SERP 101: All That You Want to Know

Whether you're looking for an introduction to the basics of search engine results pages or delving into more advanced tactics for improving them, we'll cover all aspects including optimizing content for top ranking in SERPs; keyword research tools and strategies; best practices like mobile optimization and AB testing; as well as hidden tips from industry experts on getting ahead amongst competition in Google rankings - plus much more besides! Let's get started.

What Is SERP in SEO?

SERP is short for Search Engine Result Page. It is the list of sites search engines display on their result page when someone enters a query. 

When someone enters a query in a Search Engine, its algorithm cross-references the keyword and the information with the indexed pages. Then it displays a list of results with a link to the website.

A website is ranked no.1 if the contents on the page match precisely with the user's query. The position a link gets is called SERP ranking. 

In the old days, SERP had only ten hyperlinks with blue-colored titles. It used to comprise the link, Meta title, and Meta description. However, things have changed significantly over the years. Now, it comes with a wide range of features. This includes images, reviews, graphs, text excerpts, links, news, etc.

How Does SERP Ranking Work?

Search engines, mainly Google, use 100s of ranking factors to decide the SERP ranking. It does not reveal all the elements. However, industry experts over the year have worked and have been working to uncover the secrets. 

After several testing and trial and error, SEO experts figure out some crucial factors. These include ?

• The uniqueness of the contents

• Quality and reliability of the contents

• Keyword optimization

• Relevancy of the query to the website's content

• The page must be indexed by Google

• High and authoritative backlinks

• Dwell time and bounce rate

• Meta tags

• Information Architecture 

• Navigation of the site

• Page loading speed

• Mobile-friendliness of the site

Google has confirmed most of these in their official documentation about SEO. The Google algorithm documentation also includes some essential information on the implementation process.

On top of that, Google also has provided tools such as Search Console and Google Analytics. These tools allow site owners to check their rank in the SERP. 

What Results are Displayed in the SERP?

The SERPs of every search engine and user are different. One user may get a different response from Search Engines on the same query. The results are usually generated based on the user's browsing history, location, device, interests, and other information.

Besides the difference, all SERPs display two common results ?

Organic Results

Organic results in SERPs are natural search results. These are the results that google displays naturally without charging any fee from the site owner. 

Assuming your contents have all the information the users are looking for. In such events, Google will likely reward your efforts by boosting your page on the SERP. 

Organic search results are based on three main categories: relevance, authority, and discoverable.

Relevance ? The content on your page is relevant to the target keywords or query searched by the user.

Authority ? You have higher page authority in your niche. When someone has high page authority, they are considered an expert in the subject. 

Discoverable ? Your site should be created so that search engines easily index it.

All these factors play a crucial role in ranking a page organically in SERP.

Paid Results

Paid results, aka paid search or Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, refers to a sponsored list that appears on the top of the SERP. 

Businesses or organizations pay a specific price for specific keywords or phrases. When users search that keyword in google, they see the paid sites on the top. The paid results come "sponsored" written on top of them. 

Usually, google display three paid results on each page. The organic results start just below the paid results.

Features displayed on Google SERP

Before, it was just organic results displayed on the SERP. Now Google has become more advanced. Its sophisticated algorithm displays a wide range of information on a single page. 

The features you will see in Google SERP ?

Featured Snippets

Featured snippets are small information located at the top of the search results. The contents displayed as featured snippets usually come from the page that ranks higher for a keyword. A page appearing on featured snippets is referred to as rank 0. It is the highest rank one can get on organic search results.

Featured snippets often appear in the form of ?

• List of items

• Paragraph of text

• Table

• Video

It depends entirely on the type of search query. For instance, if you search "top 10 songs of lady gaga", the featured snippet will appear in a list of songs by the pop icon.

Similarly, if you search "what are organic results?" the featured snippet will display a paragraph containing the answer.

It is still unclear how Google's algorithm chooses a webpage for rank 0. However, SEO experts believe google prefers content that is ?

• Written and displayed with a proper format

• Fully matches the user's search intent and query or keywords

Image Pack

Google displays image packs on the search results page if the query is associated with some images. For example, when you search for cute puppy pics, cat pics, etc.

Once you click the image, you will be forwarded to the picture in vertical form. You will find other relevant websites and links similar to the picture.

Videos

Google displays videos on the SERP if the user query is relevant. For instance, if you search "Dalgona coffee," google will display videos about preparing coffee at home.

Local Pack

Local packs are information extracted from Google My Business profiles. They are usually geographical. Such as a search with "near me" followed by a map and the top three results.

Knowledge Panel

The knowledge panel displays organized information about a person, business, brand, and other entity and things in the search query. If you search for "Bill gates, Google will pull the data from verified sources and display them on the top right side of the SERP.

Knowledge Card

A knowledge card is located at the top of the search results, right below the search bar. The results are retrieved from verified and reputable sources like Google's index from reliable sites, Wikipedia, government sites, etc. They cover topics like a celebrity's birthday, stock information, formulas, currency exchange rates, etc.

Sitelinks

Sitelinks appear as a big box containing several additional links to a website or brand. If you search "youtube," google will display the homepage as the top result. Along with that, it will display sublinks like youtube music, videos, upload, subscriptions, movies, tv shows, etc. 

Reviews

Google shows user reviews when you search for a movie, book, restaurant, etc. The reviews are located at the bottom right end of the search results. 

News Results and Top Stories

The news box appears when you search for a news-related article. For example, "what happened to celebrity X today?" The news entry will feature a headline, timestamp, publisher, and thumbnail.

Shopping Results

Shopping results are paid results displayed on the SERP. When you search for a product such as "iPhone 14 pro max," it will display a rich snippet containing the image and details of the product. The details include the product name, retailer, review stars, price, any ongoing offers, etc.