Local pack
The local pack — also called the map pack or 3-pack — is the SERP block showing a map with three local business listings, displayed for queries with local intent. It pulls data from Google Business Profile and ranks by relevance, distance, and prominence.
Long definition
The local pack appears for any query Google reads as having local intent — explicit ("plumber near me", "coffee shop Madrid") or inferred ("dentist", "best ramen"). It shows three businesses with a map preview, hours, ratings, and a "View all" link to the local finder. The three slots get the lion's share of clicks; positions 4 and below in the local finder rarely see double-digit CTR.
Ranking in the local pack is governed by Google's documented three signals: relevance (how well the business matches the query), distance (proximity to the searcher's location or query location), and prominence (how well-known the business is offline and online — citations, reviews, mentions). The weighting shifts by query and proximity. For "coffee", distance dominates within a few blocks. For "best wedding photographer", prominence dominates within a city.
The control surface is Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). Categories chosen on the profile map the business to query intents — picking "Italian restaurant" excludes you from "pizza place" queries even if you serve pizza. NAP (name, address, phone) consistency across the open web matters because Google cross-references citations to confirm the business exists and is reachable. Reviews, photos, posts, and Q&A contribute to prominence.
Service-area businesses (plumbers, mobile mechanics) work differently — they hide their address and define a service radius, and their pack rankings degrade with distance from the radius centroid. Multi-location chains list each storefront separately and compete for pack inclusion within each city.
Common misconceptions
- "Local pack ranking and organic ranking are the same algorithm." They overlap but use distinct signal weights. A site can dominate organic for a local query and not appear in the pack — the pack reads GBP signals organic ranking doesn't see, and vice versa.
- "More categories on GBP help." One primary category and a few well-chosen secondary categories perform better than a long list. Over-categorization dilutes relevance.
- "Address-stuffing the business name boosts ranking." It's a violation. Naming your profile "Joe's Plumbing Madrid Cheap 24/7" is grounds for suspension and demotion. The legal business name is what goes there.
- "Reviews are the only prominence signal." Citations, mentions, links, photos, and direct visits all feed prominence. A high review count with thin everything else underperforms a balanced profile.
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