In this lesson, I am going to explain what Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) are, what the main elements within a SERP look like, and how you can effectively use them as part of SEO Fundamentals for Business.
SERP stands for search engine results page, it is simply the list of results you get back after you type a query and press enter. I will use Google as my primary example because it is the market leader and most of our SEO efforts will focus on Google.
Table of Contents
- What is Google Auto Suggest and why does it matter when I type a search?
- What do the tabs and filters under the search bar show on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)?
- What do Google AdWords listings and Shopping results look like on SERPs?
- How do local result snippets and the People Also Ask section help local businesses?
- What is a featured snippet and when does Google show a zero-position result?
- When does Google show video, image, and social content snippets on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)?
- What are related searches and how does page navigation work on SERPs?
- How should I think about Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) when planning SEO?
- Conclusion: How I use SERP features to guide SEO decisions
What is Google Auto Suggest and why does it matter when I type a search?
One hidden element inside the search experience is Google Auto Suggest. When you start typing in the search bar, Google will auto-complete your query using relevant keywords from its database and by analysing correlations from past user searches. In this lesson I point out that auto-suggest is a powerful hint at user intent and popular queries — a quick way to discover related keywords and long-tail phrases that real users type.
What do the tabs and filters under the search bar show on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)?
Below the search bar you will typically see a row of tabs that divide results into logical groups. These tabs help you understand the different media Google can return for a single query:
- All — shows a mix of all media content related to the query.
- Images — image results relevant to your search.
- News — news, press releases or media for recent events.
- Maps — navigational or location-based results.
- Books — books and educational reports.
- Shopping — shopping-based ads or product results.
- Video — video results, usually from YouTube and other video sites.
Two additional controls often appear: Tools and Settings. Tools allow filtering by time frame (past hour, day, week, month, year, or custom range). Settings lets you change number of results per page, language, and view preferences. The approximate total count you sometimes see beneath these controls is the search index count — an estimated number of indexed results for your query.
What do Google AdWords listings and Shopping results look like on SERPs?
Google AdWords listings (now commonly called Google Ads) are PPC ads you pay for to appear on targeted queries. They typically appear at the top, bottom, or sidebar and are clearly marked with an “ad” label. Similarly, shopping results or shopping-based ads show product listings for commercial-intent keywords and usually display as a group of product cards.
How do local result snippets and the People Also Ask section help local businesses?
Local result snippets appear when searches have geographic intent — Google pulls data from Google My Business to show nearby businesses and services relevant to the query. For local SEO, these snippets are critical and I will cover them in more detail in the local SEO module.
The People also ask section surfaces common questions related to your query. Google uses large-scale data and natural language understanding to generate these questions. Clicking one reveals an answer snippet and a link to the source article. This is an excellent opportunity to target question-based queries and capture featured answers.
What is a featured snippet and when does Google show a zero-position result?
The featured snippet (often called the zero-position snippet) is where Google curates an answer, a link, and sometimes an image or video from a relevant source and places it above the organic results. You typically see featured snippets for informational queries where Google can provide a concise answer. Optimising content to directly answer common questions increases your chance of appearing here.
When does Google show video, image, and social content snippets on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)?
Video snippets appear when Google understands that users are likely looking for a video (for example, instructional searches like “how to tile”). These results often showcase YouTube and other video platforms.
Image snippets appear when images are strongly relevant to the query or help clarify intent. Google will include images within the web index results when appropriate so users can preview visual content.
Social content snippets surface social posts, hashtags, or profiles for socially popular queries, celebrities or trending topics. You will often see Twitter content in these snippets.
What are related searches and how does page navigation work on SERPs?
Related searches sit at the bottom of the results page and show other queries people commonly search for. This list is derived from Google’s processing of user intent and search history and is useful for keyword research and content ideas.
For traditional navigation, Google usually shows an average of 10 organic results per page. Use the page navigation at the bottom to browse more pages if needed.
How should I think about Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) when planning SEO?
Understanding these SERP elements is critical for SEO. Each feature — from auto-suggest to featured snippets, videos, images, ads, local packs, and related searches — represents an opportunity or competition for visibility. In future lessons of this SEO Fundamentals for Business course, I will explain how to use each SERP feature to maximise SEO and SEM benefits.
Conclusion: How I use SERP features to guide SEO decisions
In this lesson I highlighted the main components of the search results page. By learning what each element is and when it appears, you can prioritise content and technical work to match user intent. Mastery of Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) is a practical step toward improving visibility, driving relevant traffic, and delivering the right content at the right moment.
What is a Search Engine Results Page (SERP)?
A SERP is the page of results returned by a search engine after you enter a query. It includes organic results and may include features such as ads, featured snippets, videos, images, local packs, and more.
Why do featured snippets appear and how can I get my content there?
Featured snippets appear when Google can extract a concise answer from indexed content. To increase your chances, answer common questions directly, structure content with headings and lists, and provide clear, authoritative information.
When will Google show video or image snippets for my query?
Google shows video snippets when it believes the user expects a video (e.g., tutorials). Image snippets appear when visuals are strongly relevant to the query. Optimise video titles/descriptions and image alt text to match intent.
How are Google AdWords listings different from organic results?
AdWords (Google Ads) are paid placements that appear at the top, bottom, or sidebar and are labelled as ads. Organic results are unpaid search listings ranked by relevance and SEO signals.
What is the People also ask section and how should I use it?
People also ask lists popular questions related to your search. Use it to discover question-based keywords and create content that answers those questions clearly to capture clicks and potentially appear in those snippets.
Can I filter search results by time or language on a SERP?
Yes. Use the Tools and Settings controls to filter by time range (past hour/day/week/month/year) and to change language or the number of results per page.
