9 SERP Features That Will Change the Way You Do SEO

Intro

The results that appear on search engines when you search for something are called SERP, or Search Engine Results Page. The goal of every search engine is to provide the most relevant and helpful results for their users' queries. If you want your website featured in any of these sections, you must optimize your site and onpage content accordingly.

(Image from Flickr)

In 2007, Google changed how its search engine results pages (SERPs) looked. The new design emphasizes site links or links to other pages on the same website, allowing users to find the information they want on websites quickly.

Since then, the SERPs have continued to evolve. In 2009, Google introduced Universal Search, which blended results from different types of content (such as news, videos, and images) into the main search results. In 2010, Google launched Instant Previews, which allowed users to see a preview of a website before they clicked on it. Google launched the Knowledge Graph in 2012, which brought together information from different sources to provide users with more comprehensive results.

This post will discuss its importance and how to obtain the nine different SERP features that can help your overall SEO.

What Is a Google SERP Feature?

The SERP feature provides users quick and easy access to the information they want. It allows them to see what websites are ranking for their chosen keywords without having to click through to each website. This feature is also known as a "snippet" or a "rich answer."

SERP features are any result on Google's search engine results page (SERP) that is not a traditional "blue link" organic result, such as:

Rich Snippets - visual layer to an existing result, such as review stars for product ratings.

Paid Results - bought by bidding on keywords such as AdWords

Universal Results - appear in addition to organic results, such as featured snippets.

Knowledge Graph - data that appears as panels or boxes, such as Celebrity Knowledge Panel)

(Image from Seobility)

Google SERP features can benefit users looking for quick answers to their questions. Gaining a SERP feature can boost your traffic, brand recognition, and visibility. But it can be a double-edged sword, as research by Ahrefs shows that most SERP features don't induce clicks to your website. Website owners need to understand how the SERP feature works and how they can use it to their advantage.

Why Do SERP Features Matter?

SERP features are essential for two main reasons:

1. They can help you stand out from the competition
2. They can help you attract more clicks and traffic to your website

Let's look at each of these reasons.

Regarding ranking in Google, standing out from the competition is critical. A way to do that is to take advantage of SERP features. If you can get your website to show up in a SERP feature, searchers will likely notice you.

Additionally, some SERP features can help you attract more clicks and traffic to your website, like Ads and Sitelinks. For sitelinks, people who want to know more about your website can easily navigate your site's essential web pages. But there are also SERP features that steal clicks, like featured snippets and answer boxes, as Google decides to provide an immediate answer for users.

What are the different SERP features that will help your overall SEO?

A variety of SERP features is beneficial for overall SEO because it helps your website edge over the competition and attract more clicks. Your website will rank higher in search engine results pages the higher clicks you get.

Here are nine SERP features that will surely help you with overall SEO:

#1. Featured & Rich Snippets

Google's Featured Snippets directly result from the company's aim to provide searchers with the best possible answer to their queries. They can help you get more traffic from organic search results and improve your click-through rate. However, not all businesses will benefit equally from featured snippets. Some types of businesses are more likely to see a boost in traffic and clicks from featured snippets than others.

Here are some of the businesses that are most likely to benefit from featured snippets:

1. Local businesses
2. E-commerce businesses
3. Businesses with a strong blog presence
4. Businesses with a lot of positive online reviews
5. Businesses with informative and well-optimized website content

Your content must rank on the search results' first page to be in Google's featured snippet. Then, Google will analyze the content on your web page to determine if it is a good match for the searcher's query.

If it is, Google may feature your content in the Featured Snippet section at the top of the search results page. Your content must be clear, concise, and direct.

Google may also feature Rich Snippets in the search results. Rich Snippets are similar to Featured Snippets but provide additional information about your content, such as reviews, ratings, and pricing.

To get Rich Snippets for your content, you need to markup your web page using structured data. Once you've marked up your web page, Google will analyze the page and may feature your content in the search results with Rich Snippets.

Featured Snippets and Rich Snippets can help improve your click-through rate from the search results page, which can lead to more traffic to your website.

What It Looks Like

#2. Related Questions (People also ask)

The Related Questions, or "People Also Ask" boxes, are the first thing you'll notice on a SERP. These are generated based on user search behaviour and allow you to find answers to common questions quickly. Clicking on one of the questions will take you to a new SERP with results specifically for that question.

The Related Questions can boost your SEO in two ways. First, if you have a page that ranks for one of the questions, you'll get increased visibility and potential clicks. Second, it can give you ideas for creating new content that will also rank well for these queries.

You can do things to increase the chances that your site will show up in these boxes. First, ensure you have a lot of content on your site that covers a broad range of topics related to your niche. Second, use questions as headings and subheadings in your articles to signal to Google that your content is relevant to the queries you identified above. Finally, promote your content on social media and to other websites to get people talking about and linking to it.

What It Looks Like

#3. Local Packs

The local pack feature is a grouping of three local business listings that appear above the organic results at the top of the SERP.

Your business must have a strong Google Business Profile listing to earn a spot in the local pack. It would be best to get as many positive reviews as possible and ensure all your business information is accurate and up-to-date, including your NAP (name, address, and phone number).

Another way to appear in the local pack is to optimize your website for local SEO, including your region or city in your title tags, meta descriptions, and H1 tags. You should also have a separate page for each location you serve.

Local packs are most beneficial for businesses that serve a specific geographical area, city or region, such as restaurants, retailers, service providers, and more.

What It Looks Like

#4. Knowledge Cards/Panels

Knowledge cards are a feature that Google introduced in 2012. They provide searchers with direct answers to their queries without them having to click on a website.

Google pulls information from various sources to create knowledge cards, including Wikipedia, the FDA, and other government resources. Featured websites in knowledge cards can potentially receive traffic from users who are interested in this specific topic.

You can do some things to get featured in a knowledge card, including:

• Make sure your website is authoritative and trustworthy
• Ensuring your website's content is well-written and accurate
• Making sure your website's content is up-to-date
• Including structured data on your website

The businesses that can most benefit from the Knowledge Card/Panel feature are those in the service industry. It is because these businesses can use this feature to provide customers with quick and easy access to information about their services.

What It Looks Like

#5. Mobile Rich Cards

Mobile rich cards are essentially miniature versions of your website displayed on mobile devices. It helps you rank higher in mobile search results.

You must have an optimized website for mobile devices to obtain a mobile-rich snippet. Once you have a mobile-optimized website, you can create a mobile-rich card for your website by using the Google Search Console tool. Once you have created a mobile rich card for your website, you can test it using the Google Rich Card testing tool.

Businesses of all sizes with optimized websites for mobile devices can benefit from using mobile-rich cards.

What It Looks Like

#6. Top Stories

The Top Stories feature on SERP is one of the most important for SEO because it allows your website to be featured prominently on the page, which can lead to more traffic and potential customers.

To get your website featured in the Top Stories section of SERP, you will need to optimize your site for Google News. It can be done by following the guidelines set out by Google. Your site will also need to be updated regularly with fresh content, and you should aim to get high-quality backlinks from other websites.

Any business that regularly produces newsworthy content can benefit from the Top Stories feature on SERP. It includes news websites, blogs, and companies producing press releases.

What It Looks Like

#7. Video Carousel

The Video Carousel feature allows you to embed videos in your SERP listing, which can help you attract more clicks and traffic.

There is no specific way to "obtain" the Video Carousel feature in SERP. However, you can do things to give your video a chance to appear in the carousel.

1. Make sure your videos are high-quality and relevant to your business.
2. Optimize your videos for search engines by including keywords in the title, description, and tags.
3. Promote your videos through social media and other channels.
4. Make sure to optimize your website for video SEO and include a video sitemap.
5. Use rich snippets to mark up your videos.
6. Submit your videos to video directories.

Any business can benefit from the Video Carousel as it is a great way to showcase your videos and increase your brand presence.

What It Looks Like

#8. Site Links

Site links appear beneath your website's listing when a branded search is made. There are typically 6 to 7 links that give users quick access to the essential pages of your website.

If you want to have the chance to get site links, make sure your website is well-structured and easy to navigate. Make sure the most important pages are easily accessible from your home page and navigation menu. A trick is to include link titles to the links used in your navigation menu.

Local businesses can best benefit from site links because they provide quick and easy access to the pages you want to emphasize, such as businesses with multiple locations or if you have multiple services.

What It Looks Like

#9. Events/Event Schedule

The events/Event Schedule feature in SERP helps users find information about upcoming events. If you have an event coming up, include all the relevant information in your website's event listings.

To get this feature, include all the relevant information in your website's event listings. It should consist of the event's date, time, location, and pricing if relevant. You can also use your Google Business Profile to list your events and make them eligible to appear in this SERP feature.

Event-based businesses, such as concert venues, festivals, and conferences, can benefit most from the Event Schedule feature in SERP.

What It Looks Like

The Bottom Line

The SERP features mentioned above are some of the most important for SEO. However, any business can benefit from appearing in these SERP features.

Local businesses, in particular, can benefit from the Local Pack, Site Links, and Events/Event Schedule features. If you have a brick-and-mortar store or offer services in a specific area, these features can help you attract more customers.

News websites and blogs can benefit from the Top Stories feature, while businesses producing videos can take advantage of the Video Carousel. Any business with regular news updates or a blog can use these features to its advantage.

The best way to ensure your website appears in SERP features is to produce high-quality content and optimize your site for SEO. Following these tips can improve your chances of appearing in SERP features and attract more traffic to your website.

References:

https://purevisibility.com/serp-features-defined/

https://www.wordagents.com/serp-features/

https://www.theegg.com/seo/apac/a-complete-guide-to-google-serp-features/

https://moz.com/learn/seo/serp-features

https://www.smamarketing.net/blog/9-serp-features-you-should-be-leveraging