What Is the Google Snack Pack and Why Is It a Must for Local SEO?

What would you do if you saw your foot traffic increase by ten-fold?

Would you hire a new employee? Expand your business? Finally take the vacation you need? Spend an afternoon a week at the beach?

You can make that happen when you harness the power of local SEO and the Google Snack Pack. Here's what every small, local business needs to know.

What is the Google Snack Pack?

The Google Snack Pack (or the local pack) is that cleverly placed box at the top of your local search results. Getting your business in the snack pack is critical, but it contains the three most relevant companies to the search query - as well as your description and contact info.

It tells searchers, "Hey, these businesses have what you're looking for." And that's a serious endorsement because Google hates sharing irrelevant information.

Why did Google develop the Snack Pack? Well, 80% of Google searches are queries about local businesses and services. The Snack Pack ensures they find something relevant, both in terms of the keywords and their vicinity. Putting three companies in it makes the box easy to read for mobile users.

It's a win-win-win for you, Google, and consumers.

How Do You Make It into the Google Snack Pack?

Now you know that you want to make it into the Snack Pack, but how do you move up the rankings?

The good news is you don't need a huge budget. Your first step is to make sure your Google My Business page is set up and optimized. Your information should be complete and verified. It tells Google that you're real and operating.

Your Google My Business page information must match the information you use elsewhere, including on your website and social media. Your name, phone numbers, address, all need to be the same. So if you write "Main Street" as the address on your Google profile, make sure your other pages say "Main Street," too - not Main St or Main st or MainSt.

With your profile ready to go, you can then dive into driving your local search engine optimization efforts. That means:

• Targeting relevant localized keywords ("breweries in Bozeman," Italian restaurants in Covent Garden," etc.)
• Inserting keywords into your website
• Creating web pages to target keywords
• Developing content around your keywords
• Building Google reviews

Local SEO can be a lot of work, but it's vital for small businesses. People are no longer looking out of their windows to find new businesses: they're looking at their phones.

Yes, You Can Dominate Local SEO

Local SEO gives your business a chance to shine, and making it into the Google Snack Pack could provide your business the boost it needs to not only succeed but grow.

Thankfully, local SEO is a much more even playing field. Just as in the offline world, your biggest competition is your neighbors.

Are you ready to take over the #1 local spot in your niche? Get in touch for a free SEO audit and learn how you can take your business to the next level through local SEO.