SERP
Also known as: search engine results page, SERP features
In short
A SERP is a search engine results page — everything returned for a query, not just the ten blue links. It includes ads, featured snippets, local packs, image and video blocks, People Also Ask, and increasingly an AI-generated answer above all of them.
The page stopped being a list
The mental model of ten ranked links has been wrong for years and is now badly wrong. A single results page can carry ads, an AI Overview, a People Also Ask block, a local pack, a video carousel and then organic results — with the composition changing by query type.
The consequence for measurement: "we rank third" describes a position on a page whose shape you have not accounted for. Third on a link-only page and third beneath an AI Overview are different amounts of visibility.
The features worth understanding
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| AI Overview | Synthesizes several sources into an answer above everything |
| Featured snippet | Lifts one passage from one page and attributes it |
| People Also Ask | Expands related questions inline |
| Local pack | Three business listings with map, for local intent |
| Knowledge panel | Facts about a recognised entity |
Each is a separate opportunity with separate mechanics, and each absorbs attention that used to reach organic results.
What to track instead of position alone
Track whether you appear anywhere on the page, in what form, and how far down the fold that form sits. Then track the separate question of whether AI answers to the same query name you — see AI visibility — because a page can rank well and be absent from the answer above it.
Frequently asked questions
- What are SERP features?
- Any result that is not a standard organic listing: featured snippets, People Also Ask, local packs, knowledge panels, image and video carousels, shopping units, and AI Overviews. They occupy the space above organic results and absorb a large share of attention.
- Does ranking first still matter?
- Less than the number suggests. First organic position on a page topped by an AI Overview, a People Also Ask block and three ads is a long way down the screen. Position is now a coordinate on a page whose shape varies by query, not a proxy for attention.
- How has AI changed the SERP?
- It added a synthesis layer above everything else. For many informational queries the answer now sits at the top and the links sit beneath it, which pushes organic results down and resolves a growing share of queries without a click.
Related terms
- Featured snippet
A featured snippet is a passage Google extracts from a ranking page and displays at the top of results to answer a query directly, with attribution and a link. Unlike an AI Overview it quotes one source verbatim rather than synthesizing several.
- AI Overviews
AI Overviews are AI-generated summaries Google places above the traditional results for many queries. They synthesize several sources into a short answer with links to what was used, pushing the classic blue links further down the page and often resolving the query without a click.
- Zero-click search
A zero-click search is one where the user gets what they needed without clicking through to any website — the answer appeared in the results page or in an AI-generated response. The share has risen sharply as answer engines and AI Overviews satisfy more questions directly.
- AI search
AI search is any search experience that returns a written, synthesized answer rather than a ranked list of links. It covers dedicated assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity, and AI layers built into traditional engines such as Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode.
Related guides
- Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): the complete guide
GEO is the practice of getting your brand named and cited inside AI answers. What it is, how it differs from SEO, and the levers that measurably work.