https://ion8.net/covid-and-the-importance-of-regular-naps-updates-2
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that in order for businesses to stay successful, they must maintain a constant line of communication with their clients and customers. As the situation changes on a regular basis, your business is being forced to adapt on a weekly, if not daily, basis. These rapid changes mean that your customers are often left in the dark regarding changes to your business — especially if you haven’t taken care to communicate changes with them. In order to keep your audience up-to-date on all the goings-on in and around your business, it’s critical that you conduct regular NAPS updates.
What is NAPS and why do I need to regularly update it?
NAPS (Name, Address, Phone Number, Services) is one of the most important elements of your local SEO. It gives your customers critical information about your business, making it easy for locals to find your company and making you stand out from the crowd. Your NAPS is typically featured in places customers can easily find information about your business, including Google My Business, local business directories, industry directories, and your social media channels.
With the situation constantly evolving in terms of business reopenings and the looming threat of future lockdowns, it’s critical for your business to conduct regular NAPS updates. Every single time you make a change to your business, whether big or small, your social media channels, Google My Business, and directory listings should be updated immediately. Whether you’re reducing or expanding hours, limiting services and service areas, moving your workforce back to the workplace or changing to a work-from-home model, or rolling out measures to protect customers and employees, these changes should be communicated through NAPS updates.
By regularly updating your business’ NAPS throughout this pandemic (and beyond), you can count on your audience knowing exactly what’s going on with your business, and new customers will still be able to find your business using up-to-date information. This puts you ahead of your competitors who may have fallen behind on keeping their company profiles updated and increases trust in your customers, who will be able to recognize that your business is working to adapt to the ongoing changes.
Consistent NAPS is crucial to your local SEO success
Local SEO is more important now than ever before — if potential customers can’t find your business on search engines or social media platforms, they’re far more likely to turn to online competitors in order to get what they need. When your local SEO is properly optimized, audiences will be able to find your business immediately, including information about what products and services you offer, when you’re open, what areas you service, how to contact your team, and where to go if they want to find out more.
Consistent NAPS ensures that your business listings and citations are identical across platforms, meaning that you’ll enjoy higher search rankings, and as a result, increased traffic. Every time your business is forced to adapt to the evolving COVID-19 situation, make it a point to update your Google My Business listing, your website, social media channels including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, as well as any business directories you may be listed on. Taking the time to carefully update your NAPS correctly means that search engines will continue to rank your business higher than those with inconsistent NAPS information, putting your brand directly in front of potential customers.
Even if your business is national, ensuring that your NAPS information is up to date will improve your SEO.
Keep your customers in the loop
While you’re at it, don’t forget to communicate these changes with your audience — one quick post to your social media channels or a short newsletter blast can get customers up-to-date on the changes currently affecting your business, making them better prepared to do business with you in the future. If you want to stay in the loop on all the happenings regarding your business and its stakeholders, we strongly recommend setting Google Alerts for your business name, brand, and any key stakeholders so you can get the scoop immediately and make sure that nothing takes you by surprise.
ion8 is an all-in-one business management consultancy with a full team of experienced digital marketing, communications, and business management consultants ready to help you adapt quickly and effectively during these rapidly changing times.
