How to Audit Your Name, Address, and Phone Number in an Afternoon

NAP stands for name, address, and phone number. The idea behind a NAP audit is simple: the details of your business should be the same everywhere they appear, so customers and search engines aren't left guessing which version is right. This guide gives you an order for the work, based on where experts rank the checks, and how to fix what you find. It follows service area or storefront and supports the Google Business Profile playbook.

Why the Order Matters

Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up in local search results (Tips to improve your local ranking on Google). It doesn't say which places matter most. Whitespark's 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors report, a survey of 47 local search experts scoring 187 factors, is practitioner opinion, but it ranks these checks for the local pack and Maps:

• Your website's NAP matching your Google profile's NAP ranked 15th.
• Consistency of citations on Google Maps, Bing Maps, and Apple Maps ranked 28th.
• Consistency on key directories such as Yellowpages, Yelp, D&B, and CityGrid ranked 63rd.
• Consistency on data aggregators ranked 85th, and on other citation sources 123rd.

Our reading is that you should start with your own site, then the three main map platforms, then the key directories, and leave the long tail for last.

Step 1: Write Down Your Source of Truth

Create one record with your exact details. Use the version Google's guidelines describe (guidelines):

• Name: your real-world name, as used consistently on your storefront, website, and stationery, with no added keywords or taglines.
• Address: the address you show publicly, or none if you're a service-area business that doesn't serve customers there.
• Phone: a local number under the direct control of the business, rather than a central call center number where possible.
• Website and hours: your website URL and your regular customer-facing hours.

Decide on the exact formatting, such as "Street" or "St.", and use it every time.

Step 2: Check Your Own Website

Look at your header, footer, contact page, and home page. The name, address, and phone should match your record in the visible text. If you use structured data, it should match too, as covered in LocalBusiness schema for contractors. Check the phone number is a working link, as covered in click-to-call.

Step 3: Check Your Google Business Profile

Compare every field on your profile with your record: name, categories, address or service area, phone, website, and hours. The profile checklist covers the other fields.

Step 4: Check Bing and Apple Maps

The expert survey groups Google Maps, Bing Maps, and Apple Maps together, and BrightLocal's 2026 survey found that 27% of consumers use Apple Maps (Local Consumer Review Survey 2026). Apple's business tool is now called Apple Business, formerly Apple Business Connect, according to Apple's guide. Microsoft's business listing tool is reached at bing.com/forbusiness. We haven't checked what either tool costs or lets you edit, so follow each one's own instructions.

Step 5: Check the Key Directories

Search your business name and phone number on Google and note which directory listings show up. Fix the ones that show wrong details. Don't chase every directory that will list a business, since the survey ranks consistency on the long tail of citation sources lowest.

Step 6: Look for Duplicates

Google describes a duplicate as a case where a verified profile already exists for the same business, or multiple profiles share the same address (resolve duplicate profiles). To request a merge, report a suggestion on Google Maps, and all merge requests are subject to review. Google says that when two profiles are merged, their reviews are combined but replies to reviews may be lost. If you created a duplicate by mistake, you can remove it without affecting your verified listing.

Keep It Current

Google says that if it receives reports that your business info isn't accurate, it might update your profile. So a correct profile can change without you touching it. Put a date in your calendar to repeat Steps 2 and 3 every quarter, and after any change of phone number, address, or hours.

Related Guides

• The Complete Google Business Profile Playbook for Contractors
• The Google Business Profile Checklist Every Contractor Should Run
• LocalBusiness Schema for Contractors: What to Add and Where
• Service Area or Storefront: Setting Up Your Google Business Profile Correctly
• Your Map Pack Ranking Dropped: What to Check, in Order