What is the Google local pack?
The local pack (or map pack) is the block of map results Google shows for searches with local intent, usually a map and three businesses with their ratings, hours and links. Google fills it from Google Business Profile and Maps data rather than from ordinary web pages, though Google says a business’s position in web results also counts toward its prominence.
Searches such as “roofer near me” or “coffee shop downtown” bring up the local pack above or among the regular results. Each entry links to the business’s Google Business Profile, so a customer can call, get directions or read reviews without visiting the website, and the link beneath the pack opens the full list of local results. Google ranks the businesses in it on relevance, distance and prominence, so two people searching the same words from different parts of a city can see different businesses. That is why a position in the pack is best measured from several points across a service area rather than from one desk. Getting in depends mostly on the Google Business Profile, reviews and consistent listings, supported by a website that confirms what the profile says. In some categories Google also shows sponsored listings in or above the pack; those are ads, separate from the unpaid results.
Related: Local SEO & AI Visibility · Google Business Profile · Local SEO · NAP Consistency
How many businesses are in the local pack?
Usually three, which is why it is also called the 3-pack. Google varies the layout by search and device, so the number is not fixed.
How do you get into the Google map pack?
Google ranks the pack on relevance, distance and prominence. The parts a business controls are a complete, verified Google Business Profile with the right categories, details that match its website and other listings, and genuine reviews. Google says there is no way to pay for a better local ranking.
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