Correcting address formats

Your business address needs to be formatted consistently across every directory, citation, and platform where it appears. Inconsistent formatting — abbreviating “Street” on one listing and spelling it out on another, or putting suite numbers in the wrong field — creates conflicting signals that undermine your local search rankings. Google cross-references your address across dozens of sources. Inconsistency reads as unreliable data.

The Correct Address Format

Follow this structure on every platform: Google Business Profile, Yelp, Healthgrades, your website, and every directory listing.

Address Field Breakdown

Address Line 1

Street number + street name only

Nothing else belongs here. No suite, floor, unit, or building name.

✓ 1234 Medical Center Drive

Address Line 2

Suite, floor, unit, or building (if applicable)

Leave blank if your address has no secondary identifier. Do not put “N/A” or a placeholder.

✓ Suite 200 | ✓ Floor 3 | ✓ Unit B

City

Full city name, no abbreviations

State

Use the standard 2-letter abbreviation (e.g., CA, TX, NY)

ZIP Code

5-digit ZIP only. Omit the ZIP+4 extension for consistency.

Correct vs. Incorrect Examples

✕ Incorrect

Address Line 1:

1234 Medical Center Dr, Suite 200

Address Line 2:

(empty)

Suite number in Line 1 breaks geo-normalization and creates inconsistency with how Google formats it.

✓ Correct

Address Line 1:

1234 Medical Center Drive

Address Line 2:

Suite 200

Street address isolated in Line 1. Secondary identifier in its own field. Matches how Google and USPS format it.

Common Address Mistakes That Hurt Local Rankings

Inconsistent street abbreviations

Using “St.” on one listing and “Street” on another. Pick one form and use it everywhere.

Using PO Box instead of physical address

Google Business Profile requires a physical, staffed address. PO Boxes are not eligible and can get your listing suspended.

Adding keywords to the address field

Appending “Orthopedic Clinic” or a city name to your street address violates Google’s guidelines and creates citation mismatches.

Different formats across platforms

Your address on your website, GBP, Healthgrades, and Yelp should be character-for-character identical. Variation creates conflicting data signals.

Address consistency is one component of NAP (Name, Address, Phone) accuracy — a core local SEO signal. For a full picture of how citation accuracy affects your search visibility, see Direction’s resource on local listing directory accuracy.

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Correcting address formats

The Correct Address Format

Correct vs. Incorrect Examples

Common Address Mistakes That Hurt Local Rankings

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