Google Maps uses three core ranking factors for local pack results: proximity, relevance, and prominence. Proximity measures how close your business is to the searcher's location or the geographic center of their query. Relevance assesses how well your Google Business Profile categories, business name, description, and services match the search intent. Prominence evaluates your authority through review count and average rating, citation consistency across directories, backlinks to your website, and overall brand recognition. Your Google Business Profile completeness matters significantly. Businesses with verified profiles, accurate hours, photos, posts, and Q&A responses rank better than sparse listings. Categories are critical—your primary category carries the most weight, so choose the most specific match for your core service. Secondary categories help you appear for adjacent searches but don't dilute your primary focus. Reviews drive prominence more than most business owners realize. A steady flow of recent reviews with keyword-rich responses signals activity and relevance. A business with 47 reviews averaging 4.6 stars often outranks one with 12 reviews at 5.0 stars because Google values review velocity and volume alongside rating. Responding to reviews, especially negatives, shows Google you're engaged. Citation consistency across directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific platforms reinforces your NAP data (name, address, phone). Inconsistent information confuses Google's algorithm and dilutes your ranking power. Website authority also feeds into Maps rankings—backlinks, domain age, and content depth on your site contribute to prominence even though they live outside the GBP. Ottawa SEO approaches Maps optimization by auditing citation accuracy first, then optimizing the GBP with targeted categories and regular posts, followed by structured review acquisition campaigns. We track ranking movement weekly because local pack positions fluctuate with user location and query phrasing. Businesses in competitive verticals like law or HVAC need aggressive citation building and review generation to break into the top three pack positions that capture most clicks.