New 42-day free trial
Smarty

Address data masterclass webinar recap

WEBINAR RECAP: In this recap, we’re going over the ins and outs of address data. Learn about address components, ZIP9, ZIP11, non-postals, and other hacks.
Andrew Townsend
Andrew Townsend
 • 
May 23, 2022
Tags

In this webinar, our geocoding and address expert Adam Charlton went over the ins and outs of address data. He gave details about address components and how they influence the way an address is composed. He also dove into the difference between ZIP9 and ZIP11, what a non-postal is, and other address hacks you didn’t learn in primary school.

Standardization and validation

What exactly is a valid address? There are lots of different definitions depending on what your goal is with the address. For example, a parking lot address could be a valid address for a real estate developer, but not for package delivery.

The same goes for USPS valid addresses, parcel validation, or non-USPS valid addresses.

Ultimately you need to decide how you are going to standardize for your needs to ensure that addresses are written the way that is most useful to you. Keep in mind that improperly standardizing addresses can cause significant problems.

Address anatomy

In the webinar, Adam outlined the following address components and how they inform address systems.

  • Primary Number
  • Pre Direction
  • Street Name
  • Street Suffix
  • Post Direction
  • Secondary Designator
  • Secondary Number
  • City
  • State
  • ZIP

ZIP Codes

Tending to lead to confusion, the secrets of ZIP Codes were unraveled. You can learn everything you need to know about ZIP Codes in this article and ZIP+4 Codes in this article if you’d rather not watch the video.

Did you know that ZIP Codes can overlap areas and cross state/county boundaries? Did you know that a ZIP Code often corresponds to a street segment, not just a block of a city or town?

Geocoding

Finally, Adam took us through the benefits and basic levels of Geocode accuracy. He did suggest that for those who are looking to learn more about Geocoding and perhaps interested in a deeper dive on the topic you should check out the recording of his Geocoding webinar.

Looking to start standardizing and validating addresses?

Get a free trial of the world's best address validation tools and start improving the quality of your address database today!

View the full webinar recording here

Subscribe to our blog!
Learn more about RSS feeds here.
rss feed icon
Subscribe Now
Read our recent posts
You always need Smarty, unless...
Arrow Icon
We’ll be honest: there are some rare, creative, and oddly inspiring scenarios in which traditional address validation tools—like Smarty—might not be top of mind. Take Gary, for instance. He runs a mail-order sourdough bakery and believes address typos give his shipping process a “personal touch. ” His customers now expect their loaves to go on postal pilgrimages, complete with handwritten notes and breadcrumb trails. Literally. Or Eleanor, who’s lived in the same town for 62 years, ships packages with descriptions like “the blue house with the tire swing near the old Peterson farm.
Why address verification is the necessary complement to autocomplete
Arrow Icon
Address autocomplete is a powerful tool for improving form completions and ensuring users select real, deliverable addresses at entry. However, to maintain long-term data integrity and enhance address-related insights, address verification is a necessary complement. Here’s why:1. Gain up to 55 points of metadata per verified addressAutocomplete provides real-time address suggestions, while address verification appends additional metadata. Address verification enhances each address with up to 55 points of data, such as:ZIP-9 level accuracy geocoordinates (rooftop accuracy also available)ZIP+4 CodesResidential Delivery Indicator (RDI) to identify residential vs.
Property data fuels a Smarty-er search for Sasquatch
Arrow Icon
Bigfoot. Sasquatch. Ol’ Filthy Albert. No matter what you call him, you know who we’re talking about: the hairy giant cryptid who haunts our collective imagination and, according to about 13% of the US population, wanders the American wilderness. The traditional perception of Sasquatch is that of a solitary creature whose run-ins with people are the unavoidable consequence of human development and exploration. If recent sightings are any indication, it seems the legendary creature may have more on their mind than just staying hidden.

Ready to get started?