When you search for a local business industry like “pizza” or “movie theaters” on Google, you’ll probably see several relevant local businesses listed at the top. Known as the “3-pack,” this is a highly valuable search engine real estate that local businesses and digital marketers are constantly battling over — and for good reason: conventional wisdom should lead you to believe that your business will receive more traffic, and ultimately more sales, if it’s listed here.
Saying Goodbye to Google’s 7-Pack
But Google hasn’t always displayed 3 local business listings at the top of its search results. Up until last year, the Mountain View company displayed 7 local business listings. This made it easier for local businesses to get listed. Now that Google has shrunk its coveted pack results by more than half, business owners everywhere are struggling to get noticed.
Before we reveal some tips on how to get listed in Google’s 3-pack, let’s first discuss Google’s reasoning for cutting its listings from 7 to 3. Several sources say this move was done to improve the quality of search results for mobile users, which makes sense considering that mobile devices like smartphones have a limited amount of viewing space. By dropping the number of local business listings is shows from 7 to 3 — and showing only street names instead of full addresses — Google has optimized its search results for greater mobile compatibility.
Google 3-Pack Tips:
- Use a consistent name, address and phone number (NAP) throughout all of your digital marketing efforts.
- Publish high-quality, relevant content to attract backlinks.
- Ask customers and clients to post reviews about your business.
- Link your social media pages and profiles to your website.
- Focus on local backlinks, meaning backlinks from websites associated with the city or region in which your business operates.
- Use inbound marketing to indirectly promote your local business.
- Monitor the search results to determine whether or not your business is listed in Google’s 3-pack.
- Create a Google My Business listing.
- Add your business to local business directories, ensuring your information is accurate and up to date.
- When all else fails, outsource your digital marketing and SEO to a professional agency such as Green Vine Marketing.
The Bottom Line
While there’s no way to guarantee a listing in Google’s 3-pack (not yet, at least), you can increase your chances of success by following the tips mentioned above.
There’s been reports that Google is planning to offer paid ads in its 3-pack. Assuming this is true, you could soon pay for inclusion in the 3-pack via an AdWords extension. Unfortunately, there’s still no word on when this feature will roll out. So in the meantime, follow the tips listed here to encourage a higher listing in Google’s 3-pack results.
