What is the local pack?
The Local Pack is a subsection of Google’s search results that displays local businesses relevant to your inquiry. Google will provide three local companies that may be able to answer your question if your search has a local purpose.
Some time back, the 7-pack was the common name for this subsection since it included information on seven of the area’s most well-known establishments. Google adapted to the rise in mobile searches by reducing the number of results in the 7-Pack to three and making other adjustments to how local searches are ranked. The 3-Pack will now always be shown in local business searches, whether done on a desktop computer or mobile device.
Google has only lately begun testing a “paid space” in their coveted 3-Pack. For certain queries, Google may replace one of the top three organic results in a local pack with a paid advertisement, reducing the number of organic results to two. Even now, opinions are divided on whether or not this was the best decision on Google’s behalf.
Google’s algorithm takes into account proximity, popularity, and relevance to conclude that these are the most relevant results to include in this listing.
The Local Pack pops out on the page, instantly drawing the searcher’s attention and remaining memorable. Consequently, it may increase brand exposure, sales, and foot traffic.
Why is it important?
ThinkWithGoogle found that 50% of people who perform a local search on their smartphones end up visiting a business within 24 hours, with 18% of those people ultimately making a purchase. Searches with the phrase “near me” have surged 34 times since 2011, with the majority coming from mobile devices.
What does this imply for you, then? When doing a local search, the local pack is where you want your small firm to appear. Your company will thrive if you get high rankings for the “holy grail” of Google search.
The Local Pack offers numerous benefits. For starters, it will improve search engine rankings and attract more people to your site. The impact of your presence on a listing site may be so profound that your relatively smaller company may eventually overtake major chains located in the same region. This is because Google aims to provide searchers with a positive experience by prioritizing truly local results, and it considers these sites as an excellent way of determining that.
Your company will profit from increased foot traffic, new buyers, and sales thanks to these online features. People rarely scroll beyond the first page of search results, and the 3-Pack dominates that first page in local searches. Since 78% of these local-mobile searches lead to offline transactions, every local search query in your region has the potential to bring in new customers and more income.
How can I rank?
Start by ensuring that you’ve filled in all your company information and that it is accurate. Also, provide a listing and description of all the services that your company offers. The rest of the process involves:
Increase Customer Feedback
Google Maps continues to value reviews as one of the most significant ranking factors. Reviews significantly boost customer satisfaction. They aid in establishing social proof, managing client expectations, and even marketing your offerings before meeting the customer.
Considering that 82% of customers read online feedback on local companies, every company owner must recognize the significance and influence of reviews. Google recognizes that customers want to read reviews before visiting a shop or committing to a business. Due to this, they have significantly incorporated reviews into their algorithm.
Remember that the “review factor” is not only a statistic of who has the most reviews. This is obviously a part of the equation, but Google also considers many other factors, such as:
- Whether or not the star rating is accompanied by comments.
- Critiquing vocabulary used to write the review.
- Consensus Opinion from All Reviews.
- The consistency of the feedback.
- The company’s overall star rating.
Training your staff to get customer feedback is essential for business owners. In order to make the posting of reviews a routine occurrence, it is necessary to establish systems and procedures to facilitate this activity.
Establish Local Links
Even now, Google still uses links as a major component in its ranking algorithm (both in organic ranking and in Google Maps). Even more so, if you want to be seen on Google Maps, you need to focus on establishing local links.
Making use of your existing network in the area is a great place to start when establishing local connections. Consider organizations and businesses that you collaborate with, ones that you contribute to, and those that may be considered “shoulder niche.”
If you want to maximize your chances of success, focus first on companies you have some familiarity with. A testimonial, written or recorded, may be offered in return for a link, or the two of you could work together to develop content that appeals to both of your audiences.
Remove Spam on the Map
This last one is more of a strategy than a true optimization. This strategy is effective because, in contrast to other tactics, the objective is not to outperform the competition but rather to eliminate those businesses cheating their way in order to boost their search engine results. The process involves scrolling through the higher-ranked businesses to identify any fake information. Some companies post fake reviews, websites, and even addresses. Next, you can remove these businesses using the “suggest an edit feature” or issue a complaint.