What does MyBizGrade check?

We analyze your website speed, SEO tags, Google reviews, social media presence, and accessibility. Each area gets its own score and letter grade.

How is the grade calculated?

Each category is scored from 0 to 100 based on real data from your site. The overall grade is a weighted average across all five categories.

Yes, the full audit and grade are completely free. You can upgrade to a Pro report with copy-paste fixes for $39 if you want help improving.

What's in the Pro report?

You get a priority action plan, copy-paste ready fixes for every issue, time estimates, and a downloadable PDF. It tells you exactly what to change and how.

How long does the audit take?

Most audits finish in under 30 seconds. Complex sites with many pages may take up to a minute.

Do you store my data?

We store your audit results so you can revisit your report. We never sell your data or share it with third parties.

How often should I check my grade?

We recommend running a new audit every month. Your online presence changes as you update your site, get new reviews, and post on social media.

MyBizGrade was built by a small team of developers who wanted to make online presence auditing simple and affordable for small businesses.

Local Pack Rankings: How to Get in Google's Top 3

## The Top 3 Map Results Get Almost Half the Clicks. Here Is How to Get In. When someone searches "plumber near me" or "best coffee shop in Denver," Google shows a map with three businesses listed below it. This is the Local Pack, also called the Map Pack or 3-Pack. These three spots get 44% of all clicks on the search results page. If your business sits inside the Local Pack, you receive a massive flow of calls, website visits, and direction requests. If you sit outside it, most searchers never see you. Getting into the Local Pack is not luck. Google uses specific ranking factors you have direct control over. This guide breaks down each factor and gives you actionable steps to claim one of those three spots. ## What Is the Google Local Pack? The Local Pack appears at the top of Google search results for queries with local intent. It shows: - A map with pins marking business locations - Three business listings with name, rating, address, hours, and a brief description - Links to call, get directions, or visit the website Below the Local Pack, Google shows organic results. Most users stop at the map and never scroll further. The Local Pack pulls data from Google Business Profiles, not from your website. This means your GBP optimization matters more than website SEO for map rankings. ## The Three Ranking Factors Google Uses Google openly states it uses three factors to rank Local Pack results: ### 1. Relevance Relevance measures how well your business profile matches what someone searched for. If a user searches "emergency dentist," Google looks for profiles with "dentist" as the primary category and mentions of "emergency" in the description or services. **How to improve relevance:** - Choose the most specific primary category for your business. "Family Dentist" is more relevant than "Dentist" for family-related searches. - Add secondary categories for all services you provide - Write a detailed business description using natural language about your services - List every service you offer in the Products/Services section - Add attributes relevant to your business (accepts insurance, wheelchair accessible, etc.) ### 2. Distance Distance measures how far your business is from the searcher or from the location specified in the query. A search for "pizza 78704" ranks businesses closest to the 78704 zip code. You have limited control over distance. You are where you are. But you influence it by: - Making sure your address is accurate and precise on your GBP - Serving area businesses: defining your service area in GBP settings - Creating location-specific content on your website for each area you serve Distance is the one factor you cannot fully control. The other two factors, relevance and prominence, are where you win. ### 3. Prominence Prominence measures how well-known and trusted your business is. Google determines this from multiple signals: - **Review count and quality:** More reviews with higher ratings signal trust - **Backlinks:** Links from other websites to yours build authority - **Citations:** Mentions of your business on directories and other sites - **Website quality:** On-page SEO and content strength - **Engagement:** Click-through rates, calls, and direction requests from your GBP listing - **Brand searches:** People searching your business name directly Prominence is the factor with the most room for improvement and the most impact on rankings. ## The Step-by-Step Plan to Reach the Local Pack ### Step 1: Claim and Verify Your Google Business Profile If you have not claimed your GBP, do it now at business.google.com. Verification usually requires a postcard, phone call, or video verification. An unclaimed or unverified profile has zero chance of ranking in the Local Pack. ### Step 2: Complete Every Field Google ranks complete profiles higher than incomplete ones. Fill in: - Business name (exact legal name, no keyword stuffing) - Address (precise, matching your other listings) - Phone number (local number preferred over 800 numbers) - Website URL - Hours of operation (including special hours for holidays) - Business description (use all 750 characters) - Primary and secondary categories - Services with descriptions - Products with photos and prices - Attributes Leave nothing blank. Every empty field is a missed signal. ### Step 3: Add High-Quality Photos Profiles with photos get 42% more direction requests and 35% more click-throughs to websites. Upload at least 20 photos including: - Exterior of your business (helps Google verify your location) - Interior shots - Team photos - Product or service photos - Photos of your work (before/after, completed projects) Use real photos, not stock images. Google detects stock photos and they do not help your profile. ### Step 4: Build a Review Engine Reviews are the highest-impact ranking factor you control. Here is how to build consistent review volume: - Ask every customer for a review at the point of highest satisfaction - Send a follow-up text or email with a direct link to your Google review page - Create a short URL or QR code for easy access - Respond to every review within 48 hours - Never buy fake reviews. Google penalizes this and removes them. Aim for steady growth: 5 to 10 new reviews per month. Consistency signals an active, healthy business. ### Step 5: Publish Weekly GBP Posts Google Business Posts show up on your profile and signal to Google your business is active. Post about: - Special offers or promotions - New products or services - Events - Tips related to your industry - Behind-the-scenes content One post per week is enough. Keep posts between 150 and 300 words with an image. ### Step 6: Fix NAP Consistency Across the Web Your business Name, Address, and Phone number must be identical everywhere online. Any variation confuses Google. Check and update your NAP on: - Google Business Profile - Your website (header, footer, contact page) - Yelp - Facebook - Apple Maps - Bing Places - Yellow Pages - BBB - Industry-specific directories Use the exact same format everywhere. If your address on Google says "Suite 100," don't write "Ste 100" on Yelp. ### Step 7: Build Local Citations Citations are online mentions of your business with NAP information. More citations from quality directories boost your prominence. Start with: - Major directories: Yelp, BBB, Yellow Pages, Angi - Data aggregators: Data.com, Localeze, Foursquare - Industry directories specific to your field - Local directories: Chamber of Commerce, city business directories Target 40 to 50 quality citations as a starting foundation. ### Step 8: Optimize Your Website for Local SEO Your website supports your GBP ranking even though the Local Pack pulls directly from GBP data. - Include your city and service keywords in title tags and H1 headings - Create location-specific pages if you serve multiple areas - Add your full NAP to your website footer - Embed a Google Map on your contact page - Earn backlinks from local organizations and partners ## Common Mistakes Keeping You Out of the Local Pack **Keyword stuffing your business name:** Adding "Best Plumber Dallas" to your GBP name when your legal name is "ABC Plumbing" violates guidelines and risks suspension. **Fake addresses:** Using a P.O. box or virtual office as your address. Google verifies physical locations. **Ignoring reviews:** Having few reviews or not responding to them tanks your prominence. **Inconsistent information:** Different names, addresses, or phone numbers across directories. **No website link:** A GBP without a website link misses a major trust signal. **Stale profile:** No photos, no posts, no updates. Google favors active profiles. ## How Long Does It Take? Local Pack rankings shift over weeks and months, not days. After making the changes above, expect: - **1 to 2 weeks:** Google reprocesses your GBP updates - **1 to 3 months:** Review growth and citation building start impacting rankings - **3 to 6 months:** Consistent effort produces noticeable ranking improvements Businesses with established competitors need patience. Each improvement compounds over time. ## For more on this topic, read [Salon and Spa Marketing: Build an Online Presence Clients Love](/blog/salon-spa-online-marketing). For more on this topic, read [Gym and Fitness Studio Online Marketing Guide](/blog/gym-fitness-online-marketing).Check If You Are Local Pack Ready Before optimizing for the Local Pack, know your starting point. GradeMyBiz scores your Google Business Profile, reviews, website, and overall online presence in one free report. Get your grade at [https://grademybiz.vercel.app](https://grademybiz.vercel.app) and see exactly where to focus your efforts. The businesses in the top 3 are not there by accident. They earned it through consistent optimization. You do the same work, you get the same results.