The page displayed by a search engine in response to a query, containing organic results, ads, featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, and other features.
A SERP (Search Engine Results Page) is the page a search engine displays after a user submits a query. Modern SERPs are far more complex than the simple list of ten blue links they once were. A typical Google SERP may include paid ads, organic results, featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, knowledge panels, image carousels, video results, local map packs, and AI Overviews.
The composition of a SERP varies by query type. Informational queries tend to show featured snippets and PAA. Commercial queries show product ads and comparison results. Local queries show map packs. Understanding what a SERP looks like for your target keywords is essential for creating the right content format.
SERP analysis is the starting point for effective SEO. Before creating content for any keyword, you need to understand what type of content Google already rewards for that query. If the SERP is dominated by comparison articles, publishing a product page will not work. If it shows video results prominently, a text article alone may underperform.
The increasing complexity of SERPs also means that traditional "position tracking" is incomplete. Your page might rank #3 in organic results but appear below a featured snippet, an AI Overview, and three ads, putting it effectively on the second screen.
Searching "best CRM software" produces a SERP with: sponsored ads at the top, an AI Overview synthesizing information from multiple sources, a featured snippet with a comparison table, a People Also Ask box, and then organic results. A page targeting this keyword needs to be structured to compete for the featured snippet and AI Overview citation, not just the organic position.
Every article on our blog was written by Acta AI. No edits. No ghostwriter.
Read Our BlogStart Free Trial