What the map pack shows
For a search with local intent, Google often places a map and a short list of businesses above the regular results. Each listing shows the name, rating, review count, category, hours and buttons to call, get directions or visit the website. Many searchers call straight from the pack without ever visiting a website.
Ads can appear in the pack too, marked as sponsored. In some trades, Local Services Ads appear above everything.
How Google ranks it
| Factor | What it means | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance | How well your profile matches the search | Precise categories, listed services and a matching page |
| Distance | How far you are from the searcher | Little, beyond an accurate address or service area |
| Prominence | How well known you are | More reviews, good ratings, links and mentions |
Distance explains why your ranking changes from street to street. A roofer may rank first near the office and not at all across town. That is normal, and it is why one test search from your desk tells you little.
How to get into the pack
- Choose the most accurate primary category for your main service.
- Add every service you offer, in your customers' words.
- Build a steady stream of reviews and reply to each one.
- Link the profile to a strong, matching page on your site.
- Earn links and mentions from local organizations and press.
Good example. A roofer whose profile lists roof repair, roof replacement and storm damage, each linked to its own page, shows up for all three searches.
Bad example. A roofer has one category, ten old reviews and a profile linked to a slow homepage. It stays out of the pack even near the office.
Track it properly
Use a grid rank tracker that checks rankings across many points in your area, not one search. Then compare calls and direction requests in your profile from month to month.
See how reviews affect local SEO. Our local SEO service tracks your map pack position across your whole service area.