NAP Consistency (NAP)

NAP stands for name, address, and phone number. Consistency means those details match everywhere your business appears online. Mismatches confuse customers first and search engines second.

NAP vs local citation

NAP is the data itself. A local citation is any place online that mentions it. A citation can be a directory listing, a Facebook page, or a news article. Your NAP is what you check across all of those citations.

There are two citation types:

• Structured citation: a listing with set fields, like a business directory or a map app. Examples include Yellow Pages PH, Waze, and Foursquare.
• Unstructured citation: a mention inside regular text, like a blog review or a local news story.

Google says prominence uses information from across the web, including links, articles, and directories. Accurate citations support that picture of your business.

Common mismatches in the Philippines

Philippine addresses have many valid formats, so drift is common:

• “Unit 3, 2F” on one site and “3rd Floor” on another.
• “Brgy.” vs “Barangay,” or a missing barangay entirely.
• A landline on the website and a mobile number on Facebook.
• An old branch address left on a directory after a move.

Abbreviations like “St.” vs “Street” are a small issue. Different floors, branches, or phone numbers are a big one. Customers may end up at the wrong place.

Duplicate listings and schema

Duplicate listings are the worst kind of mismatch. Two Google Maps pins for one shop split your reviews and confuse customers. Merge or remove the extra listing.

On your website, LocalBusiness schema lets you state your NAP in structured data. Google supports this markup for business details. It works best when it matches your Business Profile exactly.

Example

A Makati dental clinic moves from the 2nd to the 5th floor of the same building. It updates Google, but its Facebook page and two directories still say “2F.” Patients climb to the wrong floor and leave annoyed reviews. The clinic makes a list of every citation and updates each one. It also updates its LocalBusiness schema with the new unit number.

For hands-on practice auditing your listings, use the linked lesson.