Why Your Business Address Should Be Identical Everywhere
Customers, couriers and search engines trust a business whose address is the same everywhere. A checklist for keeping yours, and its postal code, consistent.
If your website says “Sandton 2196”, your Google Business Profile says “Johannesburg 2146” and your invoices use an old PO Box, customers and search engines see three different businesses. Consistency builds trust and helps local search results.
Decide on one version
- Physical address: the street address of your premises with the suburb’s street code.
- Postal address (optional): your PO Box or private bag with its PO Box code.
- Choose one spelling for the suburb and city, and one format for the street (for example “Road” or “Rd”, not both).
Where to update it
- Your website footer and contact page
- Google Business Profile and other map listings
- Social media profiles
- Invoices, quotes and email signatures
- Directory listings and supplier records
Common slip-ups
- Mixing street and PO Box codes, for example using a PO Box code with a street address.
- Using an old town name in some places and a new one in others. Pick one and use it everywhere. See renamed towns and your address.
- Dropping a leading zero in spreadsheets. See keeping postal codes intact in Excel.
Check your code:
Frequently asked questions
Should I show my PO Box on my website?
Show your physical address if customers visit you. Add a postal address only if you receive letters there.
Which code goes on a Google Business Profile?
The street code for your physical address, since the listing shows where you are.