How to Rank in the Google Map Pack
What the "Map Pack" is — and why it's the prize
The Map Pack is the block of three local businesses Google shows, with a map, above the regular results for searches with local intent ("dentist near me", "plumber in Austin"). Those three spots capture the majority of clicks and calls for local searches. Getting into them is the single highest-leverage goal in local SEO.
Google's three local ranking factors
- Relevance — how well your business matches the search. Driven by your Google Business Profile category, your services, and the LocalBusiness schema and content on your site.
- Distance — how close you are to the searcher. You can't change your location, but you can make your address and service area unmistakably clear to Google.
- Prominence — how well-known and trusted you are: reviews, citations, and links.
The on-site signals you control
You can't directly edit Google's index, but these are the levers Google reads from your own site — and the ones Abby's free scan checks:
- LocalBusiness schema — structured data telling Google your exact name, address, phone, hours, and geo. Without it, Google has to guess.
- NAP consistency — your Name, Address, and Phone shown identically on your site, your Google Business Profile, and every directory. Inconsistency erodes trust.
- Reviews & ratings — the strongest prominence signal, and the star rating that drives the click.
- Mobile basics — a tap-to-call number and a fast, mobile-friendly page, because local search is overwhelmingly mobile.
A quick checklist
- Claim and fully complete your Google Business Profile (category, hours, photos, services).
- Add LocalBusiness schema to your site with the most specific subtype (Dentist, Plumber, Attorney…).
- Make your NAP identical everywhere — same suite number, same phone format.
- Earn reviews steadily and respond to them.
- Run a free local SEO scan to see which of these your site is missing.
More guides: LocalBusiness Schema: a Copy-Paste Guide