What is SERP?
SERP or Search Engine Results Pages refer to Google's response to a user's search query which typically includes various search results such as organic listings, paid ads, Featured Snippets, Knowledge Graphs, and video results. In simpler terms, when you search for something on Google, the SERP is the page that displays the results.
Although Google has numerous SERP features now, the two most crucial categories are paid results and organic results.
Search Engine Results Pages
Paid results are displayed by advertisers who bid on relevant keywords via Google Ads. While Google considers ad relevancy, the placement goes to the highest bidder.
On the other hand, organic results are algorithmically generated by Google and are deemed to be the most relevant and valuable results for the searched keyword.
The most widespread and important SERP features
SERP features refer to the non-traditional organic search results that appear on search engine result pages and provide supplementary and related information to the search query. The provided screenshot showcases various SERP features of Google, including Knowledge Panel, Sitelinks, People Also Ask, and Top Stories.
Keywords Explorer data reveals that Sitelinks appear in 95% of search queries, People Also Ask in 58%, and Image Packs in 39% of queries. Despite being a favorite among SEOs, Featured Snippets only appear in 15% of search queries.
SERP features examples
Some typical examples of SERP features include:
- Knowledge Panel
- People Also Ask
- AdWords Top and AdWords Bottom
- Featured Snippet
- Image Pack
- Local Pack
- Knowledge card
- Knowledge panel
- Shopping results
- Top Stories
- Thumbnail
- Tweets Box
- Video
- Local Pack
SERP features are increasing in quantity with each passing year and are replacing the conventional organic search results.
Factors Affecting SERP Rankings
There are various factors that can influence a website's SERP ranking, and these can be categorized into four main groups.
- On-page factors include the quality and relevance of the website's content, the appropriate use of keywords throughout the website, and the presence of effective meta tags.
- Off-page factors refer to external factors that can impact a website's ranking, such as the quality and quantity of backlinks to the website and social signals from various online platforms.
- User behavior factors, such as the click-through rate and bounce rate of a website, can also affect its ranking.
- Finally, technical factors such as site speed and mobile-friendliness are essential in ensuring a website is user-friendly and easily accessible, both of which can impact its ranking on SERPs.
By taking all of these factors into account and optimizing them accordingly, website owners can improve their website's SERP ranking and increase their online visibility.
Best Practices for Improving SERP Rankings
Here are some suggestions for improving your chances of appearing in the most popular SERP (Search Engine Results Page) features:
Winning a Featured Snippet
A Featured Snippet is a type of search result that appears at the top of Google's search results and displays content extracted from a webpage that provides the most relevant answer to a specific query. These Featured Snippets can appear in different formats:
- Bullet or number list
- Paragraph
- Table
- Video
One strategy to obtain a Featured Snippet is to study your competitors' successful pages. Use Site Explorer's Organic Keywords report to identify the keywords where a website ranks in Featured Snippets and identify what could be applicable for your own content. Examine why their pages are ideal for Featured Snippets and incorporate this when creating or enhancing your content.
Winning a Featured Snippet
You can also look for quick opportunities to win Featured Snippets by examining your website's top 10 ranking keywords that someone else owns a Featured Snippet on SERP. Analyze the pages that rank in Featured Snippet, refine your content, and aim to acquire this SERP feature.
To optimize better, follow these guidelines:
- Pay attention to the format of Featured Snippets.
- Keep your sentences concise and avoid complexity.
- Use the language and phrases that your audience typically uses.
- Provide the answer to the query as soon as possible.
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Optimizing your Top/Bottom Ads
To get the best results in PPC, it's crucial to secure the "Top" position for your ads, as it's more desirable than the "Bottom" ads position. AdRank is the key factor that determines the ads' position, and you should strive to improve your ad quality to achieve a higher position.
Ad quality relies on various factors, including how relevant your ad text is to the search queries, the probability of getting clicks, and the quality of the user experience on your landing page. To evaluate your ad quality, you can use the QualityScore diagnostic tool, which suggests ways to improve your ad's clickthrough rate, ad relevance, or landing page experience.
Additionally, using Ads extensions can be beneficial. These extensions provide extra information beneath the ad, such as locations, additional links, prices, and more.
Optimizing for Image Pack -
The Image Pack is a feature on the search result page that displays a row of images, which Google believes could be useful to the searcher. It can appear at any position on the page. To improve the chances of your website's images appearing in an Image Pack, it is important to add more context to the images. This can be achieved by:
- Using descriptive file names
- Specifying the alt text
- Providing a caption for the image
- Including images where they fit contextually in the content
- Having an image sitemap and good URL structure.
Optimizing for Local Pack
When a user searches for a location-specific query, the Local Pack, also referred to as the Map Pack, shows up with the top three local results along with a map featuring pins and a five-star rating for each location. This type of result is commonly seen on location-specific search results.
To improve the chances of your website appearing in the Local Pack or Map Pack, you need to follow best practices for local search engine optimization. These practices include:- Optimizing your Google Business profile
- Getting accurate NAP citations
- Increasing the number of your online reviews
- Creating location-specific landing pages for locations you serve.
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