What Is the Google Map Pack?
The Google map pack is the map and nearby business listings you may see in Google Search. It helps people compare local options without opening every website.
This guide explains what it shows, how it differs from other results, and how to check whether your business appears.
What is the Google map pack?
The map pack is a group of local business results shown with a map in Google Search. It commonly shows three unpaid listings, although the layout can vary.
For example, a search for “florist near me” may show nearby florists with ratings, hours, and directions. The customer can open a listing to learn more or view additional businesses.
It is also called the local pack or 3-pack. You do not apply for a separate map pack account. Your Business Profile provides information used in Google’s local results.
What information can a listing show?
Depending on the business and the search, a listing may show:
- The business name and category.
- A star rating and review count.
- An address or service-area information.
- Opening hours.
- Photos and other business details.
- Options to call, visit the website, or get directions.
For example, someone choosing a florist may first check whether it is open, then look at photos before asking for directions. Accurate details help them decide whether the shop suits their needs.
How is the map pack different from Google Maps?
The services are related, but customers reach them in different ways.
| Result or service | What the customer sees |
|---|---|
| Map pack in Google Search | A small group of nearby businesses beside a map |
| Google Maps | A map-based search experience for exploring places and directions |
| Regular website results | Links to web pages, such as a shop’s location page |
| Sponsored results | Paid placements identified by advertising labels |
A business can appear in more than one of these places. Its website position and local listing position are different measurements.
For the broader strategy, read what Google Maps SEO means.
How does Google choose which businesses appear?
Google says local results mainly depend on relevance, distance, and prominence: the match to the search, proximity to the customer, and how well known the business is.
For example, a florist near the customer may appear for one search. From another neighbourhood, the same customer may see a different group of shops.
A good rating alone does not guarantee a place in the pack. A business also needs to be relevant to that particular search and location.
What should you check on your profile?
Start with details that help someone understand and find the business:
- Confirm that you are managing the correct listing.
- Complete verification if the profile requests it.
- Check that your business category is accurate.
- Review your normal and holiday hours.
- Check your contact details and location information.
- Add useful photos and respond to customer feedback.
- Open the website link on a phone and check where it leads.
For example, a customer comparing two repair shops should be able to tell which services each offers. A vague category and missing hours leave that customer with unanswered questions.
If you need a profile, start with adding your business to Google. If you already have one, use the Maps ranking checklist.
How do you check your map pack visibility?
Choose a few searches that describe what you sell, such as “bike repair” rather than only your business name.
Record the date, phrase, search location, device, and whether your business appears. Check from places your customers might search, then repeat using the same approach.
A local rank-tracking tool can repeat a search across several map points. This produces a useful comparison, rather than an exact picture of every customer’s results.
Without a tool, checks from several real locations can still reveal a pattern. Do not compare a search from your shop with a later search from another town and treat the difference as a ranking drop.
A simple example
Imagine a florist appears in the pack when you search from the nearby station, but not when you search from across town.
That does not prove the profile is broken. Record both results, check the profile details, and watch the pattern over time. Distance is one possible explanation, alongside relevance and competition.
Does appearing in the map pack mean more store visits?
It gives customers an opportunity to find and consider you. It does not confirm that they contacted you or entered your store.
Track profile activity separately from real enquiries, bookings, and counted visits. For example, a directions request shows that someone asked for a route; they may still change their plans.
Our guide to measuring foot traffic explains how to count entries rather than relying on online activity.
What should you do first?
Choose one search that accurately describes your main service. Check it from a relevant customer location and record what you see.
Then open your profile and check whether a new customer can understand your service, hours, and arrival details. Fix missing information before adding more complicated tracking.