Local pack
The local pack is the map section in Google search results that shows several local businesses with ratings, address and opening hours for searches with a regional focus.
For searches like “advertising agency Ingolstadt” or “pizzeria near me”, the local pack often appears even before the normal results. For local businesses it is one of the most important places of all.
Which businesses appear there depends mainly on three things: how well the business matches the search, how close it is to the searcher and how well-known and well-rated it is.
The foundation is a complete Google Business Profile with the right category, genuine reviews and company data that exactly matches the website and directories.
What to look out for
- Maintain the Google Business Profile completely and choose the right primary category.
- Ask for reviews regularly and reply to each one.
- Use identical name, address and phone number everywhere.
- Offer regionally focused content on the website, such as service pages for your own city.
- Keep photos and posts in the profile current.
Common mistakes
- No or an incomplete business profile.
- Few reviews, no replies.
- Different company details on different platforms.
Frequently asked questions
There are ad formats that can appear in the map section, but the unpaid positions cannot be bought. They depend on relevance, distance and prominence.
Often because of more reviews, a more precise category, a more complete profile or because they are closer to the searcher.
More in our article: Google Business Profile: the underrated lever for local visibility