Google Map Packs are a special box that appears in search results when someone uses Google to search for local businesses related to what they're looking for. Inside this pack are the top three localized business results with links to their websites and a map of their location. It's essentially like getting featured on page one of the search results without having to invest in costly SEO services or web design.

That means that if you appear high up in the Map Pack, customers can easily find your business and learn more about it via your website or social media profiles. Plus, they don't have to scroll through pages of search results; they already know that your business is a great option because it was featured right at the top!

So how do small businesses climb up those rankings? Well, here's some insider knowledge: Google looks at five key criteria when determining where each business ranks -- relevance, distance, prominence, reviews (if applicable), and personalization (how often someone searches for a particular listing). Investing time into optimizing each of these criteria will help ensure that your business appears higher up on the list.

For instance, making sure all information about your business is accurate across directories like Yelp is important for improving relevance; adding detailed descriptions about what makes your business unique will help with prominence; encouraging customers to leave positive reviews will boost overall ratings; and making sure relevant keywords appear throughout all of your web content (including images!) will increase personalization scores.