NAP Consistency for Local Businesses | Interview with Henrik Jacobsen

Henrik Jacobsen is SEO and online marketing expert at Digitalmanden with over 20 years of experience, specializing in SEO for franchises and chain-based businesses. As a one-man tech army and a huge SEO nerd, he is passionate about helping multi-location brands boost their visibility and achieve impactful growth through tailored, data-driven strategies.

Henrik emphasized the critical importance of maintaining NAP consistency for building local SEO trust, highlighted how first-party data gains relevance with AI-powered search, and shared tactical priorities like local backlinks and reviews for EV brands. He also debunked the outdated myth of keyword stuffing.

Q1: What’s an underused strategy in Local SEO that you think has enormous potential in 2025? 

One of the most important factors for achieving strong local SEO rankings in 2025 is local NAP consistency. NAP stands for "Name, Address, Phone Number," and it means that a business’s name, address, and phone number should be consistent across all online platforms and directories where it is listed. This consistency builds trust with both users and search engines, while also enhancing the business's visibility in local search results.

Q2: How do you see AI-powered search like Google's AI Overviews or SearchGPT changing the local search landscape next year? 

Increased Importance of First-Party Data! With AI summaries pulling from a variety of sources, including user-provided data, businesses that regularly update their Google Business Profiles and leverage first-party data (like direct feedback and on-page content) will stand out. This will make it even more critical for businesses to keep information accurate, as AI might reference reviews, FAQs, or specific highlights in search overviews.

Q3: With 2025 around the corner, what’s the top SEO trend EV Charging brands should be focusing on to improve their local visibility?

As 2025 approaches, EV charging brands should prioritize local NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) consistency to enhance their local SEO visibility. Ensuring that your business's name, address, and phone number are uniform across all online platforms and directories is crucial. This consistency builds trust with both users and search engines, leading to improved local search rankings.

In addition to NAP consistency, consider the following strategies:

• Optimize Google My Business (GMB): Regularly update your GMB profile with accurate information, high-quality images, and prompt responses to customer reviews.
• Incorporate Local Keywords: Use location-specific keywords in your website content, meta descriptions, and titles to align with local search queries.
• Encourage Customer Reviews: Positive reviews not only build credibility but also influence local search rankings.
• Build Local Backlinks: Partner with local businesses and organizations to earn backlinks, enhancing your site's authority in the local context.

Q4: Many EV brands are still finding their feet with digital strategy, what’s one common SEO myth they should stop following, and what’s the reality?

A common SEO myth many EV brands still follow is that "more keywords automatically mean better rankings." Many believe that stuffing as many relevant keywords as possible will boost their site’s visibility. However, this approach can actually harm their rankings due to penalties for keyword stuffing, and it often creates a poor user experience.

Instead of focusing on quantity, EV brands should prioritize quality and relevance in their keyword strategy. Modern SEO is about understanding user intent and providing valuable, relevant content that answers specific questions or needs. For EV brands, this could mean creating content around topics like “nearest EV charging stations,” “charging costs,” or “EV charger types for specific car models.” Google’s algorithms prioritize content that is useful, user-focused, and contextually relevant over content stuffed with repetitive keywords.

By focusing on creating informative, intent-based content, EV brands can build stronger local visibility and connect better with their target audience.