When someone searches for a local business — "plumber near me", "hairdresser Leeds", "accountant Wakefield" — the first thing they see isn't the normal search results. It's a map with three businesses pinned below it. That box is called the local pack (or "map pack"), and ranking in it is one of the most valuable things a local business can do. People call the businesses in that box before they scroll anywhere else.

Here's how to get there.

How Google Decides Local Rankings

Google is refreshingly open about this. Local rankings come down to three factors:

  • Relevance: how well your business matches what the person searched for.
  • Distance: how close you are to the searcher (or the area they searched in).
  • Prominence: how well-known and well-regarded your business is — driven heavily by reviews, links and overall online presence.

You can't change your physical location, but you have a lot of control over relevance and prominence. That's where the work happens.

Step 1: Claim and Complete Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the listing that feeds the map pack. If you haven't claimed and verified it, nothing else matters — do that first. Then complete every field:

  • Accurate business name (don't stuff keywords in — it's against the rules and risks suspension).
  • The most specific primary category you can (e.g. "Electrician", not "Contractor"), plus relevant secondary categories.
  • Phone, website, hours, and services with descriptions.
  • Service areas if you travel to customers.

Category is critical

Your primary category is one of the strongest ranking signals in the whole system. Choosing "Hair salon" vs "Beauty salon" vs "Hairdresser" genuinely changes which searches you appear for. Pick the one that matches what customers actually search — then use secondary categories for the rest.

Step 2: Get Reviews — Consistently

Reviews are the biggest prominence signal you can influence. Google looks at how many you have, how good they are, how recent they are, and whether you respond. A business with 40 recent, replied-to reviews will usually out-rank one with 8 old ones.

  • Ask every happy customer — the best time is right after you've done great work.
  • Make it one tap: send them your review link by text or email.
  • Reply to every review, good and bad. It signals you're active and professional.
  • Never buy fake reviews. Google detects them and it can get you suspended.

Step 3: Keep Your NAP Consistent Everywhere

NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone. Google cross-checks your details across the web — your website, Facebook, directories, Yell, industry listings. If your business name or number is written differently in different places, it erodes trust and hurts rankings. Pick one exact format and use it identically everywhere.

Step 4: Add Photos and Post Regularly

Profiles with lots of good photos get far more clicks and calls, and activity signals to Google that the business is alive. Upload real photos — your premises, team, and completed work — and use Google Posts to share updates, offers and news every week or two.

Step 5: Make Your Website Reinforce the Local Signal

Your GBP and your website work together. To strengthen relevance:

  • Put your NAP in the footer of every page, matching your GBP exactly.
  • Mention the towns and areas you serve naturally in your content — this is exactly why location pages work so well.
  • Add LocalBusiness schema markup so Google can read your details cleanly.
  • Make sure the site is fast and mobile-friendly — most local searches are on a phone.

If you serve several towns or several distinct services, dedicated pages for each (like a industry or area page) give Google far more relevance to work with than one page trying to cover everything.

Common Mistakes That Hold Businesses Back

  • Keyword-stuffing the business name — risks suspension, and Google increasingly ignores it.
  • Inconsistent NAP across directories.
  • Ignoring reviews — no strategy to ask, no replies.
  • Wrong or too-broad category.
  • A neglected profile — no posts, no photos, outdated hours.

How Long Does It Take?

Local ranking moves faster than traditional SEO. Profile improvements can show within a few weeks, and with steady reviews and a consistent presence, most local businesses see real movement in the map pack within 1–3 months. It's ongoing, though — the businesses that stay on top are the ones that keep gathering reviews and stay active.

The takeaway

Ranking on Google Maps isn't a trick — it's a complete, active Google Business Profile, a steady stream of genuine reviews, consistent details across the web, and a website that reinforces your local relevance. Do those, keep doing them, and the map pack is very winnable.

Want Help Getting There?

Local SEO and Google Business Profile setup are built into every site I create. Get a free website audit to see what's currently holding your local visibility back, or learn more about my SEO services.