Ranking number one used to be enough.
Clicks. Traffic. Mission complete.
Not so fast…
Google has added featured snippets, knowledge panels, image packs and AI overviews to SERPs. These SERP features are siphoning clicks away from traditional organic listings.
And guess what…
The savviest marketers are fighting back. By winning SERP features, smart marketers are getting more eyes on their content than the competition.
In this guide:
- What Are SERP Features?
- Why SERP Features Matter More Than Ever
- The Most Important SERP Features to Target
- How to Win SERP Features for Your Site
What Are SERP Features?
A simple SERP features definition is just that, a simple one.
SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page. If it’s not a standard blue link, it’s a SERP feature.
Put another way…
SERP features are enhancements to search results that Google displays to help users get the information they’re looking for quickly. These special boxes and result types appear prominently above or alongside organic listings.
The most common SERP features include:
- Featured Snippets – Answer boxes at the top of results
- Knowledge Panels – Information boxes about entities
- People Also Ask – Expandable question boxes
- Image Packs – Visual results grouped together
- Local Packs – Map results for nearby businesses
Simple enough, right?
The trick to success is finding SERP features opportunities and then optimising your content to match. That’s how you capture visibility above the standard organic search listings.
Why SERP Features Matter More Than Ever
Look, ranking number one was never easy.
The cutthroat competition for top spots is just how it is in search.
What’s different…
Traditional organic rankings are not what they used to be. Google’s SERPs have dramatically evolved to include new features.
Marketers who don’t pay attention to SERP features are literally leaving traffic on the table.
How do I know that?
Simple. Check the click-through rates (CTR) on the featured snippet position. Featured snippets capture a 42.9% CTR. That’s higher than that of the traditional number one position without a featured snippet.
Need more convincing?
Google has been testing AI Overviews in search results. These AI-generated summary boxes appear at the top of the page. They are going to become more important to clicks over time.
SERP features are here to stay. The race for attention on SERPs is more competitive than ever. Those sites that adapt will dominate. Those who do not will struggle to keep up with the traffic game.
The Most Important SERP Features to Target
Okay, there are quite a few SERP features. Which ones are important?
The honest answer is all of them.
However, some SERP features are more targeted than others. By nature, certain result types drive more traffic or act more as signals than anything else.
Which SERP features are the ones smart marketers target?
Let’s break down the most important ones.
Featured Snippets
Featured snippets are worth targeting for a number of reasons.
The most important?
Positioning for featured snippets often results in what many refer to as “position zero” at the top of SERPs. Yes, above all organic search results.
Google pulls featured snippets from web pages to directly answer user queries in search. When displayed, the information takes one of the following formats:
- Paragraph definitions
- Numbered lists
- Bullet point lists
- Tables with data
The key to featured snippet optimisation is content formatting. Google extracts snippets of information it can use to answer questions or provide helpful data.
Content for featured snippets should be short, snappy answers to common questions. Concise, easily-understood definitions are best. Aim for 40-60 words to start with for paragraph definitions.
People Also Ask Boxes
People Also Ask boxes, or PAA boxes, are those expanding question accordions that litter many search results.
When a site wins a PAA box, each question in the box pulls an answer from a page on the website. A link to that page accompanies the expanded answer.
Here’s the thing…
PAAs often show more than one question per search. By winning a box, the page gains additional visibility above what a traditional rank may provide.
PAA boxes show more questions when clicked. The potential impressions pile up quickly.
Knowledge Panels
Knowledge panels are the information boxes that show on the right side of desktop SERPs. They give facts and information about entities such as businesses, people, places and things.
For business and brand pages, it’s vital to target a knowledge panel. Claim it. Optimise it.
Knowledge panels display Google’s official stamp of approval. They show the search engine has “acknowledged” the entity in some way. That means more credibility for the brand.
Local Packs
If you have a local business, it’s important to target local pack results in SERPs.
Local packs are map-based listings that display for queries where a user has local intent. As you can imagine, they drive a lot of physical foot traffic to local businesses.
How to Win SERP Features for Your Site
Winning SERP features is no accident.
Randomly optimising content in hopes of capturing one of these boxes isn’t going to work.
Successful marketers follow a formula. Let’s run through their process.
Research Current SERP Layouts
Step one is always research.
Before optimising anything, look at the SERP layout for target keywords. Search terms you want SERP features for should be the first query you optimise.
Look at the current SERP. What are the featured snippet and PAA questions? Note their format.
This research will tell you what Google is trying to display. Targeting specific SERP features is about matching that format to improve the chances of being displayed.
Structure Content for Extraction
Google’s algorithms extract information to fill SERP features based on structure.
SEO professionals know that. However, it’s important to point out that content needs clear, easy-to-scrape formatting for Google to display as a SERP feature.
Headings should match common search queries. Place direct answers after those headers. Keep your explanation brief, with the in-depth answer following.
Format lists in proper HTML. Clean up tables for display. Make all content easily scannable and highly organised.
Implement Schema Markup
Schema markup is like the cherry on top of SERP feature optimisation.
Marketers who want to win SERP features need to add structured data to their pages. According to Backlinko, 72% of all top results use schema markup. That’s not a coincidence.
Schema makes content eligible for all sorts of rich results. It also helps pages qualify for review stars, FAQ and “how-to” carousel displays, product results and many other enhanced listings.
Common schema types:
- FAQ schema
- How-to schema
- Product schema
- Local business schema
- Article schema
Monitor and Adapt
SERP features are always changing.
Google tests new SERP formats all the time. It adds and removes others and tweaks algorithms constantly. SEO professionals know this. Adaptation is critical.
Set up tracking for target keywords. Monitor the SERPs for changes in the featured snippets, PAA questions and other SERP features over time.
SERP features optimisation is not set it and forget it. Staying on top of changes is key to sustained success.
Marketers who win SERP features are the ones that react to changes as they occur. Staying nimble is crucial.
Bringing It All Together
SEO is not what it used to be.
Google’s SERPs have evolved. The days of simply trying to capture the top position are over. Search has come a long way since the days of 10 blue links.
The opportunity is there. Featured snippets, PAA boxes, knowledge panels, local packs and every other SERP feature are windows of opportunity for additional visibility above traditional organic listings.
Smart marketers are taking notice and seizing these opportunities. The traffic gains for winning SERP features are serious.
Competitive advantage is real in search results.
SEO professionals that want to succeed must optimise for SERP features. To do that, marketers should:
- Research SERP features for target keywords
- Structure content for easy extraction
- Add relevant schema markup
- Monitor for changes over time
AI Overviews are on the rise. New SERP features are coming. However, the fundamental truth will remain the same…
Give Google what it needs to prominently feature your content on the SERPs.
That’s what smart marketers understand. They’re winning the search game one SERP feature at a time.
