What is NAP (Name, Address, Phone)?
NAP is the combination of a dealership's business name, street address, and phone number that must appear consistently across every online directory, citation, and platform to support local search rankings.
At a Glance
NAP (Name, Address, Phone)
NAP is the combination of a dealership's business name, street address, and phone number that must appear consistently across every online directory, citation, and platform to support local search rankings.
Full Definition
NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number — the three core identity attributes that search engines use to confirm a business's real-world existence and match its online mentions to a single entity. For dealerships, NAP consistency means that the exact same name, address format, and phone number appears on the Google Business Profile, the dealership's website, Yelp, Cars.com, Autotrader, DealerRater, local directories, and all citation sources. Any variation creates entity confusion that suppresses local rankings. Common examples: 'ABC Motors' versus 'ABC Motors LLC,' suite numbers included on some listings but not others, or old phone numbers still live on legacy sites.
Why It Matters for Your Dealership
NAP inconsistencies are among the most common and most damaging local SEO problems dealerships face. Fixing NAP across all citation sources is a foundational audit step that produces measurable local ranking improvements with no ad spend required.
In Practice
For dealerships, NAP consistency means that the exact same name, address format, and phone number appears on the Google Business Profile, the dealership's website, Yelp, Cars.com, Autotrader, DealerRater, local directories, and all citation sources.
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