In search engine optimization (SEO), the goal is to get as much relevant organic traffic as possible. Some time ago, one could get a good deal of the traffic on a keyword by ranking first for it. Now, not so much.
Google search engine result pages (SERPs) have evolved from a simple list of links to a result page dominated by SERP features, like a “People also ask” section, video packs, local packs, and many others.
In this article, you’ll learn what they are and how to improve the odds of your website appearing for the ten most important features.
What are SERP Features?
SERP features are all the elements of a search engine result page apart from the list of organic results and paid advertisements. SERP features can appear on top of the organic results, in between them, and to the right of them.
Google has introduced these features to make searches easier for users. For instance, people looking for a local business would benefit from seeing a local pack in a search instead of browsing through links. People looking for a quick definition of a term benefit from seeing a featured snippet instead of reading through a couple of pages.
Not all searches trigger a SERP feature, and some trigger more than one. In some cases, users would have to scroll one full screen just to go past the ads and another screen to go past the SERP features.
No wonder some studies suggest the featured snippet will get 35% clicks if it’s present.
With two full screens to even reach the first organic results and with users interacting with the SERP features, it’s a good strategy to start optimizing your website for them.
Key Optimization Insights for Major Google SERP Features
Google offers more than 35 different types of SERP features. Many websites have no chance of getting featured in some of them, like the data sets or discussions and forums features. It’s best to focus on the SERP features optimization for the ones easily won and provide exposure and traffic generation opportunities for your website.
These are the ten types of SERP features to focus on.
Featured Snippets
Featured snippets are short summaries of the search query. Typically, they appear as a definition, a table, or a list.
This is one of the most important types of SERP features, as it appears on top of the organic search results and can bring a lot of traffic to your site.
To optimize for it, sort SERP features by keyword and analyze the search intent behind the keyword you’re trying to optimize for. Then, create content that answers that intent. When you have a great article on the subject, optimize the bit of text that’s supposed to be mentioned in the snippet.
If the query is looking for a definition, often phrased as “what is…,” create a definition that fits into one or two sentences. If the query is looking for a comparison, create a table. For lists or instructions, create a bullet-point list.
You’ll also have to work on off-site SEO to get a featured snippet.
AI Overview
AI Overviews (AIO) are similar in essence to featured snippets. They also often appear together on SERP. They’re an AI-generated answer to the user query that often features a paragraph of text and a button to expand it if the user wishes to read the overview instead of an article from an organic SERP.
AI Overviews also feature a list of links to the sources. That’s the opportunity for optimization for you. If your website gets quoted on AIO and put on that list, you might get traffic from keywords you don’t organically rank for. It also may increase trust in your content and business.
To increase the odds of getting on that list, execute the same things you perform as featured snippet optimization. Strive to create great content, earn more backlinks, and try to publish original research. The latter has good odds of making it to the list of sources on AIO.
Sitelinks
This SERP feature is great because it can help your site take up more space on the result page and provide quick ways to navigate your site to the user.
Only Google can increase the likelihood of this SERP feature appearing and will determine that on its own based on how likely it’s to benefit the users.
What you can do is create an effective navigation on your website and make sure it can be crawled by the search engines.
Rich Snippets
Unlike the previous entry, rich snippets depend on your input. These are short bits of information that appear alongside your page in SERP for all or most searches. They can look like navigation links or images.
They can also display information about pricing, availability, rating, and more.
All of this information makes your page stand out in SERP and increases the likelihood of a click.
To display it, add this information as structured data. Use Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper, write the code for structured data yourself, or use an AI tool to generate it. Use Google’s testing tool to validate the results.
People Also Ask
Don't confuse this SERP feature with the “People also search for” section displayed at the bottom of SERP. This section only directs users to other popular searches. People also ask feature is a list of popular searches that can be expanded to see an answer.
This feature gives you a chance to get traffic from keywords similar to the one you’re targeting.
Since it often shows featured snippets from other queries, optimizing them gives you decent odds of appearing in it. Answering long-tail keywords formed as questions either as standalone pages or in related content is also a good idea. You can try using FAQ markup on your pages to let Google pick up those answers easier.
Knowledge Panels
Knowledge panels are often displayed for branded searches, those where users are typing in the name of a brand. They’re displayed on the right of the search results and provide a link to a Wikipedia page and other information about the business.
Getting there can be tricky, but you can influence it by working on your off-site optimization. Google pulls information for this feature from third-party sources, so if your business has a Wiki page, branded social media pages, and is featured in news media, you have better odds of having this panel.
Working on your E-E-A-T and author reputation can also help. Knowledge panels can feature the names of prominent authors of the site’s content.
So, improving the personal branding of your CEO or core in-house authors can be an important step.
Image Packs
For searches looking for visual content, Google will display image pack results in SERP. It contains small versions of images that lead to image search results.
To optimize for these results, work on your image SEO. Use these basic techniques:
● Post high-quality, unique images.
● Host them on a fast server.
● Use standard image formats.
● Use <img> element to include an image in a page.
● Optimize the page the image is on for the target keywords.
● Add the main keyword to the image’s alt text tag.
● Create a readable image file name that contains a keyword.
● Submit an image sitemap for better crawling.
Check the performance of your images in image search and try experimenting with different elements to see better results.
Local Packs
Google will display a small version of a local search for queries that may be looking for a physical store. Typically, it includes three top picks of local businesses, a map, and a button for more businesses on Google Maps.
How hard it is to get featured here depends on the competition in your area. It’s going to be a tougher battle in Manhattan than, say, Branson, MO. You’ll have to follow the best practices of local SEO:
● Set up a Google Business Profile.
● Build citations of your business name, address, and phone number across the web.
● Work on attracting reviews.
● Interact with customers, especially disgruntled ones, in the reviews.
● Build local backlinks.
● Work on mobile optimization.
Once you start ranking in local search, your business may also appear in the top three results in the local pack.
Video Carousels
In searches that may be aided by video content, Google will sometimes serve an expandable video carousel with three videos.
If you don’t create video content, the traffic potential from this SERP feature might not be enough to start making them. But if you already have a library of video content, optimize it to appear here.
The overwhelming majority of videos that get on video carousels are from YouTube. So, host your videos there and optimize them for a fitting keyword. Add it to the video title and description and create a visually appealing thumbnail.
Shopping Results
The best SERP feature to win as an ecommerce business is the shopping results that can be displayed for regular searches. This is a list of popular products with additional information like pricing, reviews, and discounts.
When users click the product tile, they can see more information about the product and its availability.
To get your products on this feature, create a Google Merchant Center, upload your products, and optimize product tiles. If you already have your products listed in the shopping feed but they’re not performing well, focus on improving product titles with relevant keywords, refining descriptions, uploading high-quality images, ensuring inventory accuracy, and adjusting pricing strategies to remain competitive and attract more clicks
● Include the main keyword and descriptors in the product title.
● Create multiple unique and good-looking images.
● Add information about the product that users care about.
● Add shipping pricing.
● Add information about current discounts and sales.
● Work on amassing positive reviews.
Summary
Google SERP features can take up a lot of space on the result page, drowning out the top ten organic results. This means your goal in SEO is not only to target ranking in the top ten but also to focus on getting your pages and products listed on these SERP features.
To start, analyze SERP features by keyword and monitor which keywords have features. If you see Google serving some features, try to optimize for them.
For informational keywords, optimize for the featured snippets. These provide the best click-through rate and can influence a couple of other important features.
For local businesses, targeting local search is key. Ecommerce businesses will mostly benefit from targeting shopping results.
Use the SERP features optimization tips from this article, and you’ll get more target traffic and win more sales.
Author’s bio:
Kateryna Boiko is a content manager at SE Ranking with over 6 years of experience in content creation. Passionate about high-quality writing, she specializes in crafting blog articles related to tech, SEO, and marketing. Outside of work, Kateryna enjoys reading and exploring new places to visit.
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