SEO Glossary: Local Pack

 

Local 3 Pack, Google Map Pack, Local Snack Pack and other names

There are numerous synonyms for the Local Pack. All terms have their raison d'être, as they allude to certain characteristics of the Local Pack:

 

• Local Pack: This term makes the local reference clear. For a local search query, Google prefers to show the companies that are closest to the user and have a high quality.
• Local 3 Pack: Initially, only three company profiles are displayed under "Places" or "Companies", which is why they are sometimes referred to as a 3-pack.
• Google Map Pack: The companies that match the search query are displayed under a Google Maps section and also shown on the map in Google Maps. Hence the name "Google Map Pack".
• Local Snack Pack: The Google Local Pack is also called the Local Snack Pack because it used to include 7 company profiles. The reduction to a 3-pack is a play on words (see: snack).

 

Regardless of all the names, the Local Pack always refers to the same feature in Google search results: companies that create a company profile and provide all the important information about it will definitely be listed on Google Company Profile (formerly: Google my Business). This significantly increases the local visibility of companies.

 

The better companies optimize their profile and the associated website for the search engine, the greater the likelihood of being placed high up in the listings. A place in the Google Local Pack has the greatest positive impact on local SEO, as this places companies in the top 3.

 

An almost perfect local visibility, a higher number of website visitors, an increase in sales and the promotion of other goals are the logical consequence of a placement in the Google Local Pack.

 

In view of the fact that the Local Pack offers a number of advantages for businesses, it is worth optimizing the ranking of your company profile in a targeted manner.

 

 

Get a place in the 3-pack with targeted Google my Business SEO!

As a professional agency for search engine optimization, we at Specht GmbH help companies, organizations and private website operators to increase their rankings in search results. We also offer the specific Google my Business SEO which helps to boost rankings in the Google Local Pack.

 

In our guide to improving your Google Maps ranking and in our 7 tips for the Local Snack Pack, we provide comprehensive information on how companies can optimize their business profiles.

 

We recommend a thorough study of our blog posts and therefore keep the explanation of Google my Business SEO brief at this point. These are the steps to optimize company profiles for a place in the Local Pack:

 

1. Create a company profile on Google and provide as much information as possible (NAP data, opening hours, link to website, company description, product data, etc.)
2. Keeping the company's data up-to-date and ensuring data consistency across all marketing channels
3. Collect reviews and respond to them to promote positive reviews and thereby increase the click-through rate on the company profile
4. Post articles in the company profile to draw attention to current events, offers, products and other information about the company
5. Comprehensively optimize website through on-page SEO and backlink building to promote the authority of the Google company profile through a better website

 

Providing NAP data (company name, company address and company telephone number) is particularly important when it comes to ranking in the Local Pack. Failure to provide NAP data gives the impression of an incomplete business profile and is likely to be penalized by Google's search engine algorithms.

 

Furthermore, companies with poor online reviews are at a disadvantage, so the optimization of the company profile should always include strategies for review marketing . If possible, these strategies should be based on building natural (i.e. not purchased) reviews, as purchased Google reviews are often recognized and penalized.

 

Finally, it should be emphasized that a company profile is largely influenced by the quality of the website. Companies that already carry out comprehensive search engine optimization can integrate the company profile into the measures of on-page SEO and off-page SEO measures.

 

With a holistic concept for local SEO, companies promote their ranking in Google's Local Pack even better and increase their chances of success.

 

Effects of on-page SEO and off-page SEO on the Google Local Pack

One of the benefits of targeted and strategic on-page SEO is the provision of content on locally relevant keywords. Companies that have created several pages for relevant local keywords promote the local visibility of their company profile in Google's Local Pack.

 

For example, if a page is created for the keyword "hotels in Munich" and this keyword is also stored in the company profile, the on-page SEO and Google my Business SEO push each other. This synergy of two areas of search engine optimization (Google my Business and Onpage SEO) promotes a high ranking both in the organic search results and in the Local Packs.

 

Synergy effects are also possible between off-page SEO and optimization for Google's Local Pack. To give an example: If companies receive backlinks for their website from several locally relevant online magazines , this has a positive effect on the ranking in the organic search results. At the same time, the local signals have a positive effect on the 3-pack search results.

 

Ultimately, it is important for companies of all kinds to cover all areas of search engine optimization with a holistic concept in order to boost their online presence in the organic search results and also in the Local Pack.

 

This holistic concept should be implemented using powerful tools to measure and continuously optimize the performance of the measures.