The search landscape is evolving fast, and one of the biggest shifts in how users discover websites is through the Local Pack—a feature that often appears at the top of Google results when someone searches for services “near me” or in a specific location. If you’re a web designer or own a local business, optimizing your presence for the Local Pack can drive some of the highest-converting traffic you’ll ever get. People searching in this way are usually ready to take action. They’re not reading blog posts for fun. They’re looking for someone to help them solve a specific problem—now.
As someone who both builds websites and works every day with small business owners navigating the complex reality of marketing themselves, I've come to see Local SEO (and especially the Local Pack) not as a checklist, but as an ecosystem. Think of it like neighborhood curb appeal. The Local Pack is the digital version of driving by a business on Main Street and deciding whether you want to walk in. It’s fast, visual, and based largely on trust signals. Let's get into how we make sure your website and local presence are built to show up where it matters.
Let’s define the Local Pack first. When you Google something like "web designer near me" or "best pizza in Franklin, TN," you’ll often see a box with a map and three business listings beneath it. This is the Local Pack. It’s prime digital real estate, and it appears before the regular search results almost every time. That means if you're not in it, you're invisible to a big portion of your potential customers.
The Local Pack is especially powerful for service businesses. Restaurants live and die by it, sure, but so do landscapers, massage therapists, law offices, and yes—web design agencies. Google's goal is to show users the most relevant and trustworthy businesses in a given location, and it does that based on a mix of signals that we can influence—but not control entirely.
I always tell clients: optimizing for the Local Pack is like training for a sport. You don't guarantee a win, but you make sure you're in fighting shape, competing with intent, and playing by the current rules. That’s the best you can do—and it’s usually more than enough to stand out.
Let's cut through the fluff: your Google Business Profile (GBP, formerly Google My Business) is the single most important asset you control when it comes to the Local Pack. If you haven’t claimed your profile yet, stop reading this and do it now. I’ve worked with businesses that had beautiful websites but no GBP, and they were completely invisible in local searches.
Once your profile is claimed, there are layers to doing it right. Don’t just list your name, phone number, and location and call it a day. Fill out every possible section: from your service areas to business hours, description, and photos. Add your logo. Use keywords naturally in your business description, but don’t stuff—it needs to read like a real human wrote it.
I once worked with a local salon in Nashville whose GBP was showing outdated photos from 2018. Once we updated their imagery and established a rhythm of posting updates and promotions weekly, not only did they jump into the Local Pack within two months, but they also saw a 30% increase in phone calls during business hours.
Like a front window display, your GBP should reflect who you are now. Regular updates—posting photos, behind-the-scenes, customer highlights, or FAQs—signal to Google that you're an active, trustworthy business. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is consistent signal transmission.
Citations are mentions of your business’s name, address, and phone number (called your NAP) across the web. These show up in local directories like Yelp, BBB, Yellow Pages, Facebook, Apple Maps, and dozens of others. While citations aren’t as sexy or directly visible to customers as your GBP, they’re essential in building Google’s confidence in your legitimacy.
Back in 2022, I worked with a local dog trainer. Her website was solid, GBP was active, but she wasn’t showing up anywhere in the Pack. After a citation audit, we found her business name was listed five different ways across ten directories—some missing her suite number, others had an old phone number. Once we cleaned those up and synced her info using a service like Whitespark or Moz Local, she jumped into the Local Pack in three weeks. Consistency acts as proof-of-life to a search engine.
Pro tip: Don’t just list and forget. Check and update these every quarter or any time your info changes. I’ve seen phantom listings tank Local Pack rankings because Google got confused about which details to trust.
Reviews are arguably the most influential element in determining whether someone clicks on your listing. They’re also a signal to Google that your business delivers value, which can boost your Local Pack placement. But not all reviews are created equal. It’s not just about having 100 reviews. It's also about when they were written, what they say, and how you respond to them.
I had a client, a mobile notary, who had 75 reviews—all positive—but they were clustered in a six-month period in 2020. Since then, nothing. Within two weeks of setting up a simple automation to request reviews after each appointment, she started getting two to three new ones a month. Her rank in the Local Pack improved, and calls tripled.
If someone takes the time to share their experience—positive or not—acknowledging it isn’t just the polite thing to do; it’s a trust signal. A local gym I worked with saw measurable improvement after they began responding to every review with authentic replies. The owner would sometimes include workout suggestions, reply like a real human, and make it feel like a relationship—not a transaction.
Avoid canned responses like “Thank you for your feedback,” unless you want to sound like a robot. Tailor each response to the actual comment, and always address criticism head-on—not defensively, but with curiosity and humility. That kind of tone goes a long way with both Google and future customers.
Your website still matters. A lot. And when it comes to Local SEO, each page is a new opportunity to rank. This is especially helpful for businesses that serve multiple areas. Instead of just listing cities in your footer, create specific landing pages for your services in each city or region.
For example, instead of just “Web Design,” I’ve created pages like “Web Design in Brentwood, TN” and “Franklin Small Business Web Design.” These pages speak directly to that community and often include testimonials, case studies, or portfolio pieces relevant to that exact location. That level of relevance catches Google’s attention.
This one might get a little technical, but stay with me. Schema is a type of structured data you add to your website's code to tell search engines more clearly what each page is about. For local businesses, you can add LocalBusiness Schema that includes your address, phone number, hours, and even review star ratings.
I typically implement Schema using Webflow CMS or a plugin like Rank Math for WordPress. When done correctly, Schema can enhance your search result visually—sometimes adding a map, business hours, or even review stars under your link. For local service businesses, that extra visibility can directly affect click-through rates—and often, whether you appear in the Local Pack at all.
Most “near me” searches happen on mobile—over 60% according to Google’s mobile insights. If your website is clunky, slow, or hard to use on a phone, it’s like having a store with a broken front door. Google notices. And penalizes.
I once helped a local therapist transition from a basic Squarespace template to a lightweight Webflow build. We optimized her hero section, compressed images to WebP, and stripped out unnecessary animations. Her mobile bounce rate dropped by 35%, and her site started appearing in the Local Pack within a few weeks. It’s not a magic bullet—but it matters.
Use tools like PageSpeed Insights and Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to assess and improve your performance. Great site speed isn’t just a UX improvement—it’s a Local SEO factor.
If your GBP is your storefront, your backlinks are the recommendation letters. Google still looks to links from local websites, blogs, newspapers, and organizations to decide whether your business is connected to your community. The quality of these links matters far more than the quantity.
I worked with a local accounting firm that partnered with the Chamber of Commerce and offered to guest post on local financial sites. We earned just five backlinks from domain authorities between 30–50. Their Local Pack visibility increased, and their organic rankings followed slowly after. It’s not a viral moment—it’s a stuffing-less turkey dinner kind of result. Full and satisfying.
Links from businesses your customers already interact with reinforce your relevance. And because few local businesses chase these opportunities, they’re low competition—and high reward.
This isn’t a one-and-done game. Google updates its algorithm frequently, user behaviors shift, and new competitors enter the scene. Using tools like BrightLocal or Whitespark, you can track Local Pack rankings, monitor your reviews, audit citations, and see how your presence evolves month to month.
I often set up quarterly Local SEO check-ins for clients—sort of a health check on their web presence. We assess reviews, site speed, directory accuracy, posting consistency, and new backlinks. That rhythm helps clients stay confident and focused without being overwhelmed.
Especially for small businesses that don’t have a whole marketing department, clear visibility into what’s working (and not) creates peace of mind—and often saves money by avoiding wasteful ad spend.
Getting into the Local Pack is less like flipping a switch and more like tending a garden. It requires consistency, care, and an understanding of what customers and search engines are looking for. Start by fully optimizing your Google Business Profile as if it were the homepage of your digital storefront. From there, build consistency across directories, seek out honest and regular reviews, and ensure your website reflects your relevance in your community. Focus on mobile speed, engage with local partners for backlinks, and track everything—not obsessively, but thoughtfully.
Being visible in the Local Pack isn’t just about SEO. It’s about showing up consistently and credibly for the people who are already looking for someone like you. That’s powerful. And it’s within reach—especially if you treat it not just as a marketing box to check, but as an extension of the thoughtful, strategic business you’re already building.
Copyright © Zach Sean Web Design
