Marketers are always looking for ways to improve their website's ranking on search engine result pages (SERP). But what do these pages actually look like? What kind of elements are included in them?

In this blog post, we'll look at the structure of SERPs and how you can use this information to improve your website's visibility. We'll also discuss some common SERP features and how they can be used to your advantage. By the end of this post, you'll better understand how SERPs work and how you can use them to improve your marketing efforts.

What is SERP?

Search Engine Results Pages (SERP) are an integral part of any business looking to make its mark online. Without them, the world of search would become a much less convenient place. SERP stands for “Search Engine Result Page” and is a page generated by a search engine after a user enters their query. It consists mainly of organic listings, which are annotated according to relevance using algorithms that search engines like Google use, and paid listings. The apparent order of the listings (organic or paid) will affect where users decide to click, giving SERP significant influence over website traffic.

However, the SERP combines organic and paid listings with additional content. This blog post discusses all the SERP's main elements, including snippets, knowledge panels, images and videos, and local packs.

Importance of SERP for (online) businesses

Online businesses live and die by their SERPs or search engine result pages. Knowing how to optimize our Search Engine Marketing strategy for higher ranking is vital for any business hoping to make it big online. As such, most successful entrepreneurs have come to view SERP optimization as an invaluable tool in their digital marketing arsenal.

An effective Search Engine Marketing strategy inevitably comes with a deep understanding of how SERPs work. Indeed, the key to successful SERP optimization lies in understanding the elements that make up an effective search engine page. Understanding and optimizing these different components can improve the website's visibility in search engine result pages and ultimately drive more traffic to your business.

Components of SERP

SERPs are generated in response to a query. As previously mentioned, they are typically composed of four core components: organic results, ads, knowledge panels, images/videos, and local packs.

As we can see from the image, the SERP is a very dynamic artifact: it includes organic results, paid results, and a hybrid area (the knowledge panel based on the concept of a knowledge graph).

Organic search results

Achieving success through organic search results is a delicate balancing act. Choosing the right keywords, creating high-quality content, and building consumer trust can be time-consuming and tricky. But when done well - watch out! With organic search results, you not only reap the rewards of higher website traffic and improved visibility but also may get a bonus of increased brand loyalty. Therefore, the activity of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) becomes crucial in mastering the SERP (> More about SEO).

Paid search results

If you're looking for a quick way to bring more traffic to your website, investing in paid search results could be just the ticket. It doesn't matter if you're a Fortune 500 company or a small business; paid searches can help you gain visibility and reach your intended audience without breaking the bank. By targeting keywords strategically, your ads are more likely to appear before those of your competitors - giving you an edge online.

Featured snippets

Featured snippets can be a powerful tool to help you stand out from competitors. They are great for summarizing specific questions and long answers, as they are displayed at the top of SERPs, right above other search results. With well-crafted featured snippets, you can immediately capture potential new users' attention while they're still searching! It's naturally eye-catching and an effective way to ensure more people see your content.

Examples of featured snippets:

In the image above, we can see the snipped generated for the query "featured snippets" (yes, we want to appear on Google for this query!).

Knowledge panels

With the ever-growing digital age, knowledge panels are only becoming more and more necessary. These powerful search engine features allow users to access instant information on their next destination, favorite restaurant, or even peculiar topics of interest- all with a simple click. Knowledge panels have become an indispensable asset to businesses of all sizes looking to make the most out of their SEM (Search Engine Marketing) efforts. Knowledge panels are fascinating because of their dynamicity: they can present owned content (e.g., generated using Google Business Profile) and/or Paid content.

Optimizing your content for knowledge panels can instantly make your website stand out from the competition and get more clicks.

In this example, the information provided within the knowledge panel is hybrid. The "hotel details" come from Google Business Profile, while the offers/prices are paid information.

Image and video results

With the introduction of image and video results on search engine pages, users now have access to information that can often be easier to consume and understand than words alone. From instructional videos to educational infographics, image, and video results have revolutionized the potential for discovering new and valuable content. This is an incredibly welcome addition, as it affords us a much more comprehensive way of researching topics and gaining insight into any number of topics.

Example of images on the SERP: 

Local pack

Local pack is a feature of Google search results that allows businesses of all sizes to showcase their products and services to get noticed. This cost-effective option guarantees greater visibility no matter the size of your business, since it puts you right at the top of local search results whenever someone searches related keywords. Additionally, thanks to the specific additional information that’s shown-including direction, hours, and the reviews-local pack can be a great way to pique the interest of potential customers, creating an edge over competitors with traditional listing ads.

Example of local pack:

The content of local packs is generated using the brands' information from Google Business Profile. As you may have guessed, the content of the local pack can also be displayed in the knowledge panel. 

Conclusions:

We’ve finally reached the end of exploring SERP and what it means for online businesses. SERP can have a massive impact on how your business appears in search engine results – and therefore has a significant influence on your profits. Organic search results, paid search results, featured snippets, knowledge panels, image and video results, and local packs are all components of SERP – each offering great opportunity for those who use them wisely. Making sure you understand these components is an absolute must if you want to succeed with Search Engine Marketing.

If you want to know more, feel free to contact us!