Local pack: the measured object of local rank tracking.
The local pack is the map-based block of (usually) three local business listings Google shows for queries with local intent. Populated from Google Business Profile data and ordered by relevance, distance and prominence, it is the object whose per-point positions geo-grid scans record.
Definition
When a query implies a place, Google inserts a unit pairing a map with a short list of businesses near the top of results. That unit is the local pack. Its entries render the business name, rating, category and location details and click through to Maps. Because it holds few slots and sits high, the pack carries most of the visibility value of a local-intent query.
Measurement notes
The pack's composition varies with the searcher's coordinates — the observation that motivates geo-grid rank tracking. A scan records pack membership and position per grid point; the archive of scans turns that into a time series. Methodological caveat: the pack visible at a point is itself a sample in time, so single scans should never be over-interpreted. The full pipeline is at how local rank tracking works.
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Related terms
Local SEO · Rank tracking · Review signals
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.
Cite this entry
Geo-Grid Observatory. "Local pack." Geo-Grid Observatory Glossary, https://geo-grid-observatory.pages.dev/ (accessed 2026).