What is Local Pack?
The local pack (also called the map pack) is the group of three local business listings that appear with a map at the top of Google search results for location-based queries — displaying the business name, rating, address, and key details directly in the SERP.
Why It Matters
For local businesses, the local pack is the most valuable real estate in search. It appears above the organic results, includes a map, and displays key business information — name, star rating, address, opening hours, phone number — without the user needing to click through. Studies consistently show that the majority of clicks on local queries go to the local pack rather than the organic results below.
The local pack is also a zero-click destination. Many users find what they need — a phone number, directions, opening hours — without ever visiting the business's website. This makes local pack presence essential for businesses that depend on local customers: restaurants, tradespeople, professional services, retail shops, and healthcare providers.
How It Works
Google determines local pack rankings through three primary factors:
- Relevance — How well the business listing matches the search query. This comes from the Google Business Profile: categories, services, business description, and attributes. A plumber who lists "emergency plumber" as a service is more relevant for that query than one who only lists "plumbing."
- Distance — How close the business is to the searcher's location or the location specified in the query. This is the factor businesses cannot change — but optimising for relevance and prominence can overcome a distance disadvantage.
- Prominence — How well-known and trusted the business is. Google measures this through review count, review rating, citation consistency (NAP across directories), backlinks to the website, and overall web presence. A business with 200 reviews and consistent citations outranks a closer competitor with 10 reviews and inconsistent directory listings.
Common Mistakes
Ignoring Google Business Profile optimisation and expecting to rank in the local pack through website SEO alone. The local pack is driven primarily by the Google Business Profile, not the website. A business with a complete, optimised profile and strong reviews will outrank a business with a better website but a sparse profile.
The other mistake is obsessing over a single factor — usually reviews — while neglecting others. Reviews matter, but a business with 500 reviews and incorrect NAP data across 30 directories is fighting itself. Citation consistency, category selection, and profile completeness all contribute to local pack rankings.
How I Use This
My local SEO audit evaluates every factor that influences local pack rankings: Google Business Profile completeness, citation consistency, review profile, local backlinks, and on-page local signals. The audit identifies the specific gaps preventing a business from appearing in the local pack and prioritises fixes by impact.
Related Services
How BrightIQ uses Local Pack
This concept is central to the following services:
Related Terms
Local SEO Audit
A local SEO audit evaluates the factors that determine whether a business appears in Google's local pack and Maps results — including Google Business Profile accuracy, NAP consistency, local citations, reviews, and location-specific on-page signals.
SERP Features
SERP features are any result on a Google search results page that is not a standard organic blue link — including featured snippets, local packs, People Also Ask boxes, image carousels, knowledge panels, AI Overviews, and shopping results that occupy prime real estate above or alongside organic listings.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is the foundation layer of search engine optimisation — the crawlability, indexability, site speed, and structural elements that determine whether search engines can find, understand, and rank your pages.