Understanding SERP Features: Enhancing Your SEO Strategy

Introduction

In the present times, Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) have evolved significantly, comprising various features that enhance user experience and provide valuable information. Below are some of the major SERP features that can be very beneficial for your SEO strategy and business. 

1. Organic Search Results

Organic search is the core part of traditional listings. These search results appear in order of relevance and quality once a user enters their query on any search engine. The algorithms of search engines show results on the search page only after assessing the value of the content and its relevance to the user. 

A study by BrightEdge reported that organic search makes up for 53% of all website traffic. This particular data fact indicates the importance and necessity of optimizing for organic search. When it comes to trust factor, users are more likely to click on these results first compared with paid advertisements. Furthermore, organic search results have shown a higher click-through rate (CTR), going up to 70% in comparison to paid search ads.

2. Paid Search Results (PPC)

Paid search results, also known as Pay-per-click (PPC) ads are the search results that appear at the top or bottom whenever a user enters a query. These results are marked as advertisements clearly on the search page. The purpose of these PPCs or paid search results is to allow businesses to bid on specific keywords for enhanced visibility to boost their businesses.

According to a study from search giant Google, people who use Google Ads earn $2 on average for every dollar they spend. This clearly shows the high ROI for businesses using paid search advertisements. PPCs are a very good way for new businesses too who aim at making a quick presence, for which organic traffic might take some time.

3. Featured Snippets

Featured snippets are part of organic traffic. These are the search results that come in selected text at the top of the SERP. The goal of the featured snippet is to address the user’s query precisely with more context. These search results are displayed in a box that is clearly highlighted for visibility and is the very first search result of the query.

SEMrush conducted a research on featured snippets and found out that these search results can boost organic traffic up to 30%. Apart from the traffic, featured snippets also enhance the brand authority as the user sees the brand as a source of trustworthy information.  

4. Knowledge Graph

The Knowledge Graph is a box that appears on the right side of the SERP, displaying information about entities such as people, places, or organizations. This feature pulls data from various sources, including Wikipedia, to provide users with quick facts.

As per a research study from Search Engine Lend, out of all the searches, 41% searches lead to Knowledge Graph results. Knowledge graphs are a very good way to enhance brand recognition and drive organic traffic to the website. Making a presence on Knowledge Graphs can be very beneficial to your brand visibility. 

5. Local Pack

The Local Pack is basically a location-based search listing that lists out local businesses. These kinds of search results are often accompanied by a map. For businesses looking to target local customers, this is very beneficial. A local pack provides users with key information of your business like address, phone numbers, opening hours, reviews etc. 

A study from Google revealed that around 76% of people who search something nearby visit the same business on the same day. This factoid shows the importance of local SEO strategies using Google My Business Listings for better visibility in local searches and bring in foot traffic.

6. Image Pack

Sometimes you might have noticed that you get an image result upon searches for a query online. The image pack is basically a group of images that comes in the search result when a user enters a specific query. These images often appear near the top section of the SERP. Image pack is very beneficial for visual content creators, as they attract user attention and bring in traffic to the website.

HubSpot’s study found that content with relevant images attracts 94% more views than the content which does not include images. Furthermore, businesses and creators can optimize images with proper alt text and description for enhanced visibility and engagement. 

7. Video Results

Video results are the video search results that appear upon searching query. These video results are fetched from platforms like YouTube, social media etc. Since the video form of content has gotten so much growth, featuring in the video results can increase your engagement significantly.

According to some study videos will take up 82% of all consumer internet traffic by 2027.This makes it essential for businesses to include video content in their SEO strategy. Businesses can use relevant keywords, description to increase their chances of appearing in the SERP, drive traffic through video and increase user engagement. 

8. Sitelinks

Sitelinks are the additional links that are displayed under the main listing of a website specifically directing users to the certain pages of the website. This function increases the visibility of the website and necessarily affects the CTR positively.

As per the findings of a research conducted by Moz, sitelinks bearing sites can have a boost in CTR by as much as 30%. Sitelinks facilitate user navigation by allowing quick access to certain subpages making the user’s experience to the website even better. To do sitelinks optimization, check whether your site is structured correctly and has proper internal links.

9. Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs are a search feature that indicates to the users where exactly they are within a website hierarchy. The way they look is a trail of links located at the top of a page that suggests to the users what their path was.

A research done by the Nielsen Norman Group indicates that the use of breadcrumbs can decrease bounce rates, and provide satisfactory user experience. A website having breadcrumbs is quite likely to see a 20% hike in its user-engagement. The addition of breadcrumbs not only can increase the user experience but also improve your page’s structure in search engines, since it is easier for crawlers to understand the arrangement of your content. 

10. People Also Ask (PAA)

The People Also Ask (PAA) box is a set of different questions that users mainly ask on a search query. The feature can supply data about the user’s intent and guide in content production accordingly. 

A research performed by Ahrefs indicates that 68% of questions in PAA are answered in the top 10 search results. Answering these questions will furthermore increase your chance to be listed in the PAA, which will consequently lead to better exposure and higher traffic. Considering co-related keywords on your website can also improve the active involvement of users and the amount of time spent. 

Check People also ask for any query

11. Twitter Cards

Twitter Cards are the media snippets from X (formerly Twitter) that appear in SERPs as rich media. Users can preview tweets and engage with content directly through them. 

As Twitter reports, tweets with images have 150% more retweets than tweets that have not. The statistic reaffirms the persuasive power of visual content to help in driving engagement. In search results, you can also use Twitter Cards to optimize your tweets, hence, increasing your visibility and driving more traffic to your site. X (formerly Twitter) also provides a platform for you to connect with your audience and thus improve both brand loyalty and brand awareness.

12. Google Shopping Listing

Google Shopping listing is a kind of product list, which is shown for e-commerce queries. Google shopping listing allows users to check and compare the products, prices, and sellers. This feature is especially useful for retailers as it contributes to the product exposure.

As per Google's statement, 53% of shoppers do their online research prior to making a purchase. Retailers are able to significantly increase traffic and sales by optimizing their product listings for Google Shopping. Features such as high-quality images, informative descriptions, and competitive prices can together land your business in the Google Shopping listing.

13. Reviews and Ratings

The reviews and ratings that show up in the search results serve to confirm users' doubts about a business or product with the help of social proof. The effect of the star ratings on the buying decisions is huge. 

As reported by BrightLocal, 87% of online customers check the reviews of local businesses and 73% of them tend to trust businesses whose reviews are positive. This particular data makes it extremely clear that it is very necessary for one to manage online reputation and also push the happy customers to leave their reviews. The higher the ratings, the greater the chances of getting a click-through, and the higher credibility of the brand, thus, leading to more traffic and conversions.

14. Top Stories

The Top Stories primarily provides search results for trending and latest topics. In this section, users will find the most recent articles relevant to a query and it majorly contains content written by reputable news sources. This function can be very useful for companies and publishers trying to take advantage of trending topics. 

As per Google's number, 60% of internet users are inclined to click on news items that are part of the Top Stories section. This reveals the immense potential for increased visibility and traffic for articles that are timely posted. Tailoring the content to be compatible with news-related queries and observing the Google News guidelines can be the factors that will feature your content in top stories section more easily.

Check how top stories appeared for any keyword

15. Event Listings

Event listings which are often included in a user's query are the sources of information for upcoming online as well as offline events. These event listings provide information such as where the events will take place, the date, and event description. This search listing is particularly helpful for event-organizing companies. 

As per the survey by Eventbrite, 70% of the respondents said they would have attended the at events if they knew about such events prior. Event pages are a good place for schema markup that business users can find boosting the increase of attendance. Eventually, they will increase customer interaction and grow your company's visibility.

16. Knowledge Panels

Knowledge Panels are shown on the screen as they provide specific query-focused information with pictures, texts, and links. Usually, this kind of panel comes from various sources and serves to provide users with quick facts.

Google claims that 41% of searches lead to a Knowledge Panel result. This figure admits that establishing a presence in the Knowledge Graph is significant. By updating their business profiles and making sure that the information they put across different sites is right, the companies may improve their visibility.

17. Google Discover

Google Discover is a personalized feed based on users interests and search history. This feature is an excellent source of visitor traffic for websites, for the most part content creators.

As reported by Google, Discover might be the secret source of 10% of the total website traffic. This interesting number demonstrates the necessity of writing only the best, most captivating, and relevant content for your audience. Discover SEO is the opposite of the usual; it centers on visuals, current issues, and user participation, with the main objective being to whether you will be picked up or not.

18. FAQ Snippets 

FAQ snippets appeared as structured lists of frequently asked questions in SERPs. Most common questions related to user queries are answered through this feature, enhancing user satisfaction.

According to a study by SEMrush, FAQ snippets can increase click-through rates by 20-30%. Optimizing content for FAQ snippets involves identifying common questions in your niche and providing clear, concise answers. This can improve visibility and engagement, as users appreciate straightforward information.

19. Google Flights

Google Flights is an added option on SERP that enables users to search for flights directly. This helpful feature not only gives users the information they need about various flight options and prices but also provides the direct booking links.

As per Google, 40% of travelers use Google Flights to organize their expeditions. This statistic shows why it is necessary to optimize travel content for visibility on this feature. Google Flights could be one of the tools used by travel companies and airlines to increase user engagement and secure the necessary traffic.

 20. Google Maps

Google Maps shows up in the results for location-based search queries, showing navigation and the contact information of the local businesses for the users.

Google says that 76% of users who search for something nearby visit a business within a day. This statistic emphasizes the importance of local SEO strategies, such as optimizing Google My Business listings. Businesses can enhance their visibility in local searches and attract foot traffic by ensuring accurate information is available on Google Maps.

21. Podcasts

Podcasts can also appear in the search engine results pages (SERPs), providing users' access to the audio content related to the queries they have entered. This feature helps businesses in gaining more and more users, viewers or listeners in parallel with the growing trend of audio content being consumed.

Edison Research published that 55% of the people in the U.S. have already listened to a podcast before. This fact emphasizes the great possibility of reaching many people through podcasting. The optimization of the podcast episodes by means of relevant keywords and descriptions is one of the best ways to climb to the top of the search engine results, and thus, bring more traffic and engagement.

22. Local Service Ads

The Local Service Ads search feature appears for local services, which means that the user will be able to book services directly from the SERP. This function is mainly beneficial for service-based businesses since it takes them immediately to the user’s attention space.

As revealed by a report provided by Google, it was noted that Local Service Ads were the most preferred contact modes for the majority of consumers. Businesses can improve their chances of appearing in the local service ads by providing correct information.

23. Web Stories

Web Stories are a kind of visual, mobile-focused content that is displayed in the SERPs. This function makes it possible for the user to interact with the content in a visual mode.

Compiling Web Stories, as stated by Google, is a way for users to engage four times longer than the traditional content. This statistic highlights the strength of visualization in the storytelling in order to attract the user.   Creating high-quality Web Stories can drive traffic and enhance user engagement, making it a valuable addition to your content strategy.

24. Google Play Store Results

This specific feature is for mobile app-related queries. Google Play store results provides users direct access to mobile apps. App developers can use this feature to maximise the download for their apps.

A study by Statista revealed that mobile apps accounted for 92% of total mobile internet time in 2021. This statistic shows the importance of optimizing your website and content to appear in app page searches. Using c;ear description, good images and positive user rating can enhance chances of apps to feature among the top on search results pages of different app stores.

Summary

Understanding and optimizing for various SERP features is crucial for enhancing your SEO strategy. By leveraging these features, businesses can improve visibility, drive traffic, and ultimately increase conversions. As search engines continue to evolve, staying informed about SERP features will ensure your SEO efforts remain effective.