It’s no secret that mobile usage exceeded desktop usage in today’s digital age. In fact, according to the January 2022 report by DataReportal, there are about 5.31 billion mobile phone users worldwide.
That’s 68% of the world population. And this number is still growing. Also, with more people using their mobile devices, local search results have become more critical than ever. Many people use their smartphones to search for local businesses when they’re on the go.
That’s why businesses need to have a presence in local search results. But how do you make sure your business shows up in these results? NAP data consistency and User Experience can help you out.
NAP Consistency
Name, address, and phone number are the three essential pieces of information that must be consistent across every local citation listing. Search engines don’t only use these citations to gauge the trustworthiness of your business.
Potential customers also use them to find your contact information. That’s why your NAP must be consistent across every listing. If you have multiple listings with different NAPs, it can confuse potential customers and hurt your chances of ranking in search engines.
SEO Value
Due to the recent algorithm update influencing Google’s local search, having consistent NAP information plays a significant part in the local pack results. Google cross-reference your NAP across different websites and listings to verify who you say you are.
The more listings you get with consistent NAP, the more trustworthy you look to Google. And the higher the chance you have of getting into the local pack. Once searchers conduct a local search, Google will display a local pack of three businesses that they believe best match the searcher’s intent.
If Google thinks you’re relevant and trustworthy, you’re more likely to get into that local pack. And that means more traffic and inquiries for your business.
How Do You Make Sure Your NAP Is Consistent
The best way is to use a service like Moz Local. Moz Local will scan all major directories and ensure your NAP is correct. They can also help you submit any missing or incorrect listings.
If you want to do it yourself, the process is more tedious. First, you’ll need to search for your business in each major directory and check that your NAP is correct. This process is called a quality audit.
Start by Googling your business information and checking each of the following:
- Google My Business
- Yelp
- Bing Places for Business
- Apple Maps
- YellowPages
- Manta
- Foursquare
- Citysearch
- Angie’s List
If any of your information is incorrect, you’ll need to update it. Some of these directories will allow you to do this yourself, while others may require you to submit a request. Moreover, if you need help with all of this, you can always hire someone to do it for you.
Work with a full-service digital marketing agency that can help you with local SEO, among other things. For example, if you’re based in Australia, consider the Newcastle SEO agency with proven results, Gorilla 360. You can find more information about the company by visiting the gorilla 360 website here.
User Experience
How your website looks and feels is just as important as how easily it can be found online. In addition, potential customers will form an opinion of your business based on your website, so you want to make sure it’s a good one.
Your website should be easy to navigate, with clear and concise information about your products or services. In addition, the design should be professional and consistent with your brand. Finally, and most importantly, your website should be responsive.
Google only has one goal. And that is to deliver the best possible experience to its users. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity. Also, it’s essential for local search. More and more people are searching for businesses on their mobile devices, and if your website isn’t optimized for them, you could be losing out on customers.
So what can you do to make sure your website is responsive? First, check Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test. It will give you a good idea of how your website is doing. Then, if it’s not passing, you can do a few things to fix it.
You can start by using a responsive theme or template. These designs can adapt to different screen sizes and devices. You can also use separate URLs for your mobile and desktop versions of your site. Or, you can use dynamic serving, which serves different HTML and CSS to different devices.
Google also recommends that you use responsive images. That means using images sized appropriately for the device they’re getting viewed on. You can also optimize your website for speed. A slow website is a sure way to lose visitors.
Make sure you’re using a fast web host and that you optimize your website for speed. Building a positive user experience is one of the foundations of a successful website. People will leave if your site is hard to use and never return.
Takeaway
Business owners know the hardships associated with local SEO. Google prefers displaying results from authoritative domains, and it’s getting harder for small businesses to rank above larger enterprises. And to ensure your website appears as a top result is by delivering the best experience to your users and having a consistent NAP.
