What determines map pack visibility in local searches?

Short answer: Map pack visibility is determined by three factor groups: relevance (how well your category, services, and page content match the query), distance (proximity to the searcher), and prominence (reviews, citations, links). You cannot control distance; relevance and prominence respond to systematic work.

What you can control

• Google Business Profile: the right primary category, a complete service list, current hours, regular posts.
• Consistency: name, address, and phone must match exactly across your site, profile, and directories.
• On-page: a dedicated location page per branch, LocalBusiness schema, and an FAQ block with local intent.
• Review management: ask customers for honest reviews and answer all of them; never collect incentivized reviews.

The direction of impact is clear, but nobody can guarantee rankings; measure progress through map impressions and profile interactions against a baseline.