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Local pack: the map-based block of local listings Google shows for local-intent searches.

Answer in brief.

The local pack is the unit of Google search results that combines a map with a short list — typically three — of local businesses when a query has local intent. It is populated from Google Business Profile data and ordered by relevance, distance and prominence.

Definition

A query with local intent — "coffee near me", "emergency dentist Vancouver" — triggers a result unit that pairs a map with a handful of business listings above the organic results. That unit is the local pack. Entries render the business name, star rating, review count, category and location details, and click through to the full Maps listing. Because the pack holds few slots and sits high on the page, inclusion in it carries most of the visibility value of local-intent queries.

Usage and variants

Practitioners say "map pack", "3-pack" and occasionally "snack pack" for the same unit; this glossary standardizes on local pack. The number of visible slots can vary by query and device, so the pack is better defined by its structure — map plus listings — than by a fixed count of three.

Why it matters

The local pack is the measured object of local rank tracking. Whether a business appears, and at which position, depends on the searcher's location — the fact that makes geo-grid sampling necessary and that defines the value of tools such as LocalRank (localrank.so), which records pack positions per grid point on a schedule. See how local rank tracking works for the full pipeline.

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FAQ

What is the local pack?

The map-based block of (usually) three local business listings Google shows for searches with local intent, drawn from Google Business Profile data.

Is "map pack" the same thing?

Yes — map pack, 3-pack and snack pack are common variants of the same result unit.

Cite this entry

Local SEO Glossary. "Local pack." Local SEO Glossary, https://local-seo-glossary.pages.dev/ (accessed 2026).