Why it matters to a buyer
For a business with a physical location or a service area, the local pack is often worth more than the ordinary organic results below it, since it sits at the top of the page with a map and gets a large share of clicks on searches with clear local intent. A buyer should understand that ranking here depends heavily on the Google Business Profile itself, reviews, category, proximity, not only on the website, so a purely on-site SEO plan will miss most of what actually moves this ranking.
How it is measured or applied
Google explains the local pack as ranking on relevance, distance and prominence: how well the profile matches the search, how close the business is to the searcher, and how well-known and well-reviewed it is both on Google and across the web. It is improved through accurate categories, complete profile information, consistent name, address and phone details, ongoing reviews, and citations from other directories. Presence is tracked using local rank tracking tools that simulate searches from different points on a map, since local pack rankings vary by the searcher's exact location.
Sources
- How the local 3-pack is chosen, Google Business Profile Help
