Google handles about 90% of all searches worldwide, according to StatCounter. When Google changes how it displays search results, businesses have to catch up or risk losing customers.
The Google 3 Pack is one of the most important features for any local business. It’s the box of three businesses and a map that shows up when someone searches for something nearby. And it keeps changing, with new ads, AI Overviews and AI-powered results all competing for the same space.
The terms may sound confusing, but they’re easy to understand. For one thing, the 3 Pack has nothing to do with beer.
Read on for a beginner’s guide to the Google 3 Pack: what it is, how it’s changed and how to get your business into it.
What Is the Google 3 Pack?
We’ve all gotten hungry and typed something like “Chinese food” into Google. Instead of a plain list of websites, Google shows a map with three nearby restaurants listed below it. That group of three is the Google 3 Pack. You’ll also hear it called the Google local pack or the Google map pack.
Each listing in the 3 Pack pulls from the business’s Google Business Profile and usually shows:
- The business name
- Star rating and number of reviews
- Business category and general location
- Hours, including whether it’s open now
- Buttons to call, get directions or visit the website
To see more than the top three, searchers have to tap “More places” or open Google Maps. Most people don’t. That’s why landing in the 3 Pack, and having good online visibility overall, matters so much for local businesses.
From the 7-Pack to the 3 Pack
The local pack didn’t always show three businesses. Before 2015, Google displayed up to seven local results, known as the 7-pack. In 2015, Google cut it down to three.
Was Google trying to hurt businesses by making it harder to get into the top group? Not really. The lower listings in the 7-pack got far less attention than the top few, and the bigger reason was mobile.
A person searching on a laptop has no problem viewing seven results, but on a phone, that requires a lot of scrolling. Three results fit neatly on a smartphone screen. Also in 2015, Google announced that more searches were happening on mobile devices than on computers. Mobile has only grown since. In October 2023, Google announced that mobile-first indexing was complete, meaning Google now looks at the mobile version of your website first when deciding how to rank it.
Think about the last time you searched for a local business. Were you at home on your laptop, or were you out and about when you remembered you needed dog food? If it was the second one, you probably pulled out your phone, searched for pet stores nearby and tapped the “Call” or “Directions” button right from the 3 Pack, without ever visiting a website.
How the Google Local Pack Looks in 2026
The basic 3 Pack is still here, but the space around it has changed a lot. Here’s what local businesses are competing with today.
Ads in the Local Pack
Google now shows sponsored listings inside the local pack, often at the very top. These ads come from Google Ads campaigns that use location assets. Their use is growing fast: local search tracking platform Places Scout found that ads appeared in the local pack for about 22% of tracked mobile keywords in January 2026, up from less than 3% just three months earlier.
When an ad takes the top spot, the organic listings get pushed down. That makes it even more important to rank as high as possible, and for some businesses, it’s worth considering local ads alongside SEO.
AI Overviews and AI-Powered Local Results
For many searches, Google now shows an AI Overview at the top of the page, sometimes above the local pack. Google has also tested AI-powered local packs, and research shared by local search expert Joy Hawkins found these often feature just one or two businesses instead of three, and not always the same ones as the traditional 3 Pack.
The good news is that Google’s AI pulls from the same places as the regular 3 Pack: your Business Profile, your reviews and your website. A strong, accurate profile helps you show up in both.
Results Change Based on Location
The 3 Pack isn’t the same for everyone. Distance is a major factor, so someone searching a few blocks away could see completely different results than you do. That’s why checking your rankings from your own office doesn’t tell the whole story.
Why the Google 3 Pack Matters
The 3 Pack is often the first thing a local customer sees, and it gives them almost everything they need to make a decision: your rating, your reviews, your hours and a button to call.
Reviews play a big role in which business gets the call. BrightLocal’s 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey found that 97% of consumers read reviews for local businesses, and 68% will only use a business with four or more stars.
With only three spots available, and ads and AI results competing for attention, there’s not much room at the top. If your business isn’t there, your competitors are.
How to Get Into the Google 3 Pack
Google says local results are based on three main factors:
- Relevance: How well your Business Profile matches what someone is searching for.
- Distance: How far your business is from the person searching.
- Prominence: How well-known your business is, based on things like reviews, links and mentions across the web.
You can’t change where a customer is standing, but you can improve your relevance and prominence. Google also says there’s no way to pay for a better organic local ranking, so here’s where to focus.
1. Claim and Verify Your Google Business Profile
Your Business Profile is what appears in the 3 Pack, so it’s the foundation of everything else. If you haven’t claimed and verified it yet, start there. Our guide on how to claim and optimize your Google Business Profile walks you through it.
2. Choose the Right Primary Category
Your primary category tells Google what your business is, and it has a big impact on which searches you show up for. Choosing the wrong category can keep you out of the 3 Pack no matter how good the rest of your profile is.
3. Complete Every Section of Your Profile
Fill out your services, products, attributes, description and service areas. Keep your hours accurate, including holiday hours, since outdated business hours frustrate customers and hurt trust.
4. Earn Reviews and Respond to Them
Reviews are one of the biggest drivers of prominence. Ask every customer for a review, make it easy with a direct link, and reply to every review, good or bad. Don’t offer incentives for reviews, since Google’s policies prohibit it. Our guide on how to get more positive reviews has more tips.
5. Add Photos and Posts Regularly
Upload real photos of your business, team and work, and publish Google Posts to share offers, news and events. An active profile gives customers more reasons to choose you.
6. Keep Your Business Information Consistent
Make sure your business name, address and phone number match everywhere they appear online, from your website to directories like Yelp and Apple Maps. Consistent business citations help Google trust your information.
7. Build a Strong, Mobile-Friendly Website
Google looks at your website to understand your business, and it looks at the mobile version first. Make sure your site loads fast on phones, has a clear page for each service, and includes content about the areas you serve. Need ideas? Try these locally focused content ideas.
8. Consider Local Ads
SEO takes time. If you need visibility now, Google Ads with location assets can put your business in the sponsored spot at the top of the local pack. Ads work best alongside a strong organic presence, not as a replacement for one.
Not Showing Up in the Google 3 Pack?
If your business isn’t showing up in the Google 3 Pack, don’t panic. It might simply be a matter of location, since distance plays a big role in what shows up for each searcher.
But if local search feels like a problem for your business, we have solutions. Our local SEO services help businesses climb into the 3 Pack and stay there. Book a call today to start working on a customized plan that will help you move up the rankings.
Robert & Liz, RebelFish Local CoFounders, doing local volunteer work.We are RebelFish Local and are here to help you with all your SEO needs. Download our free resource for 5 Hacks That Will Get You On Page 1 Of Google today, and start climbing to the top of Google!