Why NAP and user experience are crucial for local SEO
NAP consistency is an important part of Google’s local search and Local Packaging algorithms, meaning that building quotes with consistent NAP on your Google Business Profile list and other online directories and websites can influence your local rankings.
However, having a consistent NAP is also important to the user journey, as online directories and social bookmarking websites are not just used by Google – they are used by humans as well.
Maintaining a high degree of consistency and accuracy reduces the risk of mistakes made by search engines that mechanically process the data.
It also reduces the risk of consumer friction should a potential customer trying to contact your business come across an incorrect phone number, store hours, or email address.
And, if Google comes across five different versions of your store hours, which do they believe?
Inconsistent information may erode Google’s trust in your location data, which does not match your listing as the best outcome for a relevant query.
Keeping track of where key business information is listed and how accurate it is even for one location can be difficult.
When you manage multiple locations with multiple addresses and phone numbers, even with the use of enterprise software, it becomes increasingly complex.
This post is also changing, now that Google wants business owners to manage their Google Business Profile (GBP) from the Google Maps interface and larger multi-location businesses from the Business Profile Manager.
When The User Journey Starts
Many people consider the consumer journey and the brand experience initially when the consumer makes the initial inquiry over the phone or email, or spends significant time on a company’s website.
However, the journey starts much sooner.
Google data shows that there are five touch points that, more often than not, result in a positive site purchase / action:
The consumer journey begins when they see your brand for the first time either in the search results list, in the Local Package, on a map, or in your physical brick-and-mortar store.
This is where the consistent NAP becomes important because consumers need constant information to move forward on their journey.
We often assume that consumers find our local businesses and brands through our websites, guest posts and outreach, and our Google Business Profile listings.
However, consumers find our brand through a variety of online portals, including the directories where we build our citations and listings.
Influencing The User Journey At A Search Stage
When users do their first searches, this is your first opportunity to impress and be part of the user journey.
If you feature prominently in the Local Package or within the SERPs, you want your users to click through to content that provides value and meets their user intent.
Lazy Local Pages Help Nobody
In many cases, when a website is “located,” it means producing local content and local pages.
These are executed with varying degrees of effort, care, and precision, but ultimately lazy local pages help no one.
A lazy local page is a door page; a thin page that offers little value to the user and is there for the sole purpose of trying to rank for local search terms.
Google does not like door pages (because they offer a poor user experience) and introduced a door page “site modification” algorithm in 2015.
Possum’s 2016 update also went some way to addressing poor quality and spam, but this is a tactic that has continued. In many verticals, they are still effective (until something better comes along).
Google’s official help documentation defines doors as:
“Websites or pages created to rank highly for specific search queries. They are bad for consumers because they can lead to multiple similar pages in users’ search results, where each result ultimately takes the user to the same destination. They can also lead users to intermediate pages that are not as useful as the final destination. ”
Even if you rewrite all the content on these pages ensuring that they are not duplicate but that they all carry exactly the same message to a different targeted city, they do not ‘ n offers no value whatsoever.
This is niche dependent, however, and in some smaller niches, Google may still be rating door pages due to lack of competition and other viable options.
This stems from two concepts that Google uses in its Quality Rates Guidance document: “the useful purpose of the page” and whether the page is “a good fit for the query.”
Even if the business does not meet the local physical aspects of the inquiry but provides content that suggests it encompasses the physical location and provides value (and a positive reputation value) to users looking for X in Y, when Google is empty of other options that satisfy the physical location options, then Google will rank the content.
Creating Good Local Value Pages
Admittedly, it is much easier for companies with physical bricks and mortar stores in the locations they want to target to create high value local pages.
But this does not mean that it cannot be done for companies that offer a locally focused intangible product or service.
The Google Search Quality Ratings Guide defines content in two parts:
This is the way you should look at a local search.
When someone in London is looking for [plumbers in London], Google has to break down the query into main sections and supporting sections, as well as search for intent.
It can do this through the capabilities achieved in the Hummingbird and RankBrain updates.
With [plumbers] as the main part of the query, and from reviewing [plumbers’s] search results page, Google sees one dominant interpretation of the query, namely someone looking for a plumber (service), and returning a combination of websites local businesses, aggregators, the Map Pack (local to my IP), and the Google Local Services carousel.
[in London] is the adapter then.
It’s a secondary signal to reinforce the accuracy of the results Google wants.
Adding this adapter to me (using [plumbers in horsforth]), Google has given more weight to aggregators listing multiple plumbing companies in the area and single company sites that seem to have been de- weighting.
This makes sense from a user perspective as it gives me easier access to multiple one-click versus multiple-click options.
The main content of your site should reflect the products / services you offer, with supporting content elements adding timely value and relevance around the venue.
This can be implemented non-commercially via the blog, as guides, or as additional resources.
NAP Consistency
As mentioned before, NAP consistency is important because the directory listings are not, and quotes we build are used by search engines only. Prospective customers find these details as well.
Inconsistent or inaccurate NAP can lead to frustrated users and possibly loss of wires.
Common Reasons For Inconsistent NAP
From experience, inconsistent NAP can be caused by a number of human errors and business changes, including:
Not only can all of the above cause problems for your local SEO, but they can also cause a number of user experience issues – and a poor user experience leads to loss of sales and damage to your brand.
The user experience extends beyond the Local Package and SERPs to your site, how the local itinerary is managed, and whether it can meet all local intentions.
The ability to accurately track and report on the success of marketing activities is essential.
However, there is a case for “over-reporting” and “over-attribution” in some cases, especially with regard to local SEO.
Google Local Pack: User Experience & Attribution
The Google Local Pack runs on a different algorithm to the traditional organic search results and is heavily influenced by the user’s location when doing the search.
Google’s Business Profile has an attribution problem, and many clicks of GMB listings are often classified as direct traffic rather than organic traffic in Google Analytics.
The way around this is to use a parameter:
The parameter won’t cause NAP consistency issues / citations, so there’s nothing to worry about there.
Having a consistent NAP means you are more likely to appear in the Local Pack, and if you are in the Local Package studies have shown that you are likely to get a high percentage of clicks on the results page.
If you are likely to get many clicks, it means that you will have many users expecting fast loading pages and prominent information to meet their search intentions.
Directory Attribution
This is a more common problem that I have encountered on the side of the working agency, as well as one that I have been asked to implement when working on the client side.
To track marketing efforts, I have identified organizations to produce unique phone numbers for each directory where they present the business.
Also, many directories like to generate Google Business Profile listings based on the data you input, as a kind of “extra service.”
This results in a number of Google Business Profile listings being generated for individual locations, with different phone numbers and sometimes different map pin locations.
This is bad for the user experience, as they face multiple choices for one location with only one being correct.
This can be controlled by declaring that the fake lists are duplicates of another and asked Google to merge them. See ‘How to Delete or Merge Duplicate Google Business Profile Lists’ to learn more.
Featured Image: Paulo Bobita / Search Engine Journal
Why is local search important what factors do you think are most important for local optimization?
Local Search Can Target Leads By Mobile Users This means that local SEO optimized for mobile search can be especially profitable for local businesses that want to promote their products and services. With more searches being conducted on a mobile phone than ever before, taking advantage of a mobile phone, local SEO is essential.
What factors are important for local SEO? Google has three main local SEO ranking factors that all local businesses should consider when optimizing their online presence for local search: proximity, prominence, and relevance. Because many Google search queries are done with local intent, proximity is a key ranking factor.
What is the most important factor involved in local search?
png. Spread the word about the survey, Page and link signals include NAP presence, keywords in titles, anchor texts (in), authority in, linking domain size are the most important factors affecting the search local.
What are the three factors that influence local search results?
3 Key Google Factors to Set Up in Local Search
- Relevance.
- Distance.
- Visibility.
What is an important ranking factor for local search?
In terms of ranking well in Google’s local search results, the following are the most important factors: Google My Business. Google My Business Categories. Proximity of Address to the Search Point.
What is the best local SEO factor?
| Local Package | Local Organic |
|---|---|
| 1. Google Business Profile (36%) | 1. On a page (34%) |
| 2. Reviews (17%) | 2. Links (31%) |
| 3. On a page (16%) | 3. Behavioral (11%) |
| 4. Links (13%) | 4. Quotes (7%) |
Why is local search important?
Brings More Qualified Search Traffic Local search can help weed out searchers who are not likely to associate with your business. This is not because search engines make a concerted effort to protect businesses from customers, but because they want to provide relevant local results based on proximity and intention.
Why local search optimization is important?
Local SEO allows you to provide important information about your website online, such as your business address and phone number. … This helps increase the exposure of your business to the web, which can make your business better known to the area’s residents.
What are the benefits of local search?
Advantages of Local SEO
- Improved Traffic. Do you know that local information is the subject of 46% of all Google searches. …
- Improved Conversion Rates. …
- Reduced Advertising Costs. …
- Ongoing Business Growth. …
- Long-Term Situations. …
- Bypass Competition. …
- Earn More Local Reviews. …
- Have links with Neighborhood Business.
Why is local search important in the future?
This directness of information leads potential customers to restaurant businesses in the shortest amount of time. Plus, it allows people to see, quite efficiently, the restaurants that provide top quality food and service in the neighborhood.
Why is a local search important?
Brings More Qualified Search Traffic Local search can help weed out searchers who are not likely to associate with your business. This is not because search engines make a concerted effort to protect businesses from customers, but because they want to provide relevant local results based on proximity and intention.
What is local SEO and 5 reasons why it’s important?
5 Key Reasons Why Local SEO Matters
- It Makes You More Competitive. Even if you do not invest in local SEO, you can be sure that the other local businesses are within your niche. …
- You Attract Visitors and Newcomers. …
- People Want to Buy Local. …
- Sales Drive Phone Searches. …
- It’s Cheap.
Why is local search important in the future?
This directness of information leads potential customers to restaurant businesses in the shortest amount of time. Plus, it allows people to see, quite efficiently, the restaurants that provide top quality food and service in the neighborhood.
What is local SEO & Why local search is important?
Local SEO helps your business stand out – even if you don’t have a website – and helps drive more traffic to your property through online guides. As these guides are from people who are specifically looking for products or services your business offers, they are also likely to give you a high conversion rate.
What does local mean in Google Analytics?
Local search engine optimization is a subsection of this that focuses on the geographical components of search. Local SEO is the practice of optimizing your site for local search results that could not only increase the visibility and traffic to your site, but foot traffic to your brick-and-mortar business.
What is local SEO versus SEO? While traditional SEO focuses on improving the visibility of your site on a national or global scale, local SEO allows you to capture local search territory to connect with searchers in your area. Local SEO and SEO use many of the same strategies.
What is Google Local Data?
The files and downloads you’ve made are local data as well as your Chromebook history.
What is considered local data?
Local data is any set of data collected by another body, or any local authority, including yours. Examples of local data available to you include: … local authority billing and payment data. parking permit data.
What is considered local data on a Chromebook?
It means data that is physically stored on your device rather than the cloud. Things like pictures, music, documents, that kind of stuff.
What does losing local data mean?
Local data is lost when the device is recovered or power washed.
What is local data on Google?
When you change your Chromebook password, it asks for your old password when you log in again. If you forgot your old password, it deletes all local data. The files and downloads you’ve made are local data as well as your Chromebook history.
What is the local source in Google Analytics?
The Source in Google Analytics is where your website traffic comes from, or as Google says, it’s the origin of your traffic. Your traffic has to come from somewhere, whether it’s people visiting your site from search engines, or from a social media site or some other site.
What is local organic traffic in Google Analytics?
Organic traffic indicates the number of people who searched for something and then clicked on your website or webpage in the search results. This means that your website serves as a resource or solution for the viewer.
What are the sources in Google Analytics?
Source: the origin of your traffic, such as a search engine (for example, google) or a domain (example.com). Medium: general category of source, for example, organic (organic) search, paid-per-click paid search (cpc), web address (reference).
What is direct source in Google Analytics?
Direct traffic in Google Analytics is defined as website visits that occurred as a result of a user typing your URL directly into their browser or through bookmarks. If Google Analytics can’t track the source of your traffic, then it will also categorize this as direct traffic.
What does Google local mean?
Google Local, developed from Google Places, is a service provided by Google that allows companies to be present in a Google Maps search. Company records are usually created automatically by Google or can be created and managed by companies themselves through the Google Places Business Center.
How does Google Local work?
When someone searches for a business or place near their location, they will find local results across Google in places like Maps and Search. For example, you can probably find local results if you search for an “Italian restaurant” from your mobile device.
What does local Google mean?
Google -Local (Google Places) Google Local, developed from Google Places, is a service provided by Google that allows companies to be present in a Google Maps search. Company records are usually created automatically by Google or can be created and managed by companies themselves through the Google Places Business Center.
What is Google local services?
Local Service Ads help you connect with people who are searching on Google for the services you offer. Your ads will appear for customers in your area, and you will only pay if a customer contacts you directly through the ad. Getting started. Call to be installed by a Google expert.
What is a nap address?
NAP is an acronym for Name, Address, and Phone Number. The NAP for your business needs to be accurate and consistent in optimizing your website and online presence for local search because Google values accurate information for its users.
What are Google Maps NAPs? Pop into Google Naps, a parody of the well-known Google Maps, which allows users to share the best places in towns and cities around the world to grab a little shuteye. Think of it like Foursquare for beds.
What are NAP details?
NAP is an acronym that stands for name, address and phone number. Your business’s NVQ should be consistent across the internet.
What is nap in digital marketing?
That’s where NAP (this stands for Name, Address, Phone Number) comes into play. According to Moz, NAP consistency is one of the most significant factors of local SEO.
What is nap and why is it important?
Studies have shown that sleep plays an important role in the storage of memories. A nap can help you remember things learned earlier in the day as much as a full night’s sleep. Napping works to keep you from forgetting things like motor skills, sense perception, and verbal recall as well.
Why is taking a nap important?
Sleep experts have found that daytime sleep can improve many things: increase vitality, boost creativity, reduce stress, improve perception, stamina, motor skills and accuracy, improve your sex life, help lose weight, reduce weight risk of heart attack, brightening your mood and boosting memory.
Why is nap important for SEO?
NAP consistency is important for local SEO because matching the legality of NAPs and improving the chances of ranking your local business is good. It also provides search engines and potential new customers with the most essential information about your business.
Does nap affect SEO?
As I discussed above, NAP anomalies can adversely affect your local SEO because search engines will not be confident about the information you provide. Basically, search engines will not trust you.
What is NAP’s consistency in SEO? NAP Compatibility refers to the accuracy of a location-based business Name, Address, and Phone Number across all business listings, local directories, social media profiles, and websites. It is widely considered a search ranking factor for local SEO.
What is a nap listing?
NAP data included in a listing refers to ‘* name, address, * and business phone number; it is also known as the most valuable list information for consumers who are interested in connecting and / or finding the business that is most relevant and has the tools to offer a solution to their problem.
What is nap in digital marketing?
That’s where NAP (this stands for Name, Address, Phone Number) comes into play. According to Moz, NAP consistency is one of the most significant factors of local SEO.
What does NAP mean in data?
NAP (Network Access Point) The point at which an Internet service provider (ISP) drops down its lines and sets up a gazing arrangement to provide Internet connectivity to customers.
Is nap important for SEO?
Why is NAP Important to Local SEO? Getting the right NAP for all your listings across the internet is essential for local SEO. Google scans all these listings when searching for information about your business. The data is stored and used in determining a site.
What is nap and why is it important?
Studies have shown that sleep plays an important role in the storage of memories. A nap can help you remember things learned earlier in the day as much as a full night’s sleep. Napping works to keep you from forgetting things like motor skills, sense perception, and verbal recall as well.
Why is NAP information important for SEO?
NAP consistency is important for local SEO because matching the legality of NAPs and improving the chances of ranking your local business is good. It also provides search engines and potential new customers with the most essential information about your business.
Why are NAPs important citations?
Search engines look at NAP quotes to give users accurate information about their query. … Therefore, it is important to have consistent NAP information across all quotes, something that Media Venue can help with through our SEO and reputation management services!
Why naps are so important?
Naps are good for kids and adults. Many studies indicate that nap time reduces daytime sleepiness, as well as boosting learning and performance. For shift workers, naps can improve alert and response times. And we know that babies, toddlers and toddlers benefit from naps in many ways.
Is napping helpful or harmful essay?
Napping is good because it helps a lot with people’s cognitive performance. Cognitive performance is just testing how many mistakes people make. Napping also helps to remove stress from people’s lives and naps renew a person’s energy for short and long periods of your day and week. Napping helps to eliminate stress.
Why is nap information important for SEO?
NAP consistency is important for local SEO because matching the legality of NAPs and improving the chances of ranking your local business is good. It also provides search engines and potential new customers with the most essential information about your business.
Are naps good for you research?
Napping for a Better Brain Nearly 60 percent of participants said they had slept after lunch for about an hour. Scientists found that people who nap for 30 to 90 minutes had better memory for words – a sign of good memory – than people who didn’t nap or nap for more than 90 minutes.
