The Google Maps "map pack" is prime real estate: three businesses, shown above every organic result, capturing the majority of local clicks and calls. Here’s the exact process we use to move clients into it.
1. Complete Every Field of Your Business Profile
Google rewards completeness. Fill primary and secondary categories, services with descriptions, attributes, hours, and a keyword-relevant (but honest) business description.
2. Choose the Right Primary Category
Your primary category is the single strongest ranking signal in the pack. Check what top-ranking competitors use — if they all say "Marketing agency" and you say "Consultant", you’re invisible.
3. Get Reviews — Consistently, Not in Bursts
A steady stream of reviews beats a one-time flood. Build review requests into your process (after every job, invoice or delivery), and mention your service and city naturally when replying.
4. Reply to Every Review
Responses signal an active, engaged business — and they’re read by every future customer comparing you against competitors.
5. Fix Your Citations
Your name, address and phone number must match exactly across directories, social profiles and your website. Inconsistencies erode Google’s confidence in your data.
6. Add Photos Weekly
Profiles with fresh photos get significantly more direction requests and calls. Real photos of work, team and premises outperform stock every time.
7. Build Local Landing Pages
Your profile links to your website — and that page’s relevance and authority feed your map ranking. A dedicated page per service and area beats a generic homepage.
8. Track Your Rankings Across the Map
Rankings vary street by street. Grid tracking tools show where you win and where you’re invisible, so you can target weak zones with content and citations.
Rather have specialists do it? Our Local SEO service covers all eight steps, with monthly grid reports.