What is NAP consistency and how do I fix it?
NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number, and NAP consistency means they appear identically everywhere your business is listed — your website, your Google Business Profile, and every directory. Google treats consistent NAP as a trust signal; mismatches (an old address, a differently formatted phone) chip away at it. The GBP audit checks your NAP and flags conflicts.
Even small differences can count as a mismatch — “Ste 200” vs “Suite 200”, a tracking phone number on your site that differs from your listing, or a former address lingering on a directory. Google can't always tell these are the same business, which weakens confidence in your listing.
To fix it: pick your Google Business Profile as the single source of truth, then make your website's contact details and every directory listing match it exactly — same spelling, abbreviations, and phone format. The audit's NAP check and the Citations page help you find where they diverge.
This is also an AI-visibility fundamental: assistants corroborate you across the web, so consistent NAP makes you a safer business for them to name.
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