Think about the last time you searched for something on Google. Chances are you found the price, description, reviews, and images right on the SERPs.
In the past, search results displayed ten organic listings. Now, you get rich features like reviews, recipes, news, ads, and featured snippets—collectively called SERP features.
This article showcases the 17 most prominent SERP features and how to optimize each to rank on Google.
But first, let’s define the terms.
What are SERP features?
SERP features are non-traditional listings on search results pages. Think of results like ads, visuals, and related searches.
They look like this:
What does SERP stand for?
SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page. They are the pages displayed when you search on search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Yandex.
Why bother targeting SERP features?
Google drives the most commercial traffic in the US, with over 270 million monthly searchers seeking answers.
Ranking for SERP features increases your visibility, making it easier for people to find and visit your site.
The more often you show up in the SERPs, the higher the chance of searchers clicking your content.
More blog traffic means more potential leads.
You may also like: Get More Blog Post Views: 7 Resources & A Content Outline
Common SERP features
Some SERP features are for every site, like the featured snippet.
Others are more niche. A messaging SaaS site, for example, has no business with a recipe or flight feature.
Take a look at some of the most common SERP features and how to rank your site.
1 – Featured snippets
Featured snippets appear at the top of search results, occupying “position zero.”
29% of results with a featured snippet start with an interrogative word such as “why,” “do,” or “can.”
Use question-related keywords in your content to increase your chances of snagging a featured snippet.
💡 Pro Tip: Include step-by-step instructions or lists in your content. Google loves featuring answer boxes with numbered or bulleted steps, especially for queries like “how to add comments to PDFs.”
2 – Discussions and forum
Google introduced the discussion and forum feature to online search in 2023.
This highlights what people are saying about a topic in online forums like Reddit and Quora.
For example, let’s say you’re searching for the best messaging software.
Alongside traditional web results, you will see snippets from forum posts sharing relevant tips and real-life user cases and experiences.
3 – Google Ads
These are paid search results (businesses bid to compete) that appear above or below the regular organic listings.
Where your ad gets placed depends on its relevance to the search query and the user experience of your landing page.
4 – FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
The FAQ section of Google SERPs lists common questions and answers related to your search topic. Click on a question, and the answer expands.
💡 Pro Tip: Mark up your site’s pages with structured data if you want to be featured in the FAQs.
5 – People also ask
People Also Ask (PAA) boxes on Google SERPs provide direct answers to related questions without users clicking on any link.
86% of PAA content ranks within the top three organic search results. Sounds worthwhile targeting, right?
💡 Pro Tip: To snag one of these coveted PAA spots, refresh existing content already performing well for question-based keywords.
6 – Related searches
Related searches on Google provide eight related search terms relative to your initial query.
This information helps users refine their search or determine search intent.
💡 Pro Tip: Help Google understand your content context by using semantic keywords. Say you’re trying to rank for “contact center.” Some semantic keywords related to the query are customer experience, help desk, service desk, and technical support.
7 – Google Flights
When you search for flights on Google, you might notice a neat little box with all the route options.
That’s the Google Flights SERP block. It displays crucial details like travel dates, flight durations, number of stops, ticket prices, and airlines.
This feature pulls data directly from Google Flights. Regular websites can’t compete for Flights SERP real estate unless they are airline partners.
8 – Video carousels
Video carousels are rows or grids of thumbnails on Google’s search pages.
Want your videos featured on the SERPs?
Create useful, high-quality videos that keep viewers engaged.
Host them on video-friendly sites like YouTube or Vimeo, which Google indexes thoroughly.
💡 Pro Tip: Use VideoObject schema to optimize for search if you’re hosting a video on your own site.
9 – Job listings
The jobs SERP feature shows job openings near the top of the results.
Job listings have filters, so it’s easy to find companies hiring, locations, and even types of work (remote or hybrid).
💡 Pro Tip: Increase the visibility of your vacancies by posting them on popular sites like LinkedIn or Indeed.
10 – Local Pack
Local Pack, often called the “Snack Pack,” shows business listings for local searches.
It often appears at the top, displaying a map and the top three business listings relevant to your search.
Here’s an example of a Local Pack for the search term “pet store in California.”
💡 Pro Tip: Create and optimize a Google My Business profile. Only verified businesses are eligible for local pack listings.
11 – Reviews
Review snippets are star ratings next to online search results.
They act as social proof, catching people’s eyes and building trust.
Want those star ratings next to your results on Google?
Add the review schema markup so Google can find and display your reviews on the SERPs.
12 – Sitelinks
Sitelinks are small links below a website’s main listing on Google.
This feature highlights the most relevant pages and content hubs upfront, acting as a table of contents.
💡 Pro Tip: Use descriptive titles for each page. Include relevant anchor text for internal links and provide Google with an up-to-date sitemap.
13 – Top stories
Google displays a “Top stories” block of timely and relevant news content for queries with a current events angle.
If your industry involves updates or topics of public interest, be among the first authoritative sources to publish clear incident details.
14 – Images
Images appear alongside website listings in Google’s search results.
For every search, Google shows the most relevant image from websites ranking for that query.
💡 Pro Tip: Use strategic (keyword-based) file names and alt text to help search engines understand your image. You can also submit an XML image sitemap to Google so they can find all your images.
15 – Twitter Cards
Twitter cards are previews of tweets that show up on Google.
If you search for a brand’s Twitter handle, you will find some of their tweets.
Clicking on the tweet will take you straight to it. Twitter cards boost brand visibility and draw attention to social accounts.
💡 Pro Tip: Match your Twitter username with your company/brand name. Link back to your website from your Twitter profile. These steps increase the chances of your tweets appearing in search results.
You may also like: How To Get More Twitter Followers
16 – Knowledge panel
Knowledge panels on Google SERPs provide on-page information about a search term.
Google curates data from trusted sources to determine the displayed information.
💡 Pro Tip: Claim and update your Google Business Profile with accurate details. An authorized Wikipedia page can also help you get featured in the Knowledge Panel.
17 – Rich snippets
Most Google results include a title tag, a description, and a URL.
Rich snippets (“rich results”) go beyond those three elements.
Rich snippets are search results that show extra details about your webpage, including ratings, images, prices, and any other useful details.
💡 Pro Tip: Insert structured data markup on your site. This ensures search engines understand your content and the connections between concepts and pages on your site.
5 Best practices for winning on Google with SERP features
1 – Optimize for questions
People are constantly searching for answers on Google, so craft your content to answer common queries in your industry.
2 – Structure your data
Make sure search engines understand what your website covers. Use schema markup to explicitly define your content topics, product details, and event information.
3 – Optimize your visuals
Optimize images with descriptive file names, alt text, and schema markup to help compelling visuals surface as Text Result Images and other SERP features.
4 – Get local, get ranked
For local businesses, claim and optimize your Google Business Profile with a complete, accurate NAP (name, address, phone) and other listing details matched across the web. This is key to appearing in that pivotal local pack.
5 – Be helpful
Many SERP features exist to answer questions without a click. So ditch the fluff and provide clear, concise information that genuinely helps. For a “how-to” query, give impartial step-by-step instructions.
Ready to start crafting high-quality content?
