---
title: "SERP"
description: "The page Google or another search engine displays in response to a user's query, containing organic results, paid ads, and rich features like featured snippets, image packs, and knowledge panels."
url: "https://skribra.com/glossary/serp"
type: "glossary-term"
category: "SEO Fundamentals"
updated: "2026-10-28"
---

# SERP

**Definition.** The page Google or another search engine displays in response to a user's query, containing organic results, paid ads, and rich features like featured snippets, image packs, and knowledge panels.

**In short.** SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page — the list of results you see after typing a search query. Understanding SERP features helps you target the right content formats to capture traffic beyond standard blue links.

## Key points

- Modern SERPs contain far more than 10 blue links — featured snippets, People Also Ask, local packs, and video carousels all compete for attention
- Click-through rates drop significantly for positions below the fold, making SERP feature targeting as important as ranking position
- Zero-click searches — where users get their answer directly from the SERP — account for more than half of all Google searches
- SERP composition varies by query type: informational queries get rich features, transactional queries get shopping ads and more commercial results

## Anatomy of a Modern SERP

Today's search results pages are highly dynamic[1]. At the top, Google often places paid search ads (labeled 'Sponsored'). Below that, informational queries may trigger a featured snippet — a boxed answer pulled from an organic result. People Also Ask (PAA) boxes display expandable Q&A cards. Local searches show a map pack with three business listings. Image packs, video carousels, news boxes, and knowledge panels can all appear depending on [Keyword Intent](https://skribra.com/glossary/keyword-intent). Organic blue links typically start around position 1–10, though their placement is increasingly pushed down by these rich features, directly impacting [Click-Through Rate (CTR)](https://skribra.com/glossary/click-through-rate).

## Why SERP Analysis Matters

Before creating content for a keyword, analyze its SERP to understand what Google thinks the searcher wants[1]. A SERP dominated by listicles tells you to write a list post. A SERP with a featured snippet signals a definition or step-by-step format opportunity. Heavy video carousels may mean a YouTube strategy is necessary. Tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and even free browser extensions can show you SERP features, competitor positions, and [domain authority data](https://skribra.com/glossary/domain-authority) to inform your content decisions.

## SERP Features You Can Target

Featured snippets can be earned by directly answering a question in a concise paragraph, table, or numbered list within your content. People Also Ask boxes reward comprehensive coverage of related sub-questions on the same page. [Structured data markup](https://skribra.com/glossary/schema-markup) (schema.org) unlocks rich results for reviews, recipes, events, and products[2] (Google no longer shows FAQ or How-To rich results). Local pack visibility requires a Google Business Profile and consistent NAP (name, address, phone) citations. Each of these features represents an opportunity to gain prominent SERP real estate beyond your standard [organic ranking](https://skribra.com/glossary/organic-traffic).

## Related terms

- [Organic Traffic](https://skribra.com/glossary/organic-traffic): Website visitors who arrive through unpaid search engine results, as opposed to paid ads, social media, direct visits, or referral links.
- [Click-Through Rate (CTR)](https://skribra.com/glossary/click-through-rate): The percentage of users who click on a search result after seeing it in the SERP, calculated as (clicks ÷ impressions) × 100.
- [Keyword Intent](https://skribra.com/glossary/keyword-intent): The underlying goal or purpose a user has when typing a search query — categorized as informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional — used to match content format to what searchers actually want.
- [Schema Markup](https://skribra.com/glossary/schema-markup): Structured data code added to a web page's HTML that helps search engines understand content context and enables rich results like star ratings, breadcrumbs, product prices, and event details in the SERP.

## Sources

1. [Google Search Central — Structured Data & Search Features](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data)
2. [Google Search Central — Structured Data Documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/intro-structured-data)

## Machine-readable index

- HTML version of this page: https://skribra.com/glossary/serp
- Site index for agents: https://skribra.com/llms.txt
- Sitemap: https://skribra.com/sitemap.xml
- Public REST API: https://skribra.com/api/v1
- OpenAPI specification: https://skribra.com/openapi.json