SERP Features

What are SERP Features?

SERP features are elements on search engine results pages (SERPs) that extend beyond the traditional organic search results. These features provide additional and related information on the search query, enhancing the user's search experience.

If you look at the screenshot below, you’ll see a couple of Google’s SERP features in action: the Knowledge Panel, Sitelinks, People Also Ask, and Top Stories.

SERP features in action

Common SERP Features

The most common SERP features include:

• Knowledge Panel: Displays information from Google's Knowledge Graph about entities like businesses, people, or locations.
• People Also Ask: Shows related questions that users frequently search for.
• AdWords (Top and Bottom): Paid ads that appear above or below organic search results.
• Featured Snippet: A summary of an answer to a user’s query displayed at the top of the SERP.
• Image Pack: A row of images relevant to the search query.
• Local Pack: Displays a map and listings for local businesses related to the search query.
• Knowledge Card: Provides direct answers to specific questions.
• Shopping Results: Shows product listings related to the search query.
• Top Stories: Displays recent news articles related to the search query.
• Thumbnail: Small images that appear next to search results.
• Tweets Box: Displays recent tweets related to the search query.
• Video: Shows relevant videos, typically from YouTube.

Why are SERP Features Important?

SERP features are important because they help searchers find relevant information quickly and efficiently. For Google, they enhance the search experience by providing diverse and useful results.

SEO Perspective

From an SEO perspective, SERP features can be both beneficial and challenging:

• Benefits: If your website appears in SERP features, you can gain a boost in traffic, brand recognition, and visibility. Features like People Also Ask, Top Stories, and Featured Snippets can drive significant traffic to your site.
• Challenges: If your site ranks in organic search results but not in SERP features, it may receive fewer clicks. Some SERP features, like answer boxes, provide direct answers, reducing the need for users to click on any links.

A study from 2020 showed that 65% of Google searches ended on the search results page, largely due to these features providing immediate answers.

SEO Best Practices for Winning SERP Features

Here are some tips for increasing your chances of appearing in popular SERP features:

1. Winning a Featured Snippet

Featured Snippets appear at the top of Google’s search results and can be in the form of a bullet or numbered list, paragraph, table, or video. To win a Featured Snippet:

• Reverse engineer competitors’ success: Use the Organic Keywords report in Site Explorer to find keywords where a competitor ranks in Featured Snippets.
• Optimize content: Ensure your content directly answers the query in a succinct manner, using relevant keywords.
• Use appropriate formats: Format your content as lists, tables, or concise paragraphs to match the common snippet formats.

2. Getting Sitelinks

Sitelinks are additional links that appear below your site’s main URL in the search results, directing users to other important pages on your site. To optimize for sitelinks:

• Internal linking: Ensure your site has a strong internal linking structure.
• Descriptive anchor texts: Use relevant and descriptive anchor texts for internal links.
• Informative headings: Use clear and relevant titles and headings on your pages.

3. Optimizing for Image Pack

The Image Pack feature displays a row of images relevant to the search query. To appear in Image Packs:

• Descriptive file names: Use descriptive file names for your images.
• Alt text: Provide descriptive alt text for each image.
• Contextual placement: Place images within relevant content.
• Image sitemap: Create an image sitemap to help search engines index your images.

4. Optimizing for Local Pack

Local Pack displays a map and local business listings. To optimize for Local Pack:

• Google Business Profile: Ensure your Google Business Profile is complete and up-to-date.
• NAP citations: Ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all platforms.
• Online reviews: Encourage customers to leave positive reviews.
• Location-specific pages: Create pages targeting specific locations you serve.

5. Optimizing Top/Bottom Ads

The ads appearing at the top and bottom of search results are influenced by your AdRank. To improve your AdRank:

• Ad relevance: Ensure your ad text is relevant to the search queries.
• Clickthrough rate: Optimize your ad to increase the likelihood of clicks.
• Landing page quality: Improve the user experience on your landing page.
• Use ad extensions: Provide additional information like locations, links, and prices through ad extensions.

FAQs

How common are SERP features?

According to Ranktracker’ Keywords Explorer, 99% of keywords trigger at least one organic SERP feature (excluding Top/Bottom Ads).

What are the most popular SERP features?

Sitelinks show up for 95% of queries, People Also Ask for 58%, and Image Packs for 39% of queries. Featured Snippets are popular among SEOs but appear for only 15% of queries.

Are SERP features good or bad for SEO?

It depends. If your site appears in SERP features, it’s beneficial. However, if your site ranks in traditional organic results but not in SERP features, it may lose traffic to those features.

By understanding and optimizing for these SERP features, you can enhance your site's visibility and traffic, making it a crucial aspect of your SEO strategy.