A SERP (which stands for Search Engine Results Page) has two categories of content: organic and paid results, to put it simply.
Google built SERP features, on-page material that gives users answers to their queries without forcing them to go into an organic result, in an effort to make the user search experience easier and more direct. Although on-page SERP elements are beneficial to users, they can make it difficult for marketers to stand out in organic search results, even if they rank first.
Today’s search engines are more intelligent than ever before. A search for “pizza” a few years ago would provide a predictable mix of restaurant websites, directories, review sites like YELP, and blog pieces on Boston’s best pizza joints.
What Does SERP (Search Engine Results Page) Mean?
The term SERP refers to the Search Engine Results Page. When you use Google to search for something, you’ll see a SERP. Because search engines are personalized for each user, each SERP is unique, even for the same keywords. Organic and sponsored results are normally found on a SERP, but it now also includes featured snippets, photos, videos, and location-specific results.
It’s critical for marketers to keep up with new SERP features. Because ranking first organically no longer provides as much visibility as it once did, it’s critical for marketers to discover how to rank higher using Google SERP tools.
“Where’s the ideal spot to hide a dead body?” is a marketing joke that goes something like this. Google’s second page.” Nowadays, anything below these SERP characteristics is an excellent site to bury a dead body. Here’s how you can stay on top of things.
Features of the SERP
Snippets of Value
A rich snippet includes additional information than a regular snippet, such as images, reviews, or customer ratings. A rich snippet is any organic search result that has more information than the page title, URL, and metadescription. Site owners can use structured data markup in their HTML to assist search engines comprehend and optimize their pages for rich snippets. Customer ratings and pricing are included in the search description of the Starbucks app, for example.
Paid Outcomes
The adverts and sponsored posts that appear at the top of the SERP are known as paid results. Google distinguishes paid from organic results by labeling them as sponsored or ad, as shown below, or by boxing them off in a separate section of the page or using another visual indication.
Results Across the Board
Google’s strategy of combining results from its other vertical columns, such as Google Images and Google News, into the search results is known as universal results. Google’s highlighted snippets, which give an answer in a box at the top of the page so consumers don’t have to go into any organic results, are a good example of universal results. Other examples include image and news results.
SERP for a local search
When your search intent is implicitly related to location, local SERPs will appear. For example, if you key in “restaurants,” “gas station,” or the name of a specific store-bought product, Google will surface nearby locations that match your query and show you where they are on a map.
Vertical Lookup
When your search needs Google to draw data from other categories, such as photographs, news, or video, a vertical search box displays at the top of the page. Vertical search is typically associated with subject searches such as geographic locations; for example, if you search “Columbia, South Carolina,” Google returns a “Things to do in Columbia” box as well as a “Columbia in the News” box.
Data from the Knowledge Graph
When your question is likely to have only one response — for example, “what is the weather” or “who is married to Channing Tatum” — Google will display a Knowledge Graph, which is a box that pulls the answer to your query directly from an organic result and displays it at the top of the page.
SERP Tools from Google
Now that you’ve learned about the various SERP components, you’re undoubtedly asking how you might improve your SERP ranking… Also, ideally, how you’ll be able to capture a feature such as a local SERP or global results. Here are a few of our favorite tools for evaluating your current SERP position, comparing keyword rankings to competitors, and determining how to rank higher:
- WhatIsMySerp (whatismyserp.com)
WhatsMySerp is an advanced SEO tool that scans and analyzes your keyword rankings as well as your overall website rating on SERP. This tool lets you search for up to 25 keywords at once, making it great for a fast look of how your site is performing in search engines.
Free of charge
2. RankWatch
RankWatch analyzes your URLs, backlinks, keywords, and other SEO aspects in detail. The program also performs a comparative examination of your competitors’ websites, including the amount of terms for which they rank, so you can plan how to outrank them in search results.
Monthly cost: $29
3. MozPro
It’s useful to know how you rank for keywords both nationally and locally, but getting actionable data and tips on how to improve is even more valuable. A key feature of Moz Pro is that it provides strategic advise on how to rank higher. It also crawls your own site code for technical flaws, which aids search engines in comprehending your site and helping you rank higher.
Monthly fee: $99
4. SerpBook
SerpBook is a handy organizing tool for assigning groups of keywords to individual clients, scheduling which reports you want sent to which clients, and allowing clients to log into your account and check their ratings if you’re an SEO professional in charge of handling clients’ ranks.
Monthly fee: $30
5. Moz Local
With 61 percent of local searches culminating in a purchase, it’s critical that your company’s local SEO is optimized. Moz Local looks at 15 different sources, including Google and Facebook, to see how well your business is doing locally. Moz Local, like Moz Pro, provides actionable suggestions for correcting incomplete or inconsistent listings.
Free of charge
6. SemRush
SemRush can help you compete for SERP features like highlighted snippets, local SEO, Knowledge Graph data, and Google News by determining which keywords your competitors are ranking for.
Monthly fee: $99.95
7. SerpWatcher
SerpWatcher is a simple all-in-one dashboard that shows you how your SERPs are performing. Even better, you may establish a custom keyword list and track statistics on those just, avoiding being inundated with data you don’t care about. SerpWatcher sends you an email everytime your keywords enter or exit the first page of a search engine.
Monthly cost: $29.90
