How to Update Your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) for Local Authority

NAP consistency is the foundation of local AI authority. This guide shows you how to audit and fix inconsistencies across your GBP and website.

?Why it matters

NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency is one of the highest-impact local SEO and GEO signals. When your business name, address, or phone number appears differently across your Google Business Profile, website, and other directories, AI systems receive conflicting entity signals and reduce your citation likelihood.

✓What you'll need

  • •Access to your Google Business Profile
  • •Access to your website (to update contact page and footer)
  • •A list of other directories where your business is listed (Yelp, Yellow Pages, BBB, etc.)

Step-by-step walkthrough

1

Record your canonical NAP

Decide on the exact format for your business name, address, and phone number. Write it down. This is your canonical NAP. Every other listing must match this exactly.

2

Check your GBP

Go to business.google.com → Info tab. Verify your name, address, and phone number match your canonical NAP exactly. Click the edit pencil to update any field.

3

Check your website

Your website footer and contact page must show your canonical NAP. Check that the address format matches your GBP (e.g., if GBP uses "Ave" your website should not use "Avenue").

4

Audit other directories

Search Google for your business name. Check Yelp, Yellow Pages, BBB, and any industry directories. Log every inconsistency you find.

5

Update inconsistencies

Correct each inconsistency one by one. Prioritize: GBP first, then your website, then high-authority directories (Yelp, BBB), then smaller directories.

6

Add schema markup to your website

Add LocalBusiness JSON-LD schema to your website with your canonical NAP. This gives AI systems a machine-readable, authoritative version of your entity data.

★Pro tips

  • TIP:Decide on your canonical NAP before you claim any directories. Changing it later requires updating every listing.
  • TIP:Use a local number rather than an 800 number as your primary GBP number — local numbers strengthen local authority signals.

!Common mistakes

  • ✕Using different abbreviations: "Ave" vs "Avenue", "St" vs "Street", "Suite" vs "Ste" — these all count as inconsistencies.
  • ✕Listing a phone number on GBP that differs from your website contact page.

Built for local performance.

Run your Northcast audit to see how these adjustments affect your Authority Index and AI search recommendations.

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