Making Google Maps and the Local 3-Pack Work for Your Firm

 Posted on April 07,2017 in Search Engine Optimization

When you conduct a Google search for a type of business, the search engine’s algorithm determines what pages are most likely to meet your needs and displays them as a list of search results. In many cases, there are infinitely more results that you will never need. For example, a quick search using the words “Chicago restaurants” returns more than 99 million results—in less than one second. Of course, each result does not necessarily correspond to an individual establishment—Chicago has lots of restaurants but not 99 million of them. Most such searches, however, return at least several bona fide options under an interactive map of the local region.   

Over the last few years, this section of Google’s search results page has undergone a series of transformations beginning with a list of seven entries and a regional map. In its current iteration, the listing is referred to as a Local 3-Pack, and getting your firm listed as part of a Local 3-Pack can dramatically increase your online visibility.

Inferring Local Intent