How can local pack results be impacted?
The Local Pack is a section of Google’s search results that shows the local business related to your query. Every time a user searches for local content, Google will show three local businesses that might answer the query.
The following factors can be considered foundational to impact local pack results:
Verified and complete Google Business Profile (GBP) listing for every location
This is the very first step that every customer should follow: having a verified and complete Google Business Profile account.
Proper Google Business Profile category association for every location
- Choosing a proper main category will help Google users find accurate and specific results for the services they are interested, so it is important that the chosen category is representative of the business
- The main category determines in which domain the business will compete
- Additional categories can be added in the platform, so Google users will be informed about specific services the business provides
Consistency of citations on the primary data sources
A major factor is the quantity and quality of citations and NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) consistency across a business' citations.
A citation is when a location's NAP data occurs on different data sources or directories. Google scours the web for business data and checks for consistency. This can be achieved with the product's module Listings.
Proximity of the address to the point of search
The distance between the searching person and the business is important for the ranking but it cannot be directly influenced by the business owner.
In addition to the above aspects, it is also very useful to focus on the points below as they also impact positively the local pack results:
Quantity of published Google posts
We encourage you to regularly publish posts (if Google's chain detection does not limit you) on Google and other directories because it is a way to make use of an additional marketing channel, potentially increase the engagement between the Google Business Profile listing and the Google user, therefore boosting your ranking.
Photo association on Google Business Profile listing
It is important to add a variety of photos to your Google Business Profile listings because it will help to boost engagement.
Quantity of reviews with text
Star ratings are good, but reviews with comments (text) are even better. You may encourage your customers to leave reviews containing written content.
Topical keyword relevance of domain content
You can add up to 10 keywords in our platform. Keywords should indicate what services and products your business offers and should also contain a reference to the business' location.
By adding keywords, more relevant content can be displayed and the keywords can be diversified, which will help broadening the position of the business.