Semalt Explains The Changing Nature Of SERP 

Growth is a necessary tool for survival. As with everything in life, there must be change and new improvements to survive. SERP is one of such areas. To continue meeting the ever-evolving needs of users, search engine result pages need to adapt and change constantly. Technology has also evolved significantly in the last decade; if SERP doesn't change, it would become unable to meet the standards and demands of its users and eventually lose value. 

The changing nature of SERP also means website managers such as Semalt constantly need to be alert. This is because the changes implemented on SERP can affect the SEO rankings of websites which can drop the positions of sites on SERP. Semalt makes sure to follow these changes to be able to make necessary corrections when needed to maintain and improve the ranking of websites under its care. 

In the past, SERP was considered simple. Then, a google search would bring out ten blue links that users could click. If you were to search for anything on google SERP today, it looks completely different. With our development as individuals and an improvement in our technology, we demand instant answers and information for whatever we search. 

Rather than having a list of links, SERP has added more features such as ads, featured snippets, videos, images and a lot more. Below, we discuss some of SERP's changes and how search engines can now provide relevant information in a few clicks.

To achieve this, Google has added certain features that have made SERP so important.

Aside from generating traffic organically, websites can now buy a place at the top of SERP. Pay per click ads appears at the top and bottom of SERP, and they are usually easy to spot. They are also easy to distinguish thanks to the small "ad" label they carry. Each SERP page can carry one or multiple ads before the organic ranking follows. These ads can be considered a shortcut considering that they put you at the top but don't necessarily mean your clicks are converted to customers. By paying a specific amount to Google or other search engine providers, you skip the line and appear at the top of the search engine page. However, this may not necessarily mean you are running an effective SEO campaign. If you stop running these ads, there is no guarantee you will continue enjoying high amounts of traffic. 

Have you noticed an amazing feature on google SERP where you search a person or some random things, and you see these cards at the top of Google SERP? These cards carry pictures and descriptions of things/ individuals that users can swipe through. If a user clicks on one of these cards, google shows a new SERP using the title of that card as its keywords.

The carousel id determined by the keywords initially searched by the user. This way, the information the carousel carries is relevant and can be seen as beneficial. The carousel is also important because it gives a visual representation of the keywords been searched.  

Featured snippets will appear in the box directly above the search results. This is a box containing the most relevant information contained in the link. This box displays information that would be very persuasive to the reader. The use of this box is to serve as a form of advertisement for the website to convince the search engine user that a website has the best content to fit the user's needs. Snippets may include an image alongside text. 

If a reader is interested in the information contained on the snippet, they can then click on the blue link below to open up the website. This makes snippets an essential tool for generating traffic and click-through rate to your site. 

The image pack is an image preview screen. These images come up on google SERP showing several of the first Google Image results to a search. This gives the user several images related to the keywords they have typed into the search panel. The user can scroll through these images, click the link below to see more photos or click the photo itself to expand and inspect.  

Have you ever searched for the independence of the USA, the birthday of a celebrity or any other specific request and have the answer show up immediately below the search bar? That is the function of the knowledge card. 

Knowledge cards show answers to questions that can be easily answered. This comes in handy for questions whose answers come in data or numbers. Knowledge cards are very helpful as they save you time and come up directly on SERP, eliminating the need for users to click any specific link to a website. Users can now find the answers to specific questions without having to read through paragraphs of data. 

Knowledge panels display additional information that can be useful for your search. On a desktop, this feature appears on the right side of your desktop, and it gives critical information on the subject matter. On mobile devices, you will discover the knowledge panel as you scroll down the page and may sometimes feature different tabs to display more information in a smaller space. 

Knowledge panels also show up when businesses are searched; a business profile comes up to give visitors an idea of what a business does, its history and more. These listings are becoming more and more authoritative on the SERP because readers largely depend on the features these panels provide to make up their mind about business. You can also find information such as the business location, phone number, and customer reviews.

This feature is useful for location-based searches. Provide the best results whenever a user searches for results that are location-based. Whenever a user searches for results and includes keywords such as "near me" or "in the USA," SERP features a local pack. This is simply a map that shows up to four important locations to the keyword searched. Consider it to be a GPS map on SERP as it shows the names, addresses and working hours of each of the businesses being displayed.  

The local pack and the local teaser pack differ only in the amount of information featured under each location. The local teaser pack provides more information such as short descriptions, photos and more reviews. 

This is also known as a relevant question, and it comes as a dropbox on SERP. This option provides other relevant questions users may need alongside their initial search. When clicked, viewers see a dropdown which contains a snippet intended to answer a question. This is another way google engages its users. 

Rather than allowing its users to go for the worst service possible, Google has included a review feature to help users get the best services. Rather than making users search for the review of each business, google now adds supplementary information on its organic listing, which appears below the URL.  

For searches that are related to recent events and news, google often displays the top stories. Top stories usually come first on SERP, but they can also appear towards the middle or the bottom of the page.  

Videos have also become a significant part of Google's search. In recent times, Google can show three or more video cards with an option to scroll through and find more information. 

(For each option, an image should be added describing that feature).

With so many features present of SERP, users can now scroll further and still be engaged. Gone are the days where SERP was boring. Today, you could learn a lot from SERP alone. Features snippets, knowledge cards, and many more features provide answers to questions quickly and effectively while limiting users' need to click.

With these improvements, search engines are becoming answer engines rather than search engines. This means websites experience a significant drop in the organic traffic websites would have previously gotten. According to the data collected from an analytic firm, more than 50% of all Google searches now result in zero clicks. This means your website needs the best management and services to stand a chance in generating traffic. 

By using Semalt, you still enjoy the benefits and features that will help your website attract traffic. We can make your website the No1 competition on search engines. By adjusting digital marketing strategy, we can help your business stay visible and on the first page regardless of SERP's changing nature.

Using Semalt, you get to move from the back of SERP to the front page, thanks to our organic SEO strategies and evolving content marketing strategy. Many people assume SEO is all about keywords, but this is only one aspect of an entire system. In 2021 keywords alone wouldn't suffice in getting you to the top of SERP; however, we have a comprehensive collection of strategies that equip us with all the tools we need to get your website to not only the first page but also the first link on SERP. 

Get in touch with Semalt today and take a tour to find out how your website can attract and convert clicks to customers.