Why it matters for your business
When someone searches for something like “dentist near me” or “pizza in Springfield”, Google often shows a map with a short list of businesses, usually three, near the top of the results. People call it the local pack, map pack or 3-pack. It often appears above the regular website results, so for local businesses it’s some of the most valuable space on Google.
Businesses in the local pack come from Google Business Profiles, not from websites directly.
How Google chooses who appears
Google says local results depend mainly on three things:
- Relevance: how well a profile matches the search
- Distance: how close the business is to the searcher or to the area they named
- Prominence: how well known the business is, including reviews, links and mentions
How to check or improve it
- Make sure you have a verified, complete Google Business Profile.
- Choose the most accurate primary category and list all your services.
- Earn reviews steadily from real customers and reply to them.
- Keep your details consistent across the web.
- Check your position by searching from different spots in your area, because results change with the searcher’s location.