Top 6 Features of Google SERP

Google's response to a user's search query is displayed on search engine results pages, commonly referred to as "SERPs" or "SERPs." Featured Snippets, Knowledge Graphs, sponsored Google Ads results, and video results frequently appear in SERPs.

 

According to one of the more current statistics we have, Google carried out 4,887 launches, 17,523 live traffic experiments, 383,605 testing of search quality, and 62,937 side-by-side experiments in a single year to enhance the results search engine users got. Google may choose the finest search characteristics based on the results of extensive testing in order to present search results in a way that is most relevant to your query. This results in modifications to how search results are presented.

 

The search engine results page is referred to as SERP. Users of search engines can get the finest answers to their questions on this page. Depending on a number of variables, such as whether you are signed into your Google account, your location settings, your language choices, and your search history, search engine results pages might differ from one search engine user to another.

 

Google indicates the approximate number of search results for the query and the time it takes to deliver the SERP at the top of the search results page. Results were returned in 0.59 seconds and there are now 828,000,000 websites that are indexed for the term SEO. Pay-per-click Google Ads that target the term SEO are the first four results that begin with an Ad label.

 

Also Read | What is SEO?

 

What is Google SERP?

 

The major goal of the Google SERP Snippet Optimization Tool is to give webmasters and content creators the ability to carefully create page names and meta description elements that will produce visually appealing or attention-grabbing listings in Google's organic search results. Title tag optimization has become an art form thanks to the top SEO firms. To increase your click-through rate (CTR) from Google, you may use this tool to improve the content of your titles and snippets.

 

In other words, even if you are unable to raise your ranks, you may still boost the volume of organic search engine traffic for a certain term. When you are aware that you will likely never outrank the websites that are listed above you for a certain term, this strategy might be extremely helpful. Your best course of action in those circumstances is to make your site's listing stand out from the competition and appear as welcoming as you can.

 

When Google launched AdWords in 2000, the plain search engine results pages from 1998 got a little bit more sophisticated. Ads appeared first, then organic listings, and at this point, the SERP assumed its current design.

 

There were initially 350 marketers that could use AdWords. The SERPs now often feature advertisements. And Google's parent company Alphabet happily makes money from such advertisements.

 

An overview of the search engine result page's chronology is shown below:

 

• The introduction of image search was done in 2001.

• In 2005, YouTube dominated internet video.

• Universal Search was launched by Google in 2007. The primary search results included local packs, related queries, photographs, videos, news, etc. with this functionality.

• Google unveiled the Knowledge Graph in 2012, a SERP feature that gathered data on well-known topics and displayed the findings at the top of the SERPs.

• In 2016, the right rail's advertisements vanished.

 

The direction that Google outlined in 2012 has not changed for the current time SERPs. The experience of zero-click searching is still being improved. However, it's important to discuss this since, by 2019, zero-click SERPs are becoming more frequent. 

 

According to a survey done during the summer of 2019, over 50% of searches come to an end without a click to additional material. Google will keep developing tools that enable users to obtain the information they need without clicking on a single link in 2022.

 

Features of Google SERP:

 

A SERP feature is any result that appears on a Google search engine results page (SERP) but is not an organic result in the conventional sense.

 

Prior to the SERPs, we are familiar with, there wasn't much differentiation between SERPs; it was only a list of links. Without Google's additional characteristics differentiating them in the results, websites would fight to rank for certain keywords. Links would be distinguished only by the information they contained.

 

Currently, websites may be optimized for more than a dozen SERP characteristics in ways that will improve their exposure in the SERPs. With bigger text, striking graphics, outlines, and other characteristics, Google draws emphasis to key features.

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Features of Google SERP

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The way that users interact with Google's search engine results is significantly influenced by these elements. The important features of Google SERP are listed below:

 

1. Ads:

 

Google Ads come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are displayed at the top of the SERPs. Additionally, they may be seen at the bottom and right of the search results. Particularly on mobile devices, ads may drastically lower organic results on a user's page, which may have an adverse effect on the click-through rate. Relevance and usefulness to a user's search intent determine the order of Google Ads. To decide on placement, Google will also take into account bids and other elements.

 

2. Featured Snippet:

 

Featured snippets display compacted data from a destination page. In comparison to Google's standard organic results, they have substantially greater click-through rates. The page that provides the most detailed response to the user's search query is often the target page. 

 

Although some searches will disclose more, Google typically just displays one highlighted snippet. Being a featured snippet is a tremendous chance if your website is in the top five for the selected target phrase. If your page is chosen as a snippet, it won't show up again in the natural results.

 

3. Local Pack:

 

If your company has a physical location, you may add it to Google Maps so that it appears in one of the local packs for queries relating to your goods and services.

 

The SERP frequently includes a local pack with three actual places when Google determines that a query has local intent (for example, "pizza near me" or "primary care near me"). These are the places that Google thinks the user's term should be shown.

 

Local packs frequently take over the SERPs, just like highlighted snippets do. The elements of local SEO are always changing. It's crucial to remain current with Google's local offerings, especially if you own a physical store.

 

4. Frequently Asked Questions:

 

In the search results, an algorithmically created list will appear if Google determines that there are additional questions that are pertinent to your search. These appear to be connected to highlighted snippets and have a similar aesthetic.

 

For instance, the majority of related queries have terms that are also present in highlighted snippets. The top page in the highlighted snippet feature also has the top rating in the related questions feature.

 

You may utilize related questions to discover potential featured snippet keywords that you can include in your article. Consider tracking a query as a keyword if a SERP includes relevant queries. You will often discover a highlighted excerpt that you can win.

 

Create a FAQ for the most often asked questions you receive from potential consumers in order to optimize your website for this function. Make sure to link this FAQ to your best-performing content.

 

5. Site Links:

 

Google will occasionally show a list of up to 10 site links when someone searches with a clear brand purpose (i.e., searching for an identical business name). Five organic slots are taken up by this feature, which controls half of the SERP.

 

Having site links will increase click-through rates and speed up customer access to your website. Site links are more likely to show up on popular websites and when a user types in branded phrases. 

 

Also Read | What is Search Marketing Strategy?

 

6. Embed Videos:

 

Videos take up a lot of space on the SERPs even if they only show up for certain keywords. Google will provide a thumbnail for the majority of videos, particularly those on YouTube. Make sure your webpage contains video schema markup if you want to get a video feature slot. The ability of Google's algorithm to automatically comprehend video information is quite good.

 

How to Optimize Your Content for SERP Features?

 

Here are some suggestions on how to prepare your content so that it shows up in a featured snippet:

 

• Address your concerns: Your content must address the questions that the majority of your target audience asks, as the most pertinent queries are displayed in highlighted snippets. By enabling you to limit keyword results to only queries, several keyword research tools may assist you with this.

 

• Prioritize placement of information: When structuring content, place the most important information at the top, the crucial specifics in the center, and the general information at the bottom. Your data is highlighted when you write in this manner, which gives your content more authority in Google's eyes. This is a valid method for getting Google snippets.

 

• Organize your content: The quickest technique to get a featured snippet is to organize your content according to the feature you want to appear in as they come in various formats.

 

• Structure your content: For instance, present your content as a table if you want Google to highlight it. Use headers to structure your content in a list if you're aiming for a featured snippet in that format.

 

• Provide extra details: You might wish to provide extra details if you want to demonstrate that you are an authority on the subject. But in this instance, more isn't necessarily better. The text for the majority of features is at least 40–50 words lengthy. Keep your responses inside that range to be on the safe side.

 

• Find your target audience: It has never been more important to comprehend user search intent. If you don't know what your audience is interested in, you can't provide relevant content for them. Providing answers is necessary to be included in a SERP feature. The Google algorithm searches through sites to discover the data that best satisfies a user's inquiry.

 

Because of this, you must plan to provide content that people and Google will value. Through keyword research, the appropriate questions to respond to must be identified.

 

Also Read | Customer Segmentation: Types, Strategies, and Software

 

Conclusion:

 

SERP features are components on the Google search results page that improve the user experience or offer further details about a user's search query in addition to the organic search results.

 

You should optimize your website for Google SERP features if you want to improve the visibility of your company in the SERPs. Occasionally, changing your approach is the greatest way to improve the SEO potential of your website.