NAP (Name, Address, Phone)
NAP is short for Name, Address, and Phone — the three pieces of business information that have to match exactly across your website, Google Business Profile, and every directory that lists you.
What it is
NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone — the three core facts about your business that every search engine, AI assistant, and directory uses to figure out who you are. "NAP consistency" means those three facts are identical everywhere they appear: your website, your Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Yelp, Apple Maps, industry directories, and every other place your business is listed.
Identical means exact — same spelling, same formatting, same suite number, same phone number. "Acme Plumbing" and "Acme Plumbing LLC" are not the same. "(555) 123-4567" and "555-123-4567" are seen as the same by most systems, but the safer bet is to standardize the format too. Apartment numbers, road vs Rd, suite vs ste — match it everywhere.
Why it matters for your business
NAP is the foundation of entity clarity. When the facts agree across the web, Google and AI assistants are confident they know who you are, and you become eligible for the Local Pack and AI recommendations. When the facts disagree — even a tiny mismatch like an old phone number on Yelp — search engines have to guess, and guessing is the enemy of ranking. Inconsistent NAP is one of the most common reasons local businesses underperform despite "doing SEO."
Example
A roofer changed their phone number two years ago but never updated their listing on a regional contractors directory. Google's crawler kept seeing two different phone numbers tied to the same business name, couldn't tell which one was current, and quietly held the business out of the Local Pack for half its target queries. A 20-minute audit, one correction submitted to the directory, and within six weeks the Local Pack appearances returned.
Related
- Feature: Google Business Profile & Maps
- Guide: Google Business Profile guide
- Related terms: Google Business Profile, Entity clarity, Citations (local), Local Pack