Let’s take your fitness studio, Fit Nation, as an example. You’ve already claimed your Google My Business profile, but your competitors are ranking higher, and you’re wondering what’s missing. After researching, you realize your NAP citations need some work.

Here’s how you can improve them:

• Name: Fit Nation
• Address: 123 Fitness Ave, Your City, Zip Code
• Phone Number: (123) 456-7890

Now, you make sure to list Fit Nation with the exact same NAP information on other trusted directories, like:

• Yelp
• Yellow Pages
• Bing Places
• Local Chamber of Commerce websites
• Fitness-specific sites like FitnessFinder.com

By making sure your NAP information is consistent across these platforms, you’re helping Google verify your business and improving your chances of showing up higher in local search results.