What Are SERP Features?
SERP features refer to all special elements and results that appear on a search engine results page (SERP). In other words, SERP features are the results on a search engine results page beyond the traditional 10 blue link results.
Generally, SERP features allow visitors to:
- Uncover related topics and questions of interest
- Discover the answer right on the search results page
- Find deals and products relevant to their search term
- Find related and similar search terms and use them to begin a new search
- Provide Google with additional information about their search, which Google then uses to adjust the search results page
Importance of SERP Features
If you traveled back to 2005 and used Google, the search results page would look something like this:
These results are called the 10 blue links. Each search results page contained ten 10 blue links and some ads. A typical 10 blue link result includes:
- The site’s logo
- The site’s name
- The page’s URL
- The page’s meta title
- The page’s meta description
The 10 blue links were the default look of search results pages before 2007 when Google launched universal search. Thereafter, search engine results pages started to contain multiple results other than the 10 blue links.
These additional results and elements are considered the SERP features. For example, when we search for Taj Mahal, Google returns a combination of 10 blue links and SERP features.
These SERP features provide visitors with information and options related to their search terms. This allows visitors to find the information they seek without clicking on the sites in the search results.
Google still displays the 10 blue links on its results pages. However, their number has reduced over time from 10 to between 7 and 9 per page.
Example of Some Features on Search Results Pages
Google includes multiple features on its search results pages. The specific ones it displays vary depending on the visitor, device, and search term. Even the exact search term can bring up different features for the same user.
That said, Google is constantly releasing new SERP features and changing the look and position of the existing ones. Nevertheless, here are some SERP features you will find on Google.
1 Ads
Ads or advertisements are paid promotional listings that appear on search results pages. They usually appear at the top or bottom of the page but can also appear elsewhere. Ads are usually labeled with “Ad” or “Sponsored” and are typically pay-per-click (PPC) ads.
2 Organic Search Results
Organic search results are the non-ad results on search results pages. They are not paid for and are instead the result of the site’s search engine optimization efforts. For example, every result on the search results page below is organic.
3 AI Overview
AI overview refers to AI-generated text that provides short and straightforward answers to a search query. It typically appears at the top of search results pages and contains images and links to relevant sites.
The AI overview may also appear at other locations. For example, you may encounter them in the People Also Ask section of the search results page.
4 People Also Ask (PAA)
People also ask are expandable boxes that contain questions and answers relevant to the search query. Individual People also ask boxes contain multiple questions. Once clicked, they expand to reveal the answer to the question.
The answer could be displayed in a paragraph, list, table, or video format. While the answers are typically extracted from relevant webpages, they may also be generated by AI and displayed as an AI overview.
5 Google Knowledge Panel
The Google knowledge panel is a SERP feature that provides searchers with factual information about a person, place, or thing. The data displayed in the knowledge panel is pulled from multiple sources, including the Google knowledge graph.
6 Local Pack
The local pack is the maps and business listings Google returns in response to a local search query. The maps and business listing results are typically organic, although they may occasionally contain ads. The pack contains three or more results, including the following:
- Ratings
- Opening hours
- Name, address, and phone number (NAP)
Businesses that want to get featured in the local pack should have a Google Business Profile, build local citations, and optimize their site for local SEO.
- You can refer to this guide on optimizing your content for local SEO
- You should also refer to this guide on creating and optimizing your Google Business Profile
7 Featured Snippets
Featured snippets (answer boxes or position zero) are brief results that provide quick answers to a visitor’s query. They can be displayed directly on the search results page, in the people also ask field, or in the knowledge graph.
Featured snippets used to be the topmost results on a search results page but are now outranked by the AI overview.
8 Related Searches
The related searches feature displays queries similar or closely related to the query the visitor entered into the search engine. They are usually displayed at the bottom of the search results page.
9 People Also Search For
The People also search for feature displays search queries similar to or related to the visitor’s original search. It typically appears at the bottom of the search results page, in the same position occupied by the related searches feature.
The people also search for feature can also appear at other locations, including below the knowledge panel.
10 Rich Results
Rich results (or rich snippets) are SERP features that provide additional information about a listing. For example, the reviews and prices displayed on search results pages are rich snippets.
11 Sitelinks
Sitelinks are the links displayed below a result on the search results pages. These links can point to different pages on the same site or sections on the same page. For example, the sitelink below points to different pages on a site.
In contrast, the sitelinks below point to different sections of the same page.
12 Image Carousel
The image carousel is a group of images related to the search query. When clicked, these images open the webpage relevant to the visitor’s search intent.
13 Video Carousel
The video carousel is a group of videos relevant to the search query. The videos are often from YouTube and typically open on the search results page when clicked.
14 Top Stories
The top stories feature displays news articles relevant to the search query. The news is usually recent but could be up to 30 days old.
15 Latest Posts
The latest posts feature shows social media updates published by people relevant to the search term. They are typically displayed when you search for famous people. The entries displayed in the section are gathered from one or more social media pages operated by the entity.
16 Twitter Cards
Twitter cards feature the latest X (formerly Twitter) posts published by the entity you searched for. The posts are gathered from the entity’s X page.
17 What People Are Saying
The What people are saying feature shows relevant content published by third parties. This content is extracted from social media apps like Instagram, video-sharing platforms like YouTube, online forums like Reddit, and question-and-answer sites like Quora.
18 Discussions and Forums
The Discussions and forums feature displays content from online forums and discussion sites. Reddit often appears in this section. However, other forums and niche discussion sites can also featured here.
19 Things to Know
The Things to Know feature displays questions and answers relevant to the search query. It typically displays a keyword relevant to the question before showing the question itself. Once clicked, it opens a dropdown containing an answer to the question.
20 Popular Products
The Popular Products feature is a carousel containing products relevant to the search query. The products displayed in this feature are typically organic.
21 More Products
The More Products feature displays multiple products relevant to the search query. It is similar to the Popular Products feature. However, it shows popular products below it. It may also be displayed on page 2 of Google, while the Popular Products feature is on page 1.
22 In Stores Nearby
The In stores nearby feature displays relevant products available in stores close to you. Google shows them when you use search terms indicating you want to buy a product or item.
23 Fast Pickup or Delivery
The Fast pickup or delivery feature displays relevant items that can either be shipped to you quickly or, if you choose pickup, will be available for fast collection.
24 Deals
The Deals feature shows you current deals, promotions, and discounts on items you may be interested in. They are displayed for commercial keywords.
25 Buying Guide
The Buying guide provides visitors with relevant questions and answers about their search terms. They typically appear for commercial queries used by visitors looking to purchase a product. Visitors can click the question to view the answer to the question.
26 Showtimes
The Showtimes feature contains local movie theater listings for a specific film. It appears when visitors search for a movie title paired with terms like “showtimes,” “near me,” or “theater.” It also appears when you search for recently released movies.
27 See Results About
The See results about feature displays when you search for a query that could refer to multiple distinct topics or entities. For example, a visitor who searches for “Cinderella” could be interested in the film or the character.
Visitors can click on the relevant query to open a new search results page for that query.
28 Reviews
The Reviews feature displays critic and audience ratings for a movie. Google displays it when you search for a movie. However, you are likelier to get one when you include “reviews” at the end of your query.
29 Local News
The local news feature displays news items relevant to the visitor and the search term. For example, if a visitor resides in Houston, Texas, and searches for “basketball,” the local news feature will display news items relevant to basketball and Texas.
