Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has many great benefits for companies looking for more customers. The Google 3 Pack is one of those tools that could help take your business to the next level. Here is how to rank your GMB in the Google 3 Pack.

What is the Google 3 Pack?

The Google 3 Pack are the companies that you see at the top of the page when performing a google search. They are usually local companies, unless you specific otherwise, as Google defaults to businesses near you. For example, if you are searching “plumbers near me,” the top 3 local companies, ranked by Google, will appear at the top of the search results.

What is GMB?

Google My Business (GMB) is what people see when they search for your business on Google. There is usually a description of what your business does, a link to your website, phone number, a map showing what the business if located next too, and some customer reviews. A business owner can have a GMB account where they can contribute to what people are seeing about their company from Google.

Why Should I want to be in the Google 3 Pack?

When performing a search, people tend to click on the first couple of options that they see. Those results are at the top of the page. Google is essentially telling potential customers what services are most reliable and therefore which companies they should patron.

How Does Google Rank Companies for the 3 Pack?

Google ranks companies for the Google 3 Pack using its traditional SEO tools. Here are the categories to keep in mind.

1. Google My Business (GMB)

GMB carries the most weight in Google’s 3 Pack ranking system with about 25% of the weight. Companies that have a GMB account can control the information available to the public. One thing that people use Google for is to locate a business. Sometimes that includes viewing a website, address on a map, or calling the business. Having that information current can help prevent disinformation about your business, which helps keep people happy when trying to locate your business.

Companies can also respond to customer reviews when they have a GMB account. Many customers base their decision to patron a business based on the customer reviews. Unfortunately, many patrons only leave negative comments when they are angry or dissatisfied with an experience that they had with a company. When other potential customers are looking at the Google reviews, it can help place what happened into context with a company’s response to the complaint or issue. All businesses will not please everyone, so it is important to show that your company cares and tries.

GMB accounts also allow businesses the ease of contact with customers with the click of a button. For example, when you perform a search on Google and are looking at a business in the Google 3 Pack, the customer will see the company name, a location on a map, and be able to call the company or view the website with one click. That is because Google does the work for you to make a customer’s experience convenient and fast. That is the goal of SEO.

2. Links, Citations

Having articles, blogs, and other internet sources place a backlink to your company website is a important tool for SEO. When you use a link in your work, you are giving credit to a reliable source that contributes to your own work. Google uses link building to bolster your credibility in Google’s ranking system. Citations work in the same way as links, but without an ability to click a link and be connected to the source.

3. Reviews and Social Engagement

Customer reviews are important, but Google understands the customer reviews can be skewed. That is why reviews and social engagement aren’t ranked the highest in their ranking system. However, customer reviews can help bring more customers. Everyone wants to have a great experience and to see a customer discuss how great the company is encourages others to give your company a try.

In the same way, a company’s involvement on social media helps promote their business and ranking with Google. Social media is the fastest form of communication across large audiences. Google relies on it in their internet world to help explain what is going on. The links and clicks from social media also contributes to the linking category.

4. Personalization, On-Page, Behavioral

All of these factors deal with a company website’s user accessibility. For example, when a person searches plumbers on Google and clicks on your company website, Google tracks their visit to your site. Google keeps track of how long people typically stay on the page and if they close the website immediately and redo another search. Google wants to know if the search actually yielded results.

Google is also concerned with the layout of your website. When people go to websites, they need to be able to find what they are looking for. Google keeps track of whether or not people can easily find what they need. Likewise, how pertinent and unique is the information that your website and company is providing to the area. All businesses goals should be to be the best of its kind, and Google seeks to promote the best, user-friendly companies.

What happens if I do not have a GMB?

Whether or not you want to be on the internet as a business, customers will review your business online and discuss them on social media. You do not have to manage your GMB profile, but Google will still allow customers to search and make reviews for your business. Without your input, this could lead to misinformation regarding important details of your business and one-sided reviews. It is best as a business owner to get up to date with technology and use it to your advantage. Google allows businesses to claim and manage their business profile at any time.

Summary

Having your company appear in the Google 3 Pack will be a great benefit to you and your company. You can gain control of you GMB and work on your SEO to help aide that process.