Address Lookup

Address lookup, also known as address search or address verification, refers to the process of searching for and retrieving information about a specific address. This might just mean confirming the address, or it can extend to obtaining detailed data like latitude and longitude coordinates.

Here's a breakdown of the key aspects of address lookup:

What does an address lookup involve?

Typically, an address lookup method will involve the following steps:

• Search criteria: First, it involves a user entering an address or partial address information (e.g., street name, city, postal code) into a search engine or service. 
• Comparison and matching: Once the information is inputted, your address lookup engine will rumble into gear. It will typically start by comparing your criteria against a database of verified addresses, which could be sourced from national postal services, commercial providers, or internal databases.
• Serving up the results: While it depends how your lookup is structured, most good address lookup processes will do the following:
  • Confirm that the address exists: This will check if your user's address is valid and deliverable.
  • Standardised address format: Next, it'll be checked to ensure correct formatting according to official guidelines for a locality.
  • Additional information: Details like apartment numbers, postal codes, location coordinates, type of building (residential/commercial), etc. This may also include subpremise level data.
  • Delivery options: Lastly, lookup will assess delivery options, including available shipping methods or courier services.

Learn more: How does address lookup work?

Why is address lookup important?

Here's why it's prudent for you to consider adding address lookup into your customer data process:

• Minimise data errors: Your lookup, especially when paired with validation processes, weed out typos, incomplete information, and invalid addresses.
• Improves efficiency: Automated lookup saves time and resources by ensuring no communication effort is wasted - for example, you'll avoid sending important communications to addresses that simply don't exist. 
• Ensures accurate deliveries:  Properly implemented lookup and validation processes mean you won't suffer from sending missed or returned packages and mail, which come with steep costs.
• Enhances data quality: Maintains clean and standardized address data, ensuring you get better insights from your database.
• Boosts customer satisfaction: Prevents delivery failures and improves communication, which in turn leads to a better customer experience, and higher chance of repeat buyers and brand advocates. 
• Prevents fraud: Identifies fake or invalid addresses used for fraudulent purposes.
  
  

What are the types of address lookup?

• Basic lookup: At base level, a lookup will check if the address exists and is formatted correctly.
• Enhanced address verification: Provides additional information like delivery options or building type.
• Geocoding: Converts an address into latitude and longitude coordinates.
• Reverse geocoding: Uses coordinates to retrieve the corresponding address. Learn more: What is reverse geocoding?
  
  

How to choose the right address lookup provider

• Prioritise accuracy: First things first, (and to risk stating the obvious!), choose a reliable database with consistently updated information.
• Privacy and security: Ensure the service complies with data privacy regulations - for example, GDPR in Europe.
• International compatibility: If you're a global business, it'll obviously be important to use a dataset that supports the different address formats and languages you may need.
• Cost and scalability: Select a service that fits your budget and usage volume.
  
  

By understanding the definition, importance, and various types of address lookup, you can choose the right solutions to optimize their address verification processes, improve data accuracy, and ensure successful deliveries.

The good news? Loqate's own address lookup solution offers all of these and more! At the push of a button, you can automate address lookup using our easy-to-install solution. Get started today by booking a demo with our specialist team, or take a closer look at the manifold benefits of Verify.