The Absolute Necessity Of Being Highly Visible In The Google 3 Pack

Since 3-Pack results are largely displayed based on the location of the searcher, your ability to get more phone calls and leads to your business is based on two critical factors:

1. Visibility. You need to outrank your competitors and be seen in as many parts of town as possible, and there are many factors that play into your ability to achieve this, including selecting the appropriate business category; and
2. Reviews and a lot of them. Nothing will get a potential customer to act faster than a lot of glowing reviews. On the other hand, a lack of reviews or negative reviews can be damaging to your business.

Local business listings are crucial for local search visibility, especially in the Google 3-Pack. Consistent NAP-W information across digital platforms can significantly enhance your rankings.

Understanding the Google Local 3-Pack

The Google Local 3-Pack is a feature on Google search results that displays the top three business listings in response to a local search query. Also known as the map pack, local pack, or snack pack, this feature is a cornerstone of local search engine optimization (SEO) and plays a pivotal role in determining the visibility and credibility of local businesses.

When a user performs a local search, the Google Local 3-Pack typically appears above the organic search results, making it a prime spot for businesses to capture conversion-ready traffic. Each listing in the 3-Pack provides essential information such as the business name, address, location, opening hours, and customer reviews. This at-a-glance information helps potential customers quickly decide which business to contact or visit.

Accurate business hours in Google Business Profiles are crucial for local SEO, as they help potential customers decide when to visit a business, contributing to increased visibility and higher conversion rates in local searches. By securing a spot in the Google Local 3-Pack, local businesses can significantly enhance their online presence and attract more local customers.

Google Users Trust the Google Business Profile 3-Pack More Than Paid Ads

There are a few ways to gain visibility on Page 1 of Google’s local search results: You can pay for ads through Google AdWords, be ranked highly in the 3-Pack, or be one of the top 10 organic listings below the 3-Pack. 

Because your advertising budget is vital to the success of your business, you may be wondering which section gets the most attention though? The 3-Pack is the clear winner. 

Why? It is consistently noticed more often when it comes to local searches. Google ads fall behind both the 3-Pack and the top 10 organic results because people don’t find paid ads to be trustworthy or relevant in search engine results.

A study by Search Engine Watch 

(link: https://searchenginewatch.com/sew/opinion/2423578/google-local-pack-is-233-percent-more-important) found that 68% of searchers prefer the local 3-Pack, 27 percent prefer the organic results below the 3-Pack, and only 10 percent trust paid search results. 

As you can see, if only one of 3 spots available garners 68% of all searcher’s trust, the 3 pack is an absolute must. 

Also, paid search results often provide little return on investment because the average cost per click is very high and growing every year, with some popular keyword clicks costing as much as $50 or more. 

And, companies that use AdWords see a very low click-through rate of 2% or less according to WordStream (link: https://www.wordstream.com/average-ctr). Even if you manage to get a decent number of clicks, the average conversion is dismal at 2-3% on the high end. That means you would need about 100 clicks to get just 2-3 phone calls.

Not very appealing right? 

So, Google users skip paid ads and move straight to the 3-Pack to determine which business they should contact. Will it be yours? And if 2 % of all clicks and a 2-3% conversion rate doesn’t sound appealing, how about 44%? 

The 3-Pack receives the majority of actual clicks on a results page, at a 44% rate, according to Moz (link: https://moz.com/blog/the-new-snack-pack-where-users-clicking-how-you-can-win). The results are below.

The Moz study shows that searchers like the 3-Pack the most. The results also found that searchers were less likely to click on the business website link or directions. 

Instead, they clicked on the business name itself, which sends customers to a Google My Business listing where they can find the business’s phone number. And recall from above, that your potential customers make actual buying decisions from the 3 pack.

It’s important to note that businesses that did not have reviews received no interest at all from searchers (more on the importance of reviews below). The study showed that positive reviews are vital to spark customer interest and are a must to be noticed within the 3-Pack. 

Finally, this study along with the next one shows that companies with the highest rating in the 3-Pack received the most attention.Though the organic listings in the second study represented 40% of the clicks and finished first, the 3-Pack finished second with 33% percent of customer interest. 

See the heat map below.

The first company in the 3-Pack is the same as the first company in the organic search results below it. The company received most of the attention likely because of its top spot in both categories.

Although, the second listing in the 3-Pack got a lot of attention as well because it has 5-star status. 

The two top companies in the 3-pack received most of the attention on the page, and the business with no reviews did not receive any interest at all. 

Again, it is worth pointing out that the 3-Pack clicks land on the business name itself, where users can find the company’s phone number. So while organic received a few more clicks in this study, it is likely that fewer phone calls resulted from those clicks. 

Why? Your potential customers place a huge emphasis on third-party reviews, which typically don’t appear on a website and when they do are less trustworthy. 

Furthermore, after reading reviews, your potential customers are visiting your website less and less, and instead making their decision based on those reviews (see the Bright Local study later in this report).

The Importance of Reviews on Your Google 3-Pack Listing

Reviews are a vital component of a Google 3-Pack listing, and they play a significant role in determining the credibility and trustworthiness of a local business. Google reviews are the eighth highest ranking factor for local 3-pack rankings, and they have a direct impact on local search rankings. Positive reviews can increase the visibility and credibility of a business, while negative reviews can drag down a business’s online performance.

It is essential for local businesses to encourage their customers to leave reviews on their Google 3-Pack listing. Responding to reviews and engaging with customers is also crucial, as it shows that the business values its customers’ feedback and is committed to providing excellent customer service. By managing and maintaining a high rating with a decent amount of reviews, local businesses can improve their chances of ranking in the Google 3-Pack.

The Significance of Google Reviews on Your Google 3-Pack Listing

According to a survey by BrightLocal

(link: https://www.brightlocal.com/learn/local-consumer-review-survey/), 88% of consumers read online reviews, and 85% of people trust them just as much as a personal recommendation. 

So, a lack of user reviews on Google and other crowd-sourced review websites like Yelp, or ignoring consumer reviews as a potential marketing opportunity means that a company is excluding a whopping 88% of the buying community.

In other words, consumers want to read reviews to help them with their buying decisions, and your business loses an opportunity to attract customers when they are deprived of them. 

While location and price can be important factors in choosing a local business, no other factor is more important than positive customer reviews. Research shows that 68% of customers are more likely to use a local business after reading positive reviews, while 40% of customers go to competitors when they read bad reviews.

More Stars Equals More Clicks on Your Google Maps 3-Pack



The average number of stars that a company receives makes a huge impression on customers and influences the rate at which they contact a company in the 3-Pack.

Listings with five-star reviews earned 69% of the attention on the 3-Pack, while four stars earned 59% of the attention, and three stars earned 44%.

Also, the number of reviews is important for consumer trust. Customers read as many as 21 or more reviews before making a purchase of services.



The normal range is between 2 and 10 reviews, making up 83% of consumer needs, but 7% read 11-20 reviews, and 6% want feedback that exceeds 20 reviews.

So, businesses that have less than 11 online reviews are missing an opportunity to get the attention of 13 percent of the buying population. That is huge.

Optimizing Your Google Business Profile for Local SEO

Optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP) is crucial for local SEO and can significantly improve your chances of ranking in the Google 3-Pack. Claiming and verifying your GBP is the first step to ranking on the map pack for local queries. It is essential to ensure that your GBP is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, as this will help Google understand your business and its relevance to local search queries.

Using relevant keywords in your GBP can also improve visibility, and it is essential to ensure that your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all digital platforms. Optimizing your GBP with high-quality visuals, such as photos and videos, can also improve your chances of ranking in the Google 3-Pack. By providing a comprehensive and engaging profile, you can attract more local customers and enhance your local search rankings.

Local SEO Strategies for the Google 3-Pack

To rank in the Google 3-Pack, local businesses need to implement a comprehensive local SEO strategy that includes optimizing their website for local search, building high-quality links, and managing their online reputation. It is essential to ensure that your website is optimized for local search by incorporating relevant keywords and location-based content.

Building high-quality links from other local websites that are relevant to your business can also improve your chances of ranking in the Google 3-Pack. Managing your online reputation by responding to reviews and engaging with customers is also crucial, as it shows that your business values its customers’ feedback and is committed to providing excellent customer service. By implementing these local SEO strategies, you can enhance your visibility in local search results and attract more local customers.

The Importance of Reviews on Google 3-Pack Visibility

Online reviews are also important because they can somewhat influence a business’s ability to rank in the Google 3-Pack as well as in the organic or natural search engine results. There is also some speculation that reviews on other third-party review sites can help you rank better as well. 

According to Forbes (link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/12/28/how-important-are-customer-reviews-for-online-marketing/2/#690892d66027), Google uses information from many third-party directories and review sites, such as Yelp.

Whether Google only factors in Google reviews or third-party reviews as well, the bottom line is that the more positive reviews you have, the higher your chance becomes at ranking in Google’s 3-Pack, and not below the 3-Pack line, where you will find a link to “More places.” You do not want to be in this spot because you completely lose visibility. The buying public simply doesn’t look beyond the 3 pack. 

While ranking in local organic search results (the results that appear just below the 3 pack) continues to be a top factor in whether a company will rank in the 3 pack (typically depending on many variables not discussed here), a well optimized website and reviews dominated all other factors, according to Local SEO Guide (link: http://www.localseoguide.com/guides/local-seo-ranking-factors/). 

Why do reviews help? Reviews help Google to use a number of signals for its ranking factors, and reviews help Google’s search engine to determine trending businesses, which can increase a company’s ranking. 

This works because reviews have date stamps, so current customer engagement is visible to the engine. That is why you will observe in the graph below that average weekly and monthly reviews, as well as new reviews in the past month, play a big role in the search results placement within a 3-Pack.

The bottom line on reviews? The importance of online reviews is rising in every important customer category, and numerous surveys indicate that consumers want reviews when making a buying decision. Also, Google’s search results use consumer reviews when determining rankings factors for the 3-Pack. 

User reviews are important, and that will not change. So, the longer you wait to start optimizing your reviews, the more you stand to lose. Online shoppers demand reviews and they are responsible for better online visibility and ranking in organic search results and within the 3-Pack. 

Websites Are Becoming Less of a Factor in Local SEO

A Bright Local study conducted for the past several years shows a trend that simply can’t be ignored. Consumers are relying less and less on websites to determine if they will do business with you or not. 

Instead, what matters is what is discussed in this report. Visibility (appearing in the 3 pack for as many keywords as possible in as many parts of town as possible) and reviews. Bright Local concluded the following:

Key Findings

• 17% fewer people will visit a business website after reading good reviews than in 2016 (37% this year compared to 54% in 2016)
• The number of consumers who would visit a business as their next step has grown by 10% in the last year to 17%
• 10% of consumers now contact a business after reading a positive review

Link: https://www.brightlocal.com/learn/local-consumer-review-survey/

What does this mean for you? You must start to work with digital marketing companies whose top priority is to understand that consumers are visiting websites less every year and instead are relying on visibility and a solid review profile to determine if they call you or come into your place of business at all. It’s that important. 

Most digital marketing companies are only focused on ranking websites in the organic search engine results or managing an Adwords campaign. None of these have the trust, visibility, and attention of your potential customer like the 'Google Map 3-pack' does. 

Wrapping Things Up 

Appearing in the Google Maps Local 3-Pack is the first step to attracting attention to your roofing company and encouraging people to call your business. Work on your roofing SEO to create a superior Google 3-pack presence, and look sharp and relevant with lots of positive reviews, or suffer defeat at the hands of perceptive business owners who compete with you and are already heavily leveraging these factors. 

Solution

If your roofing business needs help breaking into your local Google 3-pack then subscribe to our monthly Google Maps SEO marketing packages today. We are HIGHLY trained and recommended in this field and have become the “Go-to” person for getting Roofers ranked in the Google Map Pack after Google’s BIG Possum Update and Vicinity Update hit.

Many business owners and marketers need my expertise because they can’t figure out why Google has filtered them (or their clients) out of their local 3-pack and now they’re losing customers and clients every day because their phones have literally stopped ringing overnight. Maintaining accurate local listings is crucial to improve local SEO and ensure your business information is consistent across various online directories.

Contact us today, and we guarantee we will diagnose your problem and we guarantee we’ll get you back in the map pack within 90 days or we’ll pause any payments until we have you ranked on page 1. No hassles. Local rankings are essential for landing a spot in the Google 3-Pack, and we offer expert advice on strategies to improve these rankings through customer reviews, niche targeting, and a strong online presence.

PLUS we earn your business each month because we don’t require any long-term contracts. Once you see the stellar results, we don’t think you’ll want to cancel, but that is up to you!