Local Pack

The block of three local-business results (with the map) that Google shows at the top of search results for queries with local intent — also called the 'Map Pack' or '3-Pack.'

Definition

The local pack is the most valuable real estate in local search. When someone searches a category + location (or implicitly 'near me' on mobile), Google often shows three local-business results in a boxed block at the top of the page, with a map. Click-through rates on the local pack are widely cited as dramatically higher than the organic results below — the top three slots capture the lion's share of clicks for high-commercial-intent local searches. Ranking inside the local pack depends primarily on Google Business Profile prominence (reviews, review velocity, completeness), proximity to the searcher, and category relevance. Getting into the local pack is the practical goal of most local-SEO work.

Example

A search for 'family lawyer Boulder' returns three firms in the local pack at the top. The fourth-ranked firm — visible only after scrolling past the map and a few ads — gets a small fraction of the clicks of the firms in the pack. The difference between rank 3 and rank 4 on local results is often more impactful than the difference between rank 1 and rank 10 on organic web results.

Related terms

  • Local SEO →The discipline of getting a local business to rank in Google's local results — the map pack, Google Maps, and 'near me' searches — rather than the general organic web results.
  • Google Business Profile →The free Google product (formerly Google My Business) that powers a business's listing in Google Search and Google Maps — including the photos, hours, posts, Q&A, and reviews shown when someone searches the business name or its category.
  • Review Velocity →The rate at which new reviews are added to a business's Google profile. A business that earns 8 reviews per month is widely understood to rank better than one earning 2 per month — even if both end up with the same total over time.

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