Understanding Google SERP Ranking is crucial for businesses and individuals looking to increase their online visibility. Google SERP Ranking refers to the process of getting your website ranked on the top positions of the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).
To start, you need to know that Google uses a complex algorithm to determine the relevance and ranking of websites. This algorithm takes into account over 200 factors, including keyword usage, content quality, and user experience.
A key factor in Google SERP Ranking is the use of keywords. According to the article, the most effective keywords are those that are relevant to your content and have a moderate to high search volume.
Page Content
Page Content is a crucial aspect of Google SERP ranking. Good content is relevant, relatable, serves a clear purpose to your audience, and is linkable. It's generally focused on a very specific subject, clearly stated through the use of specific keywords.
Use these keywords several times throughout your content, as well as in your title tag, URL, image alt text, meta descriptions, headings, and subheadings. Quality, authoritative, authentic content is the number one driver of your search engine rankings.
On-page SEO has more to do with what your page will rank for. On-page SEO refers to all the factors you control on the page such as linking, content optimization, page titles, etc.
Here are some key elements to include in your page content:
- Title tag
- URL
- Image alt text
- Meta descriptions
- Headings and subheadings
Regularly updated content is viewed as one of the best indicators of a site's relevancy. Make sure to audit your content on a set schedule and make updates as needed. Introduce new sources where appropriate, make additions and modifications, and keep your content fresh for your audience.
Paid Search
Paid search results are the second type of listing that can appear on a SERP. They're managed via Google Ads and paid for on a cost-per-click basis.
Google Search Ads are often shown at the top of the SERP above all the organic results. They can also be displayed at the bottom of the SERP, after the organic results.
Paid ads work on a pay-per-click (PPC) basis, meaning an advertiser only pays when someone clicks on their ad. This can be a cost-effective way to reach highly targeted customers.
Here are some key benefits of paid search:
- Appearing in prime page real estate, usually at the very top of the page or on the side.
- Matching paid results closely to any keyword a user enters in their search.
- Looking almost identical to organic listings – minus a small “ad” or “sponsored” badge.
- The ability to see different ads suited to different niches.
- Requiring the advertiser to pay only when someone clicks on their ad.
Retailers can show off pictures and prices of their products through Google Shopping Ads, which usually only show up when you search for a physical product.
Paid Search
Paid search is a powerful tool for businesses to reach their target audience. It's a type of search engine result that appears on a SERP (Search Engine Results Page) and is paid for on a cost-per-click basis.
Google Ads manages paid search results, and they can be shown at the top, bottom, or in the middle of the SERP. Paid search ads can also be displayed off to the side.
Paid search ads work on a pay-per-click (PPC) basis, meaning an advertiser only pays when someone clicks on their ad. This can be a cost-effective way for businesses to reach their target audience.
Paid search results can be customized depending on each niche, such as retailers showing off pictures and prices of their products through Google Shopping Ads.
Here are some benefits of paid search results:
- Appearing in prime page real estate, usually at the top of the page or on the side.
- Matching paid results closely to any keyword a user enters in their search.
- Looking almost identical to organic listings – minus a small “ad” or “sponsored” badge.
- The ability to see different ads suited to different niches.
- Requiring the advertiser to pay only when someone clicks on their ad.
Paid search can be an asset to small businesses, especially when targeting localized keywords that aren't as competitive as other phrases in their industry. For example, the phrase "roofing contractor Boston" has a keyword difficulty of 21%, making it easier to rank for compared to the more competitive phrase "roofing contractor".
Shopping
Shopping is a key component of Paid Search, and it's essential to understand the different types of shopping results that appear in Google search engine results pages (SERPs).
Organic Google Shopping results are unpaid and don't have the "Ad" disclaimer, making them a valuable resource for users who want to find products without clicking on ads.
These results are displayed as a carousel of products that you can scroll through, and they can appear anywhere in the main SERP.
Each organic Google Shopping result typically contains an image of the product, the product name and brand, the retailer, the price, the average star rating, and a fact or two about the product.
Here's a breakdown of what you can expect to see in an organic Google Shopping result:
- An image of the product
- The product name and brand
- The retailer
- The price
- The average star rating
- And a fact or two about the product
Google partnered with Twitter to begin indexing tweets in real-time in 2015.
This means that if you search for a business or person who is active on Twitter, you'll likely see their tweets in the search engine results.
You can see this feature in action when you search for "Semrush", and it appears after the regular organic search results from the domain.
This Twitter SERP feature gives businesses more real estate on the search engine results page, making it a nice and easy way to get more visibility.
Off-Page
Off-Page SEO is any SEO effort that happens away from the actual webpage. It's a crucial part of getting your business noticed online.
To increase trust with search engines, focus on building quality backlinks from other web pages to your site. The more quality backlinks you have, the more likely Google is to rank your site accordingly.
You can also use social media marketing to signal to search engines that your site is popular and relevant. This can be done by creating engaging content and sharing it on platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
If you're looking to get more backlinks, consider guest blogging on other websites. This can help you build relationships with other business owners and increase your online presence.
Here are some other ways to build off-page SEO:
- Social media marketing
- Influencer marketing
- Guest blogging
- Events, giveaways, etc.
Local Search
Local search is a crucial aspect of Google SERP ranking, and it's essential to understand how it works. Local Packs display information about nearby businesses and organizations next to an embedded map from Google Maps.
Local Packs are shown at the top of the SERP for search queries that relate to a local need, such as "bowling alley" in New York City. They can also display for search queries that don't have obvious local search intent, but usually appear farther down on the SERP.
To land in the local pack, you need to claim and optimize your Google Business Profile and emphasize local SEO. For example, searching for "pizza near me" will pull up a local pack with a map and top three locations.
Clicking on the map will expand it and offer more location suggestions along the side, while clicking on one of the individual locations will pull up a knowledge panel. A local Knowledge Graph is typically displayed for branded queries and search terms that imply the searcher is looking for the company office or physical location.
A local Knowledge Graph usually includes a picture, a map with a pin, a link to the company's website, and a Google review score. Sometimes brands may have the branded Knowledge Graph in combination with the local pack listing displayed for a search query.
Google Search Results
Google Search Results are a complex mix of organic search results, paid search results, and SERP features. Organic search results are the listings that appear naturally on the search engine results page (SERP), while paid search results are identified with the word "Ad:".
A Google SERP can include various types of listings, such as the "People Also Ask" box, which provides a list of questions related to the search query. This box can be a valuable feature for users and can also impact SEO, as it highlights pages that provide quality answers to common questions.
Google uses its Googlebot to crawl websites and gather information, which is then indexed and used to determine the placement of a site in the SERP. The algorithm relies on 200+ ranking signals to determine the most relevant and useful results for a particular search query.
Here are some of the most common SERP features:
- Featured snippets
- Top and bottom ads
- Carousels
- People Also Ask boxes
- Local Packs
- Knowledge Panels
- Top Stories
Major Overview
Google Search Results are constantly evolving, with new features and updates being rolled out regularly. This means that SEO strategies must adapt to keep up with the changing landscape.
Google separates its features into two categories: content type and enhancements. Content type features are tied to your page topic, such as a recipe or news article, while enhancements can be applied to more than one kind of content type.
Some important features include featured snippets, top and bottom ads, carousels, People Also Ask boxes, Local Packs, Knowledge Panels, Top Stories, and more.
To rank high in Google Search Results, you need to focus on EEAT: experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. This means producing quality content that searchers enjoy, and Google will take notice and boost your results.
There are over 200 ranking signals that Google uses to determine a page's rank on a SERP. Some of the most important ones include the relevance of your domain, the usability of your website, and the authority and expertise of your domain.
Here are some of the most common and important SERP features:
- Featured snippets: a quick, text-only, rich answer to a user's query
- Top and bottom ads: paid ads that appear at the top or bottom of search results
- Carousels: a group of images or videos that appear on a single page
- People Also Ask boxes: a box that appears below the search results, answering related questions
- Local Packs: a list of local businesses that appear on a map
- Knowledge Panels: a box that appears on the right-hand side of search results, providing information about a person, place, or thing
Google's algorithm is complex, but it's essential to understand how it works to optimize your website for search results.
Here's a simple way to focus on EEAT:
- Experience: produce quality content that searchers enjoy
- Expertise: establish your authority and expertise in your industry
- Authoritativeness: build trust with your audience by being transparent and honest
- Trustworthiness: ensure your website is secure and trustworthy
Flights
Google Flights is a powerful tool that can be displayed in search results for flight-related queries. It's often shown as a separate feature on the Google search engine results page (SERP).
The Google Flights SERP feature can be interactive, allowing you to explore different flight options and prices. This is evident in the example for the keyword "NYC to PDX".
For more general flight queries, like "flights to Oregon", the Google Flights SERP feature is often more basic but still provides valuable information.
Top Stories
Top Stories usually appearing response to a news search query, as a carousel of articles most relevant to the topic. The stories typically appear at the top of the SERP and come in a block of three.
For example, a search for the Olympics, will provide this.
To stay on top of Top Stories, articles must be time-sensitive and provide updated, consistent information.
Top Stories have very good CTRs, but they’re usually reserved for bigger news organizations.
Carousel
Carousel results are presented in a unique layout, but each type has its own nuances.
Before 2017, Google returned carousel results for non-commercial, informational queries with keywords like 'best' and 'top'.
The carousel is now active for commercial search queries as well.
It appears on a white background and is essentially a knowledge panel with a list of search results.
Carousel listings don't include links to sites, so clicking on one will simply take you to a new search results page.
There's no clear SEO advantage to be gained from the carousel.
Featured Video
Featured Video is a specialty SERP feature for TV and video production. Google your favorite hit or a movie trailer, and you will find a large embedded video at the top of the result page.
The highlighted video contains the URL leading to the official source, information about the track and the artist, the genre, and top streaming platforms for download. Music fans love it.
To get your video to appear as a snippet, hosting on YouTube is one of the few ways to do so. This is because YouTube is often the source of video results connected to a specific keyword.
Google Search Algorithm
Google's search algorithm is a complex system that determines the ranking of a webpage on a Search Engine Results Page (SERP). It relies on over 200 ranking signals to make this decision.
Google uses its Googlebot software to crawl a site, finding new information through links. This process is called "crawling."
The information gathered by the Googlebot is then indexed, where Google uses those 200 ranking factors to determine the placement of a site in the SERP. This is where SEO practices come in, helping companies cater to the ranking signals and algorithms.
Some of the most important ranking signals include the relevance of your domain, usability of your website, authority and expertise of your domain, number of backlinks to your website, and reputation in your industry. Focusing on EEAT – experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness – can help improve your SERP ranking.
Here are some key factors that search engines use to rank a URL:
- Keywords: The terms and phrases included in the webpage
- Freshness: How recently the webpage was produced
- Intent: The purpose of the webpage
- Engagement: How many people have viewed the webpage and the website
- Location: Where the user is searching from
- Search History: What the user has searched for recently
- Browser Settings: If the user has privacy settings turned on
- Language: The language that the user is searching in
Google Search Results Types
Google search results pages can include three types of listings: organic search results, paid search results, and SERP features. Organic search results are the regular results you see when you search for something.
Paid search results are identified with the word "Ad:" and are sponsored by advertisers. SERP features, on the other hand, are the extra results that show up in lots of different ways, like the "People Also Ask" box.
Here are some of the most common SERP features:
- Knowledge Graph results
- Local results
- Organic search results
- Related searches
- Enhancements
- Featured snippets
- Rich results
- Image results
- Video results
- Google News
- Paid results
These features are changing the game for SEO, and it's no longer just about getting the top listing.
Video
Video results can appear as a pack of videos on the SERP, usually coming from YouTube.
Each video listing can be paired with links to specific timestamps within it, making it easy to navigate.
Video results can be seen in searches for specific keywords, like "happy" which will display a video on the first SERP.
To get your video to appear as a snippet, hosting on YouTube is one of the few ways, and optimizing all videos correctly is essential.
Featured video is a specialty SERP feature for TV and video production, displaying a large embedded video at the top of the result page.
This feature includes the URL leading to the official source, information about the track and the artist, the genre, and top streaming platforms for download.
Music fans love it because they can watch the video right in the SERP and even look through the lyrics.
Video results are changing the game for SEO, and brands need to plan their strategy from there, focusing on answers rather than results.
Image Pack
Image Pack appears at the top of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) when a keyword triggers specific images along with text results. This is what happens when you search for a term like "lion cub".
To increase your chances of appearing in an Image Pack, you need to optimize your images for related keywords. This is actually a strategy that can help you get more visibility.
Image titles and alt attributes are crucial in making it clear to Google what your picture is about. Include your target keywords in both the title and alt text if they're relevant. This will help Google understand the content of your picture.
What Is and How Many Types?
A search engine results page, or SERP, is a list of results delivered by a search engine in response to a search query. It's made up of various types of search results.
There are three main types of search results: organic results, paid results, and rich results enhanced with different features.
The most common SERP features include Knowledge Graph results, Local results, Organic search results, Related searches, Enhancements, Featured snippets, Rich results, Image results, Video results, Google News, and Paid results.
Here are the most common SERP features listed out:
- Knowledge Graph results
- Local results
- Organic search results
- Related searches
- Enhancements
- Featured snippets
- Rich results
- Image results
- Video results
- Google News
- Paid results
How Result Types Affect CTR and Traffic
Google search results have become an extensive knowledge base, able to construe complex queries and provide elaborate search results. Different result types are affected by various factors and require distinct optimization techniques.
The click-through rate (CTR) of positions #1, 2, and 3 of organic results shows a drastic difference. The average CTR for the first position in Google is 28.5%, whereas in the second position, it drops to 15.7%, and in the third position, it's 11%.
Rich sitelinks can create a higher CTR for the website having this SERP feature. A Knowledge Graph SERP feature may lower the CTR for the first result, as users may not need to click if the question is answered right in the Google search.
Search volumes, keyword intent, and correct bidding on target keywords impact CTR rates. This makes competition tough for the rest of the organic results.
Featured snippets can be beneficial for SEO and traffic, with a click-through rate twice as good as the CTR for a #1 listing on a SERP with no answer box.
Google Search Result Optimization
Google Search Result Optimization is crucial for achieving top SERP rankings. To optimize your Google search results, you need to understand how Google determines a page's rank on a SERP. Google uses a complex algorithm of 200+ ranking signals to determine the placement of a site in the SERP.
To improve your search engine ranking, focus on EEAT - experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. This means producing quality content that searchers enjoy, and Google will take notice and boost your results to the desired top spots. Google also relies on the public and others in the industry to help them determine which sites can be deemed as "experts."
To optimize your page copy and URL, include your keywords in your content and URL, and optimize your page fully. This will help Google determine the relevancy of images to queries. Additionally, track your rankings in the Images block with Rank Tracker to see how your images are performing on the SERP.
Get Great Reviews
Getting great reviews is crucial for Google Search Result Optimization. You'll be rewarded with the bright yellow review stars placed right under your company name in the local panel.
Google loves reviews, and you should too! Work towards getting at least 5 reviews on Google.
To get more reviews, ask your happy customers to review your business on Google, and consider offering incentives for reviews. Encourage your clients to leave feedback, and make it easy for them by sending them a link to your Google My Business page.
SEO PowerSuite's Rank Tracker lets you track local SEO rankings, including review stars from your Google My Business page. This will help you monitor your progress and stay on top of your local search game.
To check your Map rankings, add Google Maps to your project SEs in Rank Tracker, and enter your target city, area, zip code, or exact street address.
Optimize Your Video's Metadata
Optimize your video's file name to include your target keywords, making sure it's concise and clear. A good file name can help your video rank higher in search results.
When uploading your video, make sure to include a clear and concise title that includes your target keywords. Putting your keyword at the beginning of the title is considered a best practice.
Your video's description should be 200+ words long and clearly state what your video is about. Include a link to your site at the top of the description.
Image titles and alternative attributes help Google understand the content of the picture, so make sure you use those tags to make it absolutely clear. If relevant, include your target keywords in both the title and alt text.
Use schema markup to help Google understand the content of your video and make extracting data from your content easier. This can help your video show up in the answers box.
Here are the key metadata elements to optimize for your video:
By optimizing your video's metadata, you can improve its visibility and ranking in search results. Remember to keep your title and description clear and concise, and include your target keywords where relevant.
Use Original Images Only
Using original images is crucial for Google Search Result Optimization. Google seldom ranks multiple copies of the same image.
This is because Google prefers to include the original version of the image in search results, especially when images appear across several sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is positions on Google SERP?
Positions on Google SERP refer to the ranking of search results on a page, showing where a link appears relative to others. This metric helps you understand how your content is displayed to users
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