You’re a local business owner. A customer in your service area pulls out their phone and searches “plumber near me” or “contractor in Your City.” At the top of the page, they see a map and three businesses.

This is the “Google Map Pack” (or “3-Pack”).

This box is the single most valuable piece of real estate on the internet for a local business. If you are not in it, you are invisible to the majority of your best, high-intent customers.

As specialists at Tradewinds United Media, we know that winning this spot isn’t luck—it’s a specific, active strategy. This expert guide explains how to get there.

What is a Google Business Profile (GBP)?

“Google Business Profile” (formerly Google My Business) is the powerful backend profile that feeds into Google Maps. It’s not just a map pin; it’s your #1 free marketing asset.

It’s your digital storefront. It’s where you list your services, hours, photos, and—most importantly—where you collect your reviews. It’s often the first interaction a customer has with your brand, and it’s where they decide if they are going to click on you or your competitor.

Why “Claiming” Your Profile Isn’t Enough

This is the #1 mistake local businesses make. Claiming your profile is like being handed the keys to an empty retail store. You own it, but it’s empty.

Your competitors who are actively stocking the shelves—uploading new photos every week, getting new 5-star reviews, and posting regular updates—are proving to Google that they are active, relevant, and trustworthy. Google rewards activity. A dormant profile is a dead profile.

The Action Plan: How to Win the “3-Pack”

Google’s local algorithm is based on three main factors:

• Relevance: How well does your profile match the search? (This is why having “Roofer” as your main category is critical, not just “Contractor”).
• Distance: How close is your business to the person searching? (You can’t control this).
• Prominence: This is the one you can control and the one that matters most. How well-known and trusted is your business? Google measures this with your review count and score, the number of real job-site photos, and your website’s authority (your SEO).

The “Q&A” Section: Your Hidden Liability

Besides ignoring it, the biggest mistake is not using the Q&A feature correctly. The “Questions & Answers” section on your profile can be answered by anyone on the internet.

If you’re not pre-loading this section with your own FAQs (e.g., “Are you licensed and insured?”, “Do you offer free estimates?”), you are letting the public (or worse, a competitor) control the narrative. We help clients take control of this by proactively building out a complete, helpful Q&A section.

Your GBP and Website: A Powerful Team

Your Google Business Profile and your website are a powerful, symbiotic team.

• Your GBP is your digital billboard. It builds trust and gets the click (especially on mobile).
• Your Website is your digital salesroom. It’s where the customer, after being impressed by your GBP, goes to convert.

A high-performance website with strong SEO sends “authority” signals back to your GBP, making it rank higher. And a fully-optimized GBP sends a flood of high-quality, “ready-to-buy” leads to your website.

What About Google Ads?

You should do both. Google Ads are the “faucet” for immediate leads. But a top-ranking GBP is a long-term asset.

The traffic from a well-ranked GBP is free, consistent, and has the highest conversion rate of almost any marketing channel, because it’s built on a foundation of trust.

Stop Letting Your Competitors Take Your Clicks.

Your best customers are using the Google Map Pack to find you. If you’re not there, you’re handing them to your competition.

We offer a Free Marketing Audit. We’ll analyze your Google Business Profile, your top 3 competitors, and show you the exact, step-by-step plan to start winning the Map Pack.

Contact Tradewinds United Media today to schedule your free audit and turn your Google profile into a lead-generation machine.