SERP (Search Engine Results Page)
The page displayed by a search engine in response to a query, containing organic results, ads, and features like Local Pack and Knowledge Graph.
Full definition
The SERP is what users see after entering a search query. Modern SERPs are highly complex and include: organic blue links, Google Ads (top and bottom), Local Pack (map and three business listings), Featured Snippets (answer boxes), People Also Ask boxes, Knowledge Graph cards, Image carousels, Video results, and Shopping ads. The composition varies significantly based on query intent — informational queries get featured snippets and PAA boxes, transactional queries get Shopping and Ads. Understanding SERP features for target keywords is critical for strategy — ranking #3 organically but below three ads, a Local Pack, and a featured snippet means very few clicks despite a good ranking.
Real-world example
Research shows the target keyword 'best accounting software for small business' returns a SERP with 4 ads, a featured snippet, and a PAA box — organic position 1 receives only 8% click share.
Related terms
Website visitors who arrive through unpaid search engine results rather than paid ads.
Read definitionEnhanced search result listings that display additional information — star ratings, FAQs, prices — pulled from structured data markup.
Read definitionThe HTML title tag of a page, displayed as the clickable headline in search results and browser tabs.
Read definitionOptimisation strategies that help businesses appear in local search results and Google Maps for nearby queries.
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