NAP = Name Address Phone in Local Search

While NAP might be what you do on a Sunday afternoon between football games.  In the world of local search its all about a Business’s Identity as it relates to Local Search.

In this world NAP means a businesses anchor in the index’s across Local Search more specifically the letter(s) N-A-P stand for your Business Name- your business customer facing Address- lastly your customer facing Phone number.

It’s the triangulation of those three attributes which allow an algorithm to drop a pin on a map representing you.  In local search it’s this little concept (NAP) that is the glue that holds your presence all together.

Here is a slideshare presentation I did that introduces the concept.

Here are a couple of articles I’ve written on the subject.

http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2012/6900/a-business-listing-is-your-online-anchor-five-rules-for-ensuring-stability

http://www.visibilitymagazine.com/localeze/gib-olander/mobile-geolocation–big-opportunities-for-marketers-by–gib-olander–director-of-business-development–localeze#

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/164782/local-search-light-speed-ahead.html

http://searchengineland.com/business-owners-are-you-sabotaging-your-own-local-listings-29333