What Is the Google Local Pack and How Do You Get Into It?

The Google Local Pack — sometimes called the map pack or the three-pack — is the block of three business listings that appears at the top of Google’s search results for local queries. It sits above the regular organic results and includes a map, business names, star ratings, addresses, and opening hours.

Getting into the Local Pack is one of the most valuable things you can do for your local business. Studies consistently show that the majority of clicks on local search results go to businesses in the pack, making it prime real estate in the digital world. Understanding how it works is the first step to earning your place in it.

How Google decides which businesses appear in the Local Pack

Google uses three main factors to determine Local Pack rankings: relevance, distance, and prominence. Relevance refers to how well your business matches the searcher’s query — a query for "Thai restaurant" should return Thai restaurants, not Italian ones. Distance measures how close your business is to the searcher or the location mentioned in the query. Prominence reflects how well-known and trusted your business is, based on information Google has about you from across the web.

Of these three factors, prominence is the one you have the most control over. It’s built through your Google Business Profile completeness, the number and quality of your reviews, your website’s authority, and your citation presence across the web. The more signals of quality and trust you send, the more prominently Google will feature your business.

Distance is partly fixed by your physical location, but your service area settings on your GBP also influence where you appear. If you serve customers across a wider area than your office or premises, set your service area accordingly so Google understands your reach.

Optimising your Google Business Profile for the Local Pack

Your Google Business Profile is your most direct lever for Local Pack performance. Start by ensuring every section is fully completed: business name, category, address, phone number, website, opening hours, and a well-written description. An incomplete profile sends a weak signal — Google prefers businesses that have taken the time to present themselves fully.

Choose your primary category carefully. It’s the most influential field on your entire GBP. Choose the category that most accurately describes your core business — not the broadest category, and not a category chosen just because it has high search volume. You can add secondary categories for additional services you offer.

Upload high-quality photos of your premises, team, and work. Profiles with photos receive significantly more views and direction requests than those without. Google also favours profiles that are regularly updated with new content, such as posts about offers, events, or news.

The role of reviews and local SEO signals

Reviews are one of the most powerful signals for Local Pack rankings. A business with dozens of recent, positive reviews will consistently outrank a competitor with fewer or older reviews, assuming other factors are similar. Make requesting reviews a standard part of your post-job process — a simple follow-up message or email with a direct link to your GBP review page makes it easy for customers.

Responding to every review — positive and negative — also signals to Google that you’re an engaged, active business. It shows prospective customers that you care about their experience. Keep your responses professional and personal rather than using generic templated replies.

Beyond your GBP, your website’s on-page SEO, your citation consistency, and local backlinks all contribute to the prominence score that influences your Local Pack position. Local SEO is a multi-channel effort, and the Local Pack rewards businesses that invest across all of them.