Law Firm Marketing Agency
Your firm’s NAP listings are critical to your success with local SEO. Sound complicated? It’s actually pretty simple!
Here at Omnizant, we include NAP building as part of our local SEO services. Local SEO can help you get discovered by people who are looking for a lawyer in your geographic area. It’s a complex topic, but your NAP listing is fundamental—and managing it is pretty straightforward, if you follow our tips.
Here is a quick explanation of what lawyers need to know about NAP, why NAP matters for local SEO, and how to stay on top of all your online listings.
Brief intro to local SEO
Local SEO is a process of optimizing your online presence to rank well in local searches.
The goal is to appear higher in the SERP—ideally in the map pack—so that you can be found by people in your area who are looking for what you provide.
Here are some of the key benefits of local SEO for lawyers:
- Increase web traffic
- Generate leads
- Establish local credibility
Ultimately, effective local SEO strategies can be a game-changer for lawyers looking to establish a strong online presence and grow their clientele.
What does NAP mean?
NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone Number. This information is part of something called a NAP listing, which is a general term for your online listings. These NAP listings appear in places like Google and Yelp—and they play a key role in local SEO.
In simple terms, your NAP listing is your calling card. Your NAP must be accurate and up-to-date so that anyone can go online to your listing and know how to reach out to you.
What are citations?
Citations are the places where your NAP information is listed. Your firm could be cited on a website, online directory, or some other local listing.
The problem with citations: You might list yourself on these pages, or your business could be automatically listed or added by someone else.
The solution: You have to actively manage your citations across a variety of platforms so that your information is correct, and consistent, on every single one of them.
Why does NAP matter for local SEO?
Here’s an example to help you understand how NAP listings can affect local searches.
Let’s say you want to find out whether your local ice cream shop has a special flavor.
The shop’s list of flavors appears on two websites, BestCones.com and WeScream.com—but the lists are slightly different! You’re unsure whether or not the shop will have what you want, so you decide to stay home.
Online citations are the information about your firm listed on different websites.
The consistency and accuracy of your NAP listings have a major impact on how your firm is perceived by local searchers. If a local searcher feels confident after encountering your NAP listings, they’re more likely to reach out to you.
When your information is the same everywhere, it shows that you’re reliable and it’s easier for people to reach you. Plus, consistent NAP information and local citations are a ranking factor on Google.
How to optimize NAP and stay on top of citation management
Optimize first, maintain second.
To start, here are a few smart ways to optimize your NAP listings:
- Include location-specific keywords.
- Include the practice area and location in NAP, if appropriate.
- Ask your developer about NAP schema markup.
Next, many firms struggle with outdated or inconsistent NAP data—but we’ve got tools and strategies to help!
- Manually monitor your NAP listings on a regular schedule (like monthly).
- Reply to reviews, where appropriate and permitted.
- Update and correct user-generated changes, if necessary.
- Use an automated tool like Yext to promptly address changes to your listings.
If you’re overwhelmed and can’t take on a new tool like Yext right now, then focus on the more authoritative directories and websites. Use a tool like SEMRush to find out which sites are generating the most traffic for your firm. Spend the most time updating those listings.
We recommend starting with your Google Business Profile (GBP).
Review and next steps
NAP and local SEO are vital for lawyers who want to boost their online visibility and attract local clients. Consistency and accuracy are very important.
Start with your Google Business Profile. Ensure that all of your online listings are accurate and consistent. Use a paid tool like Yext to continually update listings as your NAP information changes.
To reap long-term benefits, invest in a local SEO campaign with expert support.
Are you ready to attract a steady stream of local clients and watch your firm thrive? We are, too! Reach out for more information about how Omnizant’s legal marketing services can help your business grow.