If you want to understand Local Search, you should start by understanding the importance of standardized core business data. By core business data, we are referring to the business name, address and phone number, which you'll sometimes see as NAP.
This core information is unique to each business and rarely changes, so it's easy to see why it is important to the Places algorithm. Simply put, the more trusted sources from which Google draws matching NAP information about a business, the better. But if it sees conflicting data, especially on trusted websites, Google loses confidence in the core data and that loss of confidence can push your Local Business Listing down in the Places rankings. Generally speaking, the more data confusion there is, the worse it can affect rankings in Google Places.
Unfortunately, we are finding that many businesses with an otherwise strong presence on the internet – and perhaps even top rankings in the organic results – can't seem to crack the Local Search nut because of data confusion. What are the most common reasons for data confusion?
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