Understanding Google’s search engine result page or SERP is a key to B2B digital marketing and SEO strategy formulation.
A deep dive into the web pages that appear in Google SERPs helps analyze the targeted keywords. It may help the SEO efforts determine the possible course of action to improve the page’s position in those search results.
SERP Features
All the different elements of information that Google puts into the search results are SERP features. The searcher’s experience and usability improve by these features.
The search results rarely are found without any SERP features. The use of long-tail keywords is most prevalent. You may have been using it for some time without identifying it as a SERP feature.
Since 2019, more than half of the searches are zero-click searches.
Zero-Click Search
It is a feature that helps answer the queries based on Google’s understanding of the user’s search intent. The user gets the answer to the search query without having to visit a web page.
Zero-click searches have a massive insinuation for SEOs everywhere. Thus, making ranking a very crucial aspect of SERP. Experts believe the evolution is to help Google meet the needs of voice and mobile-first searches.
In Google’s quest to deliver the best possible answer to every query, recognizing another SERP feature - user intent is critical. It is central to the Zero-click searches.
The search queries for words include a ‘dictionary’ SERP feature. It helps with the definition of the searched word. There’s also the ‘People also ask’ section, which lists the top queries for that word. A ‘Knowledge Graph’ in the right column helps with information based on the user’s query and inferred intent.
In most cases, users have to scroll through the page to see even the top organic listings. Then, how do you gauge its effect on organic search traffic? What SERP features should you keep in mind to improve visibility? The solution varies and depends on the keywords that users search, your industry, and a host of other factors.
Zero-click searches play a pivotal role in local searches. The trend suggests that people often search for an item of need first in their vicinity. So optimizing to meet the SERP requisites by using its various features can help you increase visibility.
For example, let’s say you have a business in Birmingham. To make yourself part of Google’s ‘local pack’, you have to include keywords relevant to Birmingham as well as your industry.
The use of such keywords based on location helps give back results that match with the search intent, thus improving your chances to be part of the featured snippets. If you are struggling to achieve that yourself, you can look for an agency that can optimize your website’s SEO in Birmingham and help your SERP strategy formulation.
Basic Features
Titles, URLs, and descriptions - make up the fundamental elements of a search result.
Title
The title tag appearing on the SERP may get picked from the web page HTML title. You may note that the device which the user is using will play a role in how much of the title content shows up on the SERP. The screen resolution and the text size settings may also affect the title tag length. Hence it is advisable to optimize for the SERPs to increase the prominence of the HTML titles.
An optimal HTML title tag’s width should be 55 to 60 characters or 512 pixels. Though keyword variation is advisable, you may avoid the forceful insertion of keywords. Make the titles concise, accurate, and unique.
Description
The search element of the SERP can show your meta description in its description element if you properly craft them. Data suggests Google rewrites the meta descriptions in 3 out of 4 cases, but it is still worth putting a relevant description.
A lot of effort goes into writing the ad titles, so putting a little more on the meta descriptions is equally valuable.
URLs
Since URLs play a critical role in SEO efforts, special attention is due to them. You may pursue some of the standard best practices to improve the quality of the URLs:
- Keep them concise
- When possible, avoid the use of parameters
- Use natural target keyword phrases
- Work with lower case letters
- Separate words by hyphens
Advanced Features
Knowing the basic SERP features can help you sketch the initial picture. But the knowledge of the advanced features can help you make all the difference.
These features keep on adding over time, basis the need of the changing search queries and advancement in technology.
You may consider exploring the SERP features like:
- Featured Snippets
- Local pack and Local teaser pack
- Shopping results
- Image pack
- Searches Related to
- Top stories
- Reviews
- Videos
- People Also Search For
- Top and bottom Ads
- Site links
Though this article aims to shed light on the various aspects of the SERP, keep in mind that it is evolving every day. Google constantly tests new features to add to its existing ones. However, your web page optimization with the above SERP features may help improve your page’s ranking and visibility.