Using Ste over Suite in NAP

[Angela Baird]

When trying to figure out the best NAP, I do a citation search using Ste and get A LOT more citations then when I use Suite (spelled out). Should I go with Ste for the NAP? I heard Google doesn't use Ste. Is it better to match the most citations though?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Are you asking if you should change NAP on the Place page?

How is it listed on the Place page now? If it's Suite on Place page and you are asking if you should change Suite to Ste on Place page I vote no.

Here is some of the advice I give in my training... I don't think G really likes the Ste abbreviation. Seldom see it on dupes or scraped listings even if the majority of citations are in that format. (And often Ste has the majority of citations because often that's the USPS official address so many YPs pick it up and list it that way.)

Plus realize even a slight change in address can cause lost reviews. Heck these days even if you just look at a listing wrong you can lose reviews.

PLUS even if you thoroughly analyze all and change to what you think is by far the best address format - what all too often happens is then you go out and build citations to match and change the site to match and chances are strong that she'll just change the address back on you anyway. Then nothing will match and all that work will be wasted.

I teach how to do very in-depth NAP research and analyze a bunch of stuff before making a decision on changing anything in NAP. AND every situation is unique. BUT in general my rule of thumb for NAP changes on Place pages is "if it ain't broke - don’t fix it."

Meaning, if the name is wrong or KW stuffed - then yes it's broke you must fix it. If Suite is missing or wrong, then it's broke, you must fix it. BUT if the only thing wrong is a standard address abbreviation that has more citations BUT that she can likely match anyway AND could cause problems and extra work - only to have her change it back on you anyway - then I say best to leave it alone.

In the past I was much more strict on exact match NAP but now that she's changing address on you half the time no matter what you do AND with all the review problems, I normally lean toward leaving basic address abbreviations the way they are on the Place page.

(Sorry to write a book. Have been wanting to write out and explain all that in detail somewhere for my training. I explain in detail verbally, but now I can also just link to this post.)

Does that make sense?

 

[Angela Baird]

Thank you Linda! That was very helpful. So if there's more citations with Ste. would you still recommend building the site on that NAP, even if you don't update GPL to match it? Or should you build the site on the NAP that matches Google Places even if the citations are lower? Here is one example: "149 N 1200 E, Ste 110" "801-766-4741" = 4,990 citations, "149 N 1200 E, Suite 110" "801-766-4741" = 34 citations.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Well that's not the whole picture. The current Place page is totally different:
149 North 1200 East #110. North and East spelled out and #.

Then in map maker there are all kinds of edits. Not sure if done by you or bots. But Ste was there at one point and someone deleted the address.

I checked site to see what NAP is there but there is no NAP on the site?

I'd also check USPS to see if N and E should be abbreviated.

And they have some good reviews so after you complete all the research you just need to very carefully weigh whether it's worth making changes and potentially losing reviews.

But the key is once you do all the research and decide on best NAP for Place page, then should get that exact NAP on all the right places on the site and build citations with that same NAP.