Local businesses benefit from customers in the area, which is why local SEO optimization is one of the very important things for them. If you’re running a business and need to optimize for better results, this is a guide for you. We’ll explain in detail how NAP citations fit into the Google Local 3-pack and all the reasons why you should be interested in this topic.
Google Local 3-pack basics
Before we continue to NAP, let’s discuss some basics on the local SEO 3-pack. Google is all about fast and precise results that will give you the solution to your problem. So, when you’re looking for some products or services, Google will do its best to present the top three local businesses that fit your search.
This is particularly important when the search includes location or a phrase such as ‘near me. You should know how to choose keywords for your website as these keywords trigger more accurate results. And Google will present the top three Google Business profiles to help you out. This pack of top three results that fit the search best is called Google Local 3-Pack. The amount of information Google collects about local businesses will determine these results. So, this is the reason why local business owners should be interested in optimizing their SEO better.
The main goal of the SEO optimization regarding the local 3 pack is giving Google enough accurate information to work with. This way, it will optimize the search results better, making sure the users get exactly what they need.
Why you should care about Google’s top results?
Well, if your business depends on customers from the local area, Google 3-pack should be one of your concerns. Business owners need to do their best to ensure their business is included in the 3-pack. The reason is quite simple – an average user will not look at more than the top three offered options. As competition is often tough, it’s critical to understand all the ways to reach one of the top threes spots. But, what’s the role of NAp here? Let’s find out.
Where do NAP Citations fit into the Google Local 3-Pack?
Well, we mentioned that there are a couple of ways that your business can be a part of the top three Google results of local searches. And one of the ways is keeping your GMB listing spotless – and NAP will help you get there.
NAP is an acronym for the Name, Address, and Phone Number of your business across different listings. To make sure Google can recognize it, your NAP needs to be correct and more importantly, consistent over different directories. To provide useful search results, Google will scan various directories and use the information given. If your NAP matches in multiple directories, Google vill value that information and recognize your business as a trustworthy result for a local search. This is how NAP Citations fit into the Google Local 3-Pack – they provide information Google uses to provide search results.
The place that is crucial for the local 3-pack is Google My Business Listing. It is important to claim your business here and update it with the correct details. Google My Business is one of the critical factors for ensuring to be part of the 3-pack as it shows the map results. And there is no doubt that Google Maps marketing is important for your business. It’s the shortcut to the highly-desired top three results, so it’s important to manage it properly.
Steps to a successful GMB profile
The NAP information is essential for a successful Google My Busienss profile that will later be one of the top three local searches. These are the steps to make your GMB spotless:
- begin with claiming your GMB listing – you can either set up a new profile or claim an already existing one by going to the Google GMB page and following the instructions;
- check the information and make sure it’s accurate – avoid variants and alternative names, but use the full name of your business and choose one format of your address and phone number to use them across different directories. It’s best to use the format you used on the website. If your website and GMB match, Google will recognize your business as more reliable;
- set the business category – it will help Google match your business better, so choose a category your business belongs to.
Other ways to get into the Google 3-pack
Apart from GMB, there are other ways you can increase your chances to get into the top Google results. One of them is improving the overall SEO situation. SEO optimization depends on several factors, but the focus should be on an organically healthy SEO.
The most important part of your SEO is surely your website. This is the place where users should find goods and services they need, but also find out more about the business, industry, and more. Also, the website should be easy to use, which implies a clean and simple website structure and mobile-friendly characteristics.
Next, it is essential that your website is discoverable over the internet. This means you should improve your local listings game, and ensure your business is found in all the relevant directories. This is also the place to remember why NAP Citations fit into the Google Local 3-Pack. A consistent NAP in your local citations will send positive signals to Google, ensuring it includes your business in the top three local searches.
As you can see all of the factors we mentioned are equally important because they depend on each other. For that reason, make sure to understand where do NAP Citations fit into the Google Local 3-pack. You need to have a solid strategy of improving your SEO game, and hitting all the relevant aspects that will lead you to positive results.
