Ranking in the Google 3-Pack
- Zoek Marketing
- Aug 18, 2020
- 3 min read
No, that isn’t some kind of new workout for half a set of abs. The coveted 3-pack is that set of business listings you see at the top of the search results when you’re looking for a local business.
Example of the 3-pack results.
This used to be a 7-pack until Google made the decision to change it in 2015. Since then, the top spot of searches will show a 3-pack 93% of the time—a significant incentive to get local businesses clamoring to claim one of these three coveted spots.
So, how can you snag one of the 3-pack spots for yourself?
First, you’ll need to make sure that you’re ranking for the most relevant keywords in your industry. If you’re already a Zoek client, you’ll get ranking reports showing what you’re ranking for. This can be a great help in determining which keywords are really paying off, and which may need to be changed. (Please talk to one of our Personal Marketing Consultants about your options and how this works with your plan before jumping to conclusions, however! We’re here to help!)
Next, you’ll need to check your Google My Business (GMB) account.
Zoek clients will receive a GMB account when working with us. If you’re not a Zoek client, you can go here to sign up for a Google My Business account.
The most important parts of your GMB account include:
The correct spelling of your business name, address, phone number, and business hours.
User reviews.
Photos to showcase your products.
A great business description with optimized text.
Making sure as many fields are filled out as possible. The more information you provide, the more Google has to work with.
If you want to know more about this, then please check out our article on getting the most out of your Google My Business listing!
Make sure you have a website as well as a GMB account.
People want to interact with your brand or business, not just a listing on the internet. Social media doesn’t count as a website, either—although many brands have great presences on social media (and social media can help with ranking), you need a “home” where you can keep your customers up to date. For example, restaurants can use their sites for people to order online or view menus, while hair salons might want to use the website to showcase client results and schedule appointments.
Get your site on as many directories as possible. Once you have your GMB listing and a beautiful website, get your site out there! Zoek offers assistance with this to make it simpler—there are TONS of listings directories out there, and it can be difficult and time consuming to find them all. However, if you’re set on doing it yourself, Moz has a good list to get you started (although it is by no means exhaustive).
Work on getting backlinks from other sites.
This is a time-consuming process and there’s no “magic number” that will guarantee you a ranking spot. However, there are some interesting and even fun ways you can get more websites to link to your local business. Most include in-person PR moves, but many businesses do this without realizing just how important these events can be to a website’s presence. Try reading this article at Moz for some great local business link building ideas!
What else can you do to improve your chances of ranking in the Google 3-pack?
The best tip we can offer is to keep updating consistently and work hard on getting reviews for your business. Customers want to know that your updates and information are current, while Google values reviews highly in determining site ranking. Customers also value reviews—many look at reviews before making a decision about where to shop or make a purchase.
If you want more tips or advice, contact one of our Personal Marketing Consultants. We’ll answer any questions you might have, and we’ll get you signed up for a package so that you can meet your marketing goals!
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