When we type simple words or phrases on Google, thousands of pages of results are presented in front of us. Search engine result pages (SERPs) are the pages that Google serves up to its users. SERPs contain the pages a user finds in front of him after completing his search query. SERP stands for Search Engine Result Page, and in simple words, it is the page that displays the search results when you search for something on Google.
All SERPs are unique whenever two users search for the same query. These are unique because Google personalized search results for its users to display relevant results for each specific individual. Depending on the search queries made, the most relevant and high-ranking information is presented in various ways. Bing and Yahoo are also popular in some search engines, but Google has become the most popular. The SERP has changed more visibly as compared to the previous years. Below is a list of features one can look for on the SERP:
Featured snippet
Featured snippets in the SERP are displayed in a separate box from the search results list. It displays the content from the site with the applicable search keywords available. If the information displayed is useful to people, they become more likely to click on that link.
To be eligible for a featured snippet, a site needs to be on the first page of search results and getting there should be a top priority. That’s why you have to make sure that the content of your page is informative and includes the desired keywords.
Image pack
Google’s algorithm determines that if the visual information is particularly relevant to the search, it will include a row of images in the SERP and a clickthrough for a Google Images search. Google uses a different algorithm for its written content as well as images. Your images may be found and ranked better by search engines using these best practises.
Be assured to use:
- Detailed and definitive file names
- Image subtitles and alt text
- Compatible surrounding text
- A clear-cut and popular page title
- A precise page URL
- Rectangular images of intermediate size and dimensions
Additionally, if your image can be embedded on other sites, you have a better chance of being featured in the SERP Image Pack.
Google ads
Google Ads were formerly known as Google AdWords, and they often appear above or below the SERP. It is effortless to find ads at the base of the page but more viewpoints at the top.
High quality and high pay-per-click bidding require a site to reach the top of the SERPs, but it also depends on how competitive the keywords are. Attempting a top-notch ad requires more effort and often a higher price tag. Which has a significant advantage that people will see your ad before any organic search results.
Knowledge card
A knowledge card in the SERP is a box that exhibits selected details about a research topic related to a short Wikipedia page. Google searches all these details from a library of up to 3.5 billion data points. These are useful for all informational questions because they provide the requested information. These also provide connections that the discoverer may not have initially considered.
Local pack
A local pack helps when someone enters a query and the name of a place. Then when Google’s algorithm finds that a searched object is available nearby.
The local pack shows a picture with pins showing businesses that are probably applicable to the inquiry term. These packs list the names, ratings, and contact information of businesses Google marked at the bottom of the map.
Newsbox
If a search returns time-specific results and recent news, news boxes pop up. If you’re running an entire news website or have a section just for news, you can submit your website to Google’s News Publisher Center. Google crawls approved pages automatically through its News algorithm, so if you have the right kind of content in place, there could be an excellent opportunity for you to get Newsbox views.
Related Questions
For any type of search, a set of similar searches are involved that use different words. People often also ask these on the SERP or display them under the question title related to the search term.
Over the years, the number of clicks on the “Related Questions” results has accelerated. Each connected question has a link, and in order to rank, your site must be on the top page of search results for that question. You can make some SEO changes to help Google choose your site to answer “related questions” if you can get there.
Review
Appears on the SERP after a transactional query – displayed as a star ranking in review data. In which 4 or 5-star results get more clicks. You must have posted star rating reviews on your website in order to use the review feature. You can also add a plugin to your website that allows your customers to share testimonials and give your business a one-star rating.
View purchase results
The SERPs at the top of the page or to the right of the column display transaction inquiries and purchase results for these results. The competition is fierce, with a maximum of eight keywords per search term.
With everything from high-quality images to impressive sales results for items and competitive pricing, you may need to bid high enough if you want your business to appear in purchase results.
Sitelinks
Sitelinks allow users to search for specific pages within site. If you search for “change Facebook password”, the site link feature displays a link to Facebook’s account page nested under the main Facebook URL.
Google web crawlers select site links from your website, so you have to make sure your site is structured with clear and relevant headings such as “products” or “blog”. Having more and more site links will make it easier for visitors to navigate and go where they need to go.
Tweets and Videos
Tweets don’t always exist, but they are more likely to appear when a topic is trending. Second, this feature can help encourage people to navigate your Twitter feed. Video results also appear on Google when a site embeds video content relevant to the search. That’s why you should make sure that the video’s description, surrounding text, and title are accurate and descriptive.