Local Pack (Map Pack)

The local pack — also called the map pack or the 3-pack — is the block of three local business listings, shown alongside a map, that appears near the top of the results for searches with local intent. Search "coffee shop near me" or "electrician in Portland Maine" and it is usually the first thing you see below any ads.

These listings are pulled from Google Business Profiles, not from your website's regular pages. Each one typically shows the business name, star rating, review count, category, hours, and a call or directions button. For a local business, appearing in the local pack is often more valuable than ranking #1 in the organic results below it, because it sits higher and is built for quick action.

Getting into the local pack is a different game from traditional SEO. Google decides local rankings using three main factors — the local ranking triad:

• Relevance — how well your business profile matches what the person searched. Complete, accurate categories and services help.
• Distance — how close you are to the searcher or the location they specified. You cannot change your address, but you can define your service area.
• Prominence — how well-known and well-regarded your business is, shaped by reviews, citations, and overall reputation.

The single biggest lever most businesses can pull is a fully optimized, actively managed Google Business Profile — complete information, the right categories, regular posts, and a steady flow of genuine reviews. Consistent name, address, and phone (NAP) citations across the web reinforce prominence. The full breakdown lives in our local SEO ranking factors guide.