Google SERPs now include far more than blue links. Featured snippets, local packs and more all count.
Organic and paid results are fundamentally different, and both matter for a full SERP presence.
Fresh content and fast load times are both concrete, ongoing ranking levers, not one-off fixes.
Analytics should guide which strategies to keep, not just gut feel.
Deciphering Google SERPs
"SERP" stands for Search Engine Results Page. When a user types in a search query, the pages chock-full of links and information that Google subsequently generates are the Google SERPs.
DMT’s Take
Understanding what a SERP actually is, the entire results page, not just the top listing, is the starting point for setting realistic visibility goals.
Your Action Plan
- Look at the full SERP for your key terms, not just position one. Featured snippets and local packs are real visibility too.
- Screenshot your target SERPs periodically to track how the layout itself changes over time.
Differentiating Types of Google SERP
The Google SERPs we see today are far from their early counterparts, which were plain lists of blue links. They've evolved into intricate layouts packed with a range of result types. At the most basic level, we can differentiate two types: organic results and paid results. Organic results are listings that Google's complex algorithm has determined to be most relevant to the searcher's query, whereas paid results are advertisements that businesses have paid Google to feature. However, Google hasn't stopped at organic and paid results. It has launched an array of features designed to enhance user experience and make information easier to locate and comprehend. Some of these features include:
- Featured Snippets: These are selected search results placed on top of Google’s organic results. These aim to directly answer the user’s question, eliminating the need to click on any links.
- Local Packs: If you’re a local business, you’ll find this feature very beneficial. A local pack shows a map pinpointing three local businesses that match the user’s search query.
- Knowledge Graphs: This feature gives a concise and detailed overview of a specific topic, pooling data from various sources.
- People Also Ask (PAA): PAA boxes give a list of related questions that users might be interested in based on their initial search.
- Image and Video Packs: For certain search queries, Google provides a pack of images or videos, enhancing the search results with visual content.
DMT’s Take
SERPs have evolved well past plain blue links, and businesses that only optimise for classic organic listings are missing several other visibility opportunities on the same page.
Your Action Plan
- Identify which SERP features, like featured snippets, actually appear for your target keywords.
- Structure content specifically to be eligible for the SERP features relevant to your industry.
Strategies to Master Google SERPs
Gaining a high ranking on Google SERPs requires a blend of careful planning and strategic implementation. Here are a few key strategies to stake your claim within the SERPs:
- SEO Optimisation: Proper SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is fundamental for a high SERP ranking. This involves optimising your website and content with relevant keywords, suitable title tags, meta descriptions, and ensuring your site is mobile-friendly.
- Local SEO: If your business operates within a specific geographical area, honing in on local SEO can significantly improve your visibility on Google SERPs.
- Quality Content: Creating content that provides genuine value to users is key. High-quality content is more likely to be shared, thus increasing its visibility.
- Earning Backlinks: Securing backlinks from reputable websites can drastically boost your site’s ranking on Google SERPs.
DMT’s Take
Ranking well requires several strategies working together, technical SEO, local SEO, content quality and backlinks, not any single one in isolation.
Your Action Plan
- Audit whether your current SEO effort covers all four pillars, technical, local, content and backlinks, or just one.
- Prioritise local SEO specifically if your business serves a defined geographic area.
Boosting Your Website's Ranking on the SERP
In addition to the strategies outlined above, you can further bolster your website's ranking on the SERP by implementing the following:
- Content Refresh: Google looks favourably upon fresh, updated content. Regularly reviewing and updating your site’s content can give its ranking a lift.
- User Experience Enhancement: A well-designed, user-friendly website is more likely to retain users, which can, in turn, improve the site’s ranking.
- Analytics Utilisation: Tools like Google Analytics can provide insights into which strategies are yielding results and which ones aren’t, allowing you to optimise your efforts effectively.
- Optimising Loading Times: Websites that load swiftly are favoured by Google’s algorithm, leading to improved SERP ranking.
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DMT’s Take
Content refresh, site speed and user experience are all levers you can pull without waiting on a broader strategy overhaul.
Your Action Plan
- Schedule regular content refreshes for your best-performing pages. Google favours updated content.
- Use Google Analytics to identify which existing strategies are actually working before investing further.
Bilal Alwan
Bilal Alwan is the founder and director of Digital Marketing Tribe, an Adelaide and Sydney based digital marketing agency. He leads DMT’s SEO and AI search work, helping Australian businesses stay visible as search shifts from ten blue links to AI-generated answers.
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