The search results page and its features

The search engine results page (SERP) is no longer "ten blue links". A single search can return ads, a map, a box of questions, images, videos, shopping listings, news and an AI-generated summary before the first ordinary organic result. Understanding what is on the page tells you two things: what kind of content can realistically win for a query, and how much of the searcher's attention is left for organic results.

Organic results versus paid results

Paid results (ads) are bought through advertising platforms such as Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising. They are labelled, currently with the word "Sponsored", and can appear above and below the organic results and in shopping units. Advertisers pay per click, and the auction decides which ads appear.

Organic results are chosen by the search engine's ranking systems. You cannot pay a search engine to rank higher organically, and spending on ads has no effect on organic rankings. Google has stated this consistently for many years. SEO is the work of improving organic visibility.

The two channels still interact commercially. If a query shows four ads before any organic result on mobile, a number-one organic ranking may get fewer clicks than you expect. That is worth knowing when you estimate the value of ranking for a term.

Anatomy of a standard organic result

A typical organic listing has three parts:

Title link: the clickable headline. Google usually builds it from the page's HTML title element, but it may use the main heading, anchor text or other text on the page if it judges the title unhelpful (for example if it's missing, stuffed with keywords or the same as many other pages).
Site name, favicon and URL or breadcrumb: showing which site the result is from and where the page sits. Google picks the site name partly from WebSite structured data and the home page.
Snippet: a short description. It may come from the meta description or from page text that better matches the query, so one page can show different snippets for different searches.

Some results add extras such as sitelinks (links to other sections of the same site, usually for brand searches), dates, or rich result enhancements.

Common SERP features

Rich results

Rich results are enhanced listings that show extra information: review stars and counts, product price and availability, recipe cook times, event dates, job details, video thumbnails and more. Most rich result types depend on structured data (schema.org markup) on the page, plus meeting that feature's content guidelines. Google lists the types it supports in its structured data search gallery and changes them over time; for example, it reduced FAQ rich results in 2023 to a small number of authoritative government and health sites, and retired HowTo rich results.

Featured snippets

For question-style queries, Google sometimes shows an extracted passage, list or table from one page at or near the top, with a link. There is no markup to request one; clear, direct answers under a descriptive heading make a page a better candidate.

Local pack (map pack)

For queries with local intent, such as "dentist", "plumber near me" or "cafe Fremantle", Google shows a map with a short list of businesses. These results come largely from Google Business Profile listings and are ranked mainly on relevance, distance and prominence (including reviews and how well known the business is). Local pack rankings work differently from the ordinary organic results below them, which is why local SEO is its own discipline.

Images, videos, short videos, news and discussions

Depending on the query, you may see image packs, video carousels (often from YouTube), "Top stories" for news, and "Discussions and forums" featuring sites such as Reddit and community forums. These signal the formats searchers engage with.

Shopping results

For product searches, there are paid shopping ads and also free organic product listings drawn from Google Merchant Center feeds and product structured data. Australian, UK and US retailers can list products free in Google's Shopping tab.

AI-generated overviews

Google's AI Overviews, and conversational modes in Google and Bing, can generate a summary answer with links to cited sources. They appear mainly for informational and complex queries. They can reduce clicks for simple facts, and they also create a new opportunity: being one of the cited sources. The fundamentals that make a page eligible are the same as for ordinary results: being crawlable, indexed and genuinely helpful.

Eligibility is not a guarantee

Valid structured data makes a page eligible for a rich result; it does not force the engine to show it. The engine decides query by query whether a feature helps the searcher, and the same page may show stars for one query and not another. Never promise a client a rich result.

Read the SERP before you plan content

Before targeting a query, search it (ideally from the location your customers are in, and on mobile) and record:

Which features appear and how far down the first organic result starts.
What types of page rank: product categories, service pages, guides, comparison articles, videos, forums or tools?
Who ranks: direct competitors, big publishers, directories, government sites?
Freshness: are the results recent, suggesting the topic changes quickly?

Example: a Sydney bathroom renovation company searches "bathroom renovation cost". The top results are detailed cost guides with price ranges, plus a People also ask box ("How much does a small bathroom renovation cost in Australia?"). A thin service page saying "contact us for a quote" is unlikely to compete. A genuinely useful cost guide with real price ranges, factors that change the price and photos of completed projects, linking to the service page, fits what the SERP rewards.

By contrast, "bathroom renovations Parramatta" shows a local pack and local service pages. Here a strong Google Business Profile and a location-specific service page matter more than a guide.

Measuring how much attention organic results get

Not every ranking gets the same share of clicks. Search Console lets you see this directly: compare impressions and CTR for queries where your page ranks in similar positions. If a query with an average position of 2 has a CTR of only 3%, the SERP is probably crowded with ads, a local pack or an AI overview, or your title and snippet aren't compelling. If a position-5 result gets 10% CTR, the result may be unusually attractive or the query may have few competing features.

Three practical responses:

Improve the listing. Rewrite the title element to describe the page's specific value, write a clearer meta description, and add eligible structured data such as product price or breadcrumbs.
Target the feature itself. If images dominate, invest in original, well-described images; if videos dominate, consider a short video; if questions dominate, answer them clearly under descriptive headings.
Re-prioritise. If a query's results leave little room for organic clicks, it may be worth less than its search volume suggests. Put effort into queries where organic results still attract attention.

Watch for local and international differences

SERPs vary by country. A query in Australia may show Australian government or retailer results, prices in Australian dollars and a different set of features from the same query in the UK or US. Some features launch in the US first and reach other countries later. When you research a market, check results from that country, either by searching locally, using a reliable rank-tracking tool that sets location, or asking a colleague in the market. Never assume the SERP you see at your desk is the one your customers see.

Key takeaways

The SERP mixes paid and organic results and many features; ads never improve organic rankings.
Title links usually come from the title element, and snippets often from the meta description or page text; both can be rewritten.
Most rich results need structured data and guideline compliance, and are never guaranteed.
The local pack depends largely on Google Business Profile relevance, distance and prominence.
Always look at the actual results for a query to choose the right content format.