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What is the local pack?

The local pack is SEO shorthand for the short list of nearby businesses, shown with a map, that Google puts near the top of results for searches like "breakfast near me".1

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Why it matters for a small business

Google itself calls these local results. Its help says it picks them mainly on relevance, distance and popularity, which it also calls prominence.1

Distance is the part you can't change. It is how far you are from the person searching, or from where Google thinks they are.1

The other two you can work on. Relevance is how well your profile matches the search, and popularity grows with reviews and with links to your site.1

A made-up bakery in Bologna

Search "bakery near me" two streets away and Gianni's shop is in the list; search from across town and it isn't. That part is distance. What he could change was his category, which said café, and a thin set of reviews, so he fixed the category and started asking regulars for a review.

How to check it yourself

  1. Search from where your customers are

    Search phrases like "breakfast near me" on a phone near your business, then from the areas your customers come from. The list changes with the searcher's location.1

  2. Check your category

    Relevance starts with what kind of business your profile says you are. Pick the category that names your core business, and as few others as you can.2

  3. Compare your reviews with the places above you

    Reviews feed the popularity part of the ranking, by Google's account. Look at the count and rating of each business listed above yours.1

Questions about Local pack

Why do I show up for some people and not others?

Because distance is part of the ranking. Google weighs how far each business is from the person searching, so two people in different places can see different lists.1

Is the local pack the same as Google Maps results?

They come from the same local ranking. Google's help covers local results on Maps and Search together.1

Where this comes from

  1. Local results on Search and Maps are based mainly on relevance, distance and popularity (prominence); complete, accurate details, hours including special hours, reviews and replies help; there is no way to pay for a better local rankingsupport.google.com
  2. Google's guidelines for Business Profiles: represent the business as it is consistently known in the real world; a name as used on the storefront, website and stationery, with no extra keywords; a precise address with suites on line 2; a local phone number; the fewest categories needed; one profile per business; indoor lodging such as hotels gives no hours; Google decides how to show an address from the business's and other sourcessupport.google.com

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