Hi {{first_name | there}},
If you've ever Googled your own company name and seen another builder above you, you already know the problem. That top section on Google, the map with three business listings that shows up before any website results, is called the Google 3-Pack. It's the most valuable piece of real estate in local search, and most builders don't even know they're competing for it.
Here's what makes it frustrating. The builders showing up there aren't necessarily better than you. They've just done a few specific things to their Google Business Profile that you probably haven't.
What actually moves the needle
The Google 3-Pack ranking comes down to three things: relevance, distance, and prominence. You can't control distance, but you can control the other two.
Relevance is about making sure Google understands exactly what you do and where you do it. That means your business category needs to be specific (use "Home Builder" or "General Contractor," not just "Contractor"), your services list needs to be filled out completely, and your business description needs to include the city and county names where you actually work.
Prominence is where most builders leave money on the table. Google weighs the number of reviews you have, how recent they are, and how often you respond to them. A builder with 40 reviews from the last 18 months will almost always rank above a builder with 90 reviews, half of which are from 2019. Recency matters more than volume.
The one thing you can do today
Log into your Google Business Profile and check when your last review was posted. If it's been more than 60 days, you have a recency problem. The fix is simple: text your last three clients today and ask for a review. Send them the direct link. Don't make them find it themselves.
That one action, done consistently after every project, is worth more than any ad you'll ever run.
I'm going deeper on this in a live workshop on April 14. We'll cover how to fully optimize your profile, how to build a review system that runs on autopilot, and two other lead generation systems that don't require a single dollar in ad spend. It's 60 minutes on Zoom, $97, and you'll walk away with templates you can use the next day.
Talk next week.
Timothy Dahl
[email protected]
Founder, Builder Playbook
Connect with me on LinkedIn