Establish and document a single canonical NAP format.
- Establish and document a single canonical NAP format2 cited sources1 category
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Why this matters
Consistent use of business name, address, and phone number formatting across all listings improves citation trust and local search performance.
Hypothetical standard operating procedure
Adapt this example to your site, access, tools, and change process. It is our suggested procedure, informed by the sources below.
- Choose one version of the business name including any suffixes (LLC, Inc.).
- Standardize address spelling using USPS exact format and ZIP+4 codes.
- Set a consistent phone format, preferably (XXX) XXX-XXXX, ensuring callable schema formatting.
- Document this canonical format in a business fact pack for all citation tasks.
Watch for
Inconsistent abbreviations, suite/unit formats, or phone number styles dilute ranking signals.
Definition of done
A definitive, documented NAP format used as reference for all directory and schema updates.
Sources & attribution
Original checklist wording and example SOP by Best SEO Checklist, using source-grounded AI assistance. Editorial contact: Ted Kubaitis, @tedkubaitis on Teams. Check current source guidance before implementation.