What appears in the local pack#
A map with pins, followed by three businesses showing name, rating, review count, category, address or area, hours and buttons for website, directions and calling. “More places” opens the full Google Maps list.
How Google picks the three#
| Factor | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Relevance | Precise primary category, services, complete profile, relevant website content |
| Distance | Use your real address; you can’t fake proximity |
| Prominence | Reviews, citations, local links, website authority, mentions |
Quick wins#
- Choose the most specific primary category — the single most important relevance setting.
- Build a steady flow of genuine reviews and reply to all of them.
- Keep NAP consistent across directories.
- Add real photos and keep hours accurate (including holidays).
- Create a strong location page on your website with LocalBusiness schema.
Rankings vary block by block, so a grid-based rank tracker gives a truer picture than a single check. Related: Google Business Profile, citations, local SEO guide.