Tips to Rank on Google Local 3-pack

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What is Google's Local 3-Pack?

Google's Local 3-pack is the most valuable real estate on the internet, and knowing how to rank your business in these three search engine results can be the difference between success and failure.
It's not just about getting listed at all; it's about ranking high enough that customers will notice you.
In this article, we'll go over everything from what a local pack means, why they're important for your business, and seven excellent tips for getting started with them.

7 Tips to Rank on Google Local 3-pack

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1. Optimize Your Google My Business Profile

Many small business owners use Google My Business to make their profile rank higher in the Local 3-pack on Google SERPs. Your profile must be optimized and provide accurate information for customers to find you to do the same.
The service is 100% free to help small business owners manage their websites.
A typical GMB profile page includes information about the business, location, hours, photos, videos, menus, maps, and links to social media pages. Google uses this information to return search results to users.
Read: Step-by-step Setup Guide for Google My Business Set up
Here are a few tips to optimize your profile:

• Use keywords/phrases in the Title and Description section of your profile.
• Make sure these match up with your website content, so it makes sense when someone searches for those terms.
• You can also add photos or videos to make your listing more appealing.
• Encourage reviews, ratings, and other helpful details about yourself and your services.
• Use a tool like Surfer Local for auditing your GMB profile.

Here’s a screenshot of Surfer Local:

2. Make Sure Your NAP is Consistent Across Platforms

A common tactic that can be overlooked is making sure that your NAP information (name, address, and phone number) is consistent across all platforms, such as your website, Google My Business page, Yelp page, Facebook page, and more.
The elements include your logo, address, phone number, and service information.
Ensuring NAP consistency will increase your business's chances of getting featured on Google's Local 3-Pack. Also, maintaining consistent NAP can help build trust with potential customers, as they are more likely to look at the site as an authoritative source of information.
Three Helpful Tools To Ensure NAP Consistency:

• Local Galex - An award-winning business listing scanning tool
• The Hoth - A citation cleanup service that comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee
• Tribe Local - An all-in-one Local SEO tool, including NAP consistency checker

Here’s a screenshot of Trible Local:

3. Optimize On-page Elements

With so many restaurants, hotels, and other small businesses all competing for generic terms, it's essential to do everything you can to get your business into that coveted, top organic 3-pack slot on the Google search engine page. On-page optimization is one of the most vital factors in achieving this ranking.
Optimizing your pages will ensure your content is easily indexable, readable, and user-friendly. The process involves ensuring that your website is technically sound and developing a content strategy that includes keywords and other metadata.
These techniques can often include structuring content with headings, subheadings, bullet points, and lists; answering frequently asked questions; adding keywords to the page's metadata, and the like.
Tips:

• Never stuff your content with too many keywords
• Conduct periodic SEO audits
• Ensure your URLs have keywords
• Link your pages internally
• Have a responsive website
• Consider using a tool like Moz Pro to optimize your content

Here’s an example of a URL containing a keyword:

4. Gain More Reviews for Your Business

The number of reviews a business has on various platforms can significantly affect rankings in Google's Local 3-pack. Google trusts reviews from previous customers before ranking a local business higher in their search engine.
Having more reviews gives you a better chance at gaining more customers and eventually making more money.
With so many reviews needed, it's crucial to understand how review-building strategies can help you reach your goal. Reviews will provide strong signals that your business is top-notch and that you're a trustworthy place to visit.
Tips To Get Reviews:

• Send post-purchase emails to your customers soliciting reviews
• Use a tool like Mailchimp or Send in Blue to send emails in mass
• Run contests to garner reviews

Here’s an example of a post-purchase email asking customers for reviews:

5. Claim Your Listings

Many owners do not claim their online business listings. In doing so, they do not have the opportunity to provide the needed information for a business to rank high in Google's Local 3-pack.
Though claiming and optimizing local listings for a business is vital in achieving success, it can be an arduous process. However, once your listings have been claimed and optimized, you will see an increase in visibility on major search engines such as Google and Bing.
Claiming your business's local listings may seem like a difficult task, but it's not as complicated as you think. To find your local listings, you can run a Google search for your company name with the term "citations" or "listings" followed by location information.
For example, "Smith Power Equipment Listings Houston."
Here’s an example of a listing on Google waiting to be claimed:

6. Earn Local Backlinks

Businesses that function in a specific location should consider earning backlinks for getting a spot in the Local 3-pack. You can generate content about the area and earn links from related businesses.
To acquire a local backlink, try partnering with organizations in your field or industry for common events. You can also contact participating sponsors from those events to ask for a link on their website.
Tips To Get Local Backlinks:

• Contact high-ranking local influencers and offer them something in return for a mention
• Contact local bloggers and ask if they want to do a sponsored post with you
• A tool like Monitor Backlinks may help you in this regard

Here’s an example of how monitor backlinks analyze your backlinks:
Read: Importance of Backlinks for SEO

7. Create Locally-relevant Content

If you want to seal a spot in the Google Local-3 pack, it is vital to create content that speaks as precisely as possible to those in your area. For example, if you are a restaurant in Chicago, don't just post about national food trends or the best places to eat in Illinois.
Instead, highlight the diverse options available in Fox Lake and New Buffalo and focus on menus that feature local ingredients.
Also, people are more likely to trust a website if it is locally relevant and contains information about the community, events, and cultural attractions.
You can check the Domain Authority of a website using the DA Checker, helping you assess the quality of the backlinks your website gets:

Key Takeaways

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• Claim your GMB profile and optimize it by filling out all details
• Keep your business name, address, and phone number consistent across platforms
• Earn local backlinks from authoritative websites
• Get more online reviews for your business
• Claim local listings and optimize them
• Perform on-page optimization
• Partner with local bloggers and influencers to get quality backlinks
• Use listing management tools for your advantage