Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)

What are Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)?

Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) refer to the pages displayed by a search engine in response to a user’s query.

The results on Google’s SERPs can be broken into two broad categories: paid results and organic results.

The paid results (ads) appear at the top and bottom of the SERP and are intended to attract more searchers’ attention. Organic results, on the other hand, are selected by the search engine’s algorithm, which analyzes various factors to determine the relevance and quality of web pages.

Today’s Google SERP has evolved way beyond the traditional ten “blue link” search results. Some of Google’s SERP features include Knowledge Panels, Featured Snippets, image packs, shopping results, maps, and so much more.

Look at the variety of SERP features for the query “orange juice:”

Because Google is always updating its SERP to optimize for both advertisers and users, it is continually evolving.

Why are SERPs important?

Ranking on SERPs, especially on the first page, is the primary goal of all SEOs because clicks from SERPs bring organic search traffic. While sponsoring content to rank at the top of the SERP is technically quicker, optimizing for organic results is more sustainable long term because it doesn’t require a constant cash outlay.

Furthermore, for the majority of industries, organic search is the most qualified traffic a website can receive. That’s because organic results appear when they’re relevant to the user’s search intent and query.

Lastly, for users, SERPs provide a structured, ranked list of results that best satisfy the searcher’s needs.

How to get your pages onto SERPs?

1. Ensure that your website is crawlable and indexable

In order for your website to appear on SERPs, it needs to be visible and accessible to search engines.

Search engines discover your content through the process of crawling and indexing. Crawling involves search engines deploying robots (known as crawlers or spiders) to scan the internet for new and updated content. Indexing involves storing and organizing the content that has been crawled and is eligible to be ranked.

To ensure that your content can be crawled and indexed, use Google Search Console. This tool allows you to submit sitemaps of your website and monitor for any crawl or indexing issues.

2. Create SEO content

SEO content is distinct from generic “content” in that it is specifically created with the purpose of ranking on SERPs. The best approach to creating SEO content is to address topics that searchers are actively searching for while ensuring it is of high quality, benefiting both the search engine and the end user.

When executed effectively, you can establish a feedback loop that contributes to higher rankings for your content. When searchers find value in your content, they are more likely to stay on your page, explore additional pages, and signal to search engines that your content is of high quality. This, in turn, helps your content rank higher, leading to increased visibility and click-through rates from users.

3. Follow the best practices of on-page SEO

On-page SEO is the practice of optimizing the web page itself to improve rankings. While there are several on-page SEO tactics, some of the most important include:

• Keyword research: identifying which keywords you want to rank for and strategically placing them in the title tag, H1 heading tags, URL, and meta description.
• Image optimization: adding a descriptive alt tag and filename to help search engines understand and rank the image content and compress them so they don’t bog down your site speed.
• Internal linking: using internal links from other relevant pages on your website to the content page signals to Google about the importance of this page.

4. Get backlinks

Backlinks, also known as external links, are links from other websites pointing to your site. Search engines view backlinks as a vote of confidence for your site’s content, using them as a signal to rank your site higher in search results.

There are several proven methods to acquire backlinks for your site. These include guest blogging, reaching out to industry influencers to promote your content, and creating linkable assets such as infographics or research with valuable data.

It’s important to note that the quality of the site providing the backlink is crucial. Backlinks from authoritative and reputable sites carry more weight and positively impact your rankings. Conversely, obtaining backlinks from low-authority sites can potentially harm your rankings more than they can benefit.

Remember, the focus should be on earning high-quality backlinks from trusted sources to enhance the credibility and visibility of your website.

5. Advertise on Google search

While achieving organic rankings on SERPs is a sustainable long-term strategy, it can require a significant investment of time. In certain cases, it may be advantageous to advertise on Google to generate clicks from the SERPs.

For example, if your industry is highly competitive and already saturated with websites offering high-quality content in your niche, advertising on Google can provide a competitive edge. By strategically bidding on keywords that would be challenging to rank for organically, you can increase your visibility and attract relevant traffic.

Advertising on SERPs can also be beneficial for mid- to low-funnel content that targets users with high purchase intent. This includes landing pages for webinars or product pages where promoting them through paid ads on SERPs can lead to increased conversions and sales.

In summary, while organic rankings are desirable, advertising on Google search can complement your SEO efforts, particularly in competitive industries or for specific types of content with strong conversion potential.