Many businesses obsess about SEO (as well they should). However, there are other things to consider. If call tracking metrics, conversion tracking, and conversion optimization are priorities for you, then you need to focus on NAP consistency.

NAP (standing for name, address, and phone number) is closely associated with call tracking for a good reason. Many local businesses are very appointment-based (especially in the era of COVID). Consequently, they rely on the phone to get those appointments. Call tracking results—good and bad—are affected by NAP.

What is NAP Consistency & Why is It Important?

Name, address, and phone number seem like such a simple thing to get right. After all, this is just the most basic information there is about a company. Yet a lack of NAP consistency plagues many businesses. When that happens, it has detrimental effects on SEO ranking and call tracking metrics. 

NAP consistency is something that Google expects to see from every business. If the search engine sees that, good local SEO results will be forthcoming. Without such consistency, that’s a red flag for Google.

It all comes down to “authority.” If there are NAP inconsistencies between websites and Google My Business, Google sees that as an indication that something’s potentially sketchy with your website. If Google doesn’t trust your website, it won’t be terribly anxious to suggest your website in search engine results pages.

NAP Consistency and Higher Local SEO Results Are Intertwined

When a local business wants to increase its Google ranking, it’s impossible to avoid considering the consequences of NAP inconsistency. When Google can verify your NAP consistency across the internet, that checks a box for the search engine. In other words, you’re legit. Therefore, recommending your website to users makes sense to Google. 

Local searches and local SEO matter. When your business’ website appears frequently in local search results, that adds up to more leads. In turn, that should generate greater revenue. 

Google sometimes likes to be vague about exactly what websites need to do to rank higher. However, sometimes they do offer explicit advice. For improving your Google My Business profile, the search engine says to:

• Make sure data is absolutely complete
• Be sure to verify all of your locations
• Verify that operating hours aren’t out of date
• Monitor reviews (they may refer to NAP inconsistencies)

In our experience, we’ve found that a surprising number of businesses don’t have a complete Google My Business profile. That’s a bit ironic, given that many of these same businesses are seriously concerned about their SEO. A completed GMB profile is like a roof on a house. As far as we’re concerned, you don’t start putting in the furniture if you haven’t put the roof on first.

Effective Call Tracking & NAP Consistency: Two Good Things That Go Well Together

NAP inconsistencies can potentially present problems for local SEO. That, in turn, could create problems for some aspects of call tracking. Dreamscape Marketing has always maintained that call tracking is crucial for making a marketing plan work. The better the call tracking, the more effective the marketing program. That has been an important part of our methodology.

Call tracking is a crucial concern for businesses because it:

• Records customer phone calls, allowing for analysis later
• Enables companies to understand when peak times are for phone calls
• Indicates which ad sources compelled callers to call
• Enables better marketing decision making & budget allocation

With excellent call tracking in place, it would be a shame to allow NAP inconsistencies to possibly interfere with the process in any way, however small.

NAP Consistency is Crucial to Local SEO & Call Tracking

It’s no longer acceptable to have inconsistencies in your name, address and phone address across the internet and social media. When there are NAP inconsistencies, it may set up a cascade effect, compromising SEO ranking and call tracking results. In a world where local SEO is more important than ever, it’s financially foolish to allow such inconsistencies to exist.

Dreamscape Marketing understands the relationship between call tracking and NAP consistency. It’s just part of our comprehensive SEO program for increasing your Google ranking and website traffic. To learn more about our digital marketing services, contact us at 888.307.7304. Let us show you how to improve your call tracking and SEO results for greater success.