SERPs are an essential component in understanding user intent and behavior. A staggering 93% of online experiences start with a search engine, making SERPs the initial gateway to accessing information or products. SERP stands for search engine results pages. When a question is typed by a user into a search engine, they do not want to scroll through numerous pages of SERPs. Users expect the search engine algorithms to sort through all relevant content and web pages on the SERP to provide the best answer for their query.
Source: Safalta
As online marketing and search engines have advanced, algorithms perform this task more efficiently. The image below shows an example of a SERP with the search query “men’s shoes”:
Since users expect SERPS to represent the highest-ranking websites, most clicks are given to these sites. The estimation is that 76 percent of all clicks are sent to the first SERP Google page. Approximately 53 percent of clicks are accumulated by the first five organic results. Your position in the SERP results affects the amount of traffic your website receives.
Understanding your SERP ranking can be challenging because the algorithms determining your results change regularly. You might be slightly overwhelmed trying to keep up with these changes. You already know SERP stands for search engine results pages, but there is additional information you should be aware of while you are developing your website. You need to know different types of content are frequently combined by search results including:
-
Organic text
-
Paid ads
-
Images
-
Videos
-
Rich answers including Quick Answers
The content displayed on the results page is dependent on the type of question the user enters and what Google believes is the best answer. SERPs offer you an SEO opportunity by showing your website offers value through an intriguing page description and an engaging title. A complex algorithm is used to determine the order of the pages in the SERPS.
The search engine guards this algorithm carefully. You will not be able to access this algorithm, but your website is judged according to hundreds of different criteria. This helps determine the value and relevance of your page. You can use a SERP tool to help improve your ranking. In some cases, Google confirms its algorithm has been changed and provides insights regarding the impact on SERPs. This happened when Google made major changes including:
-
RankBrain
-
The Panda update
-
The Mobile update
-
The Penguin update
What is a SERP Ranking?
SERPs are the pages search engines display every time a query is made. Your results are typically ranked according to the relevance of your page to the query. There are methods you can use to improve your ranking including:
-
Acquiring more quality backlinks
-
Creating your backlinks
-
Optimizing your entire website
-
Improving your domain authority
-
Optimizing your website for the right keywords
-
Using a SERP tool to help determine which changes you need to make
Search results are a visual environment designed for mapping rich text and media content for search intentions. Over 50 elements are used for SERPs in different combinations. They are frequently combined into thousands of different layouts.
FACTS:
-
Almost 60% of desktop SERPs are People Also Ask with video thumbnails representing 34% of mobile SERPs and 37% of desktops.
-
Quick Answers represents 21% of mobile SERPs and 19% of desktops.
Clickthrough Rate for SERP Layouts
The combined clickthrough rate encompassing the top 15 positions is between 43 and 92 percent. This is dependent on the device and layout. The lower CTR is generally for transactions with a higher rate for informational searches performed when consumers start their customer journey. The other clickthrough rates are as follows.
-
SERPs using video thumbnails scored in the top 15 clickthrough listings rate with 52 percent on mobile and 77 percent on desktop.
-
SERPs using images scored in the top 15 clickthrough listings rate with 48 percent on mobile and 54 percent on desktop.
-
SERPs using Quick Answers scored in the top 15 clickthrough listings rate with 89 percent on mobile and 92 percent on desktop. Since these searchers are looking for information, they likely clicked on more than one listing.
-
SERPs using site links scored in the top 15 clickthrough listings rate with 60 percent on mobile and 87 percent on desktop.
-
SERPs using Local 3-Pack scored in the top 15 clickthrough listings rate with 43 percent on mobile and 58 percent on desktop.
What is a SERP Checker?
This enables you to locate the best opportunities for your SEO keywords by searching the global database. When you enter a phrase or word, you can view a listing of relevant keywords. This includes difficulty ratings and search volumes. You receive a detailed analysis of the Google results for any search term. Once you have entered a keyword, you can see the website's ranking for the word and if competition is possible. For example, here is Ahrefs SERP checker:
(Image Credit: Ahrefs)
A SERP checker is important when researching SEO strategies for specific areas. You will receive results for specific cities, regions and countries to help you locate the best keyword for each area. You can enter the keyword of your choice to view numerous items including:
-
Reviews
-
Maps
-
Shopping links
-
Featured snippets
Targeting these keywords enables you to take advantage of SERP features to increase the amount of traffic to your website. Your link profile strength and authority scores help with the identification of the most powerful and easiest competitor links for you to replicate. Numerous metrics are used for the calculation to provide you with accurate insights including social signals, trust flow, and citation flow.
What is a SERP Analysis?
SERP analysis is when you analyze the top page ranking for a specific topic or keyword. Marketing and SEO professionals rely on this information to determine the difficulty of ranking for a Google search. In addition to helping with ranking difficulty levels, an analysis also helps you find competitors already achieving their Google rank. Below is an example of a SERP analysis tool:
PPC for Dentists: Why Paid Ads Work Fast!
(Image Credit: Vendasta)
This provides your SEO or marketing team with important insights so you can improve your business rankings. One of the top SEO goals is appearing on page one of the SERPs when consumers are searching for relevant terms. A good example is if you are selling cat toys in Los Angeles, you want a page one listing when the term cat toys in Los Angeles is entered.
If you enter your search term into Google, do not be surprised if you do not appear on the first page of the SERPs unless you have already taken steps to improve your ranking. If you are not there yet, your best option is to determine how other businesses appeared on the first page and how you can improve. Once you determine the approximate traffic volume you will gain from a specific keyword, you will know if it is worth the effort and cost.
SERP Benefits
There is no doubt your search engine ranking will improve with good SEO. This impacts the leads and sales received by your business. The most important benefits of SERP SEO are detailed below.
Targeting Quality Traffic with SERP SEO
One of the best SERP benefits is using it as an inbound marketing strategy. This is different from the advertising channels for traditional outbound marketing because you are not reaching out to consumers not interested in your products or services. Inbound marketing ensures consumers can find your business when they want information. Traditional methods including interruptive ads, spam emails, and cold calling are only effective when focused on the goals of the advertisers.
The majority of consumers are annoyed by the above methods. Inbound marketing is more catered to customers while they are listening to the radio or watching TV. The idea is the creation of helpful resources while ensuring information is easily accessible. When a consumer decides they want to learn more about a specific product or industry they can find your website by themselves.
In addition to being a lot more convenient for your customers, your business will receive more qualified leads. According to a recent survey, 59 percent of all participating marketers said their sales teams received the highest quality leads from inbound practices. You can advertise your business on a billboard and people are going to see it but most of them will not be interested.
The better option is publishing online content consumers will find when searching for something of interest. You can reach your target audience more effectively by focusing on consumers actively searching for information regarding your products, services, or industry. SERP SEO allows you to reach your target audience while they are searching for a product or service they are interested in purchasing now. This substantially increases the chance your website will receive leads that turn into sales. Here is an example of a “native ad” which is content that has been sponsored. This type of advertising is effective because it looks like content and will drive people to your website.
SERPs are the digital battlegrounds where businesses strive to gain visibility, attract users, and drive conversions. By understanding the significance of SERPs and leveraging various strategies, businesses can enhance their online presence, reach their target audience, and achieve their marketing objectives. So, embrace the power of SERPs and harness the potential they hold in today's digital landscape.
