Jane Phelps is the CEO and co-founder of Know Agency, a specialist in organic search and paid search marketing expertise and leadership for health and wellness brands. Jane started Know Agency in 2010 focused solely on the nutritional supplement space. With her hands-on experience working in the health and wellness space, Jane is a public speaker and conference presenter at industry trade shows, networking events, and conferences on search and digital marketing strategies for wellness and nutrition brands.
Understanding the Google Search Engine Results Page
Do you know what you’re seeing when you look at Google SERPs?
Concept mobile browser application. Search bar. | Getty Images/iStockphoto
The Google search engine results page (SERP) can contain links, images, snippets, maps, questions and answers, and more. The search results depend on your search query and search intent.
SEO, E-E-A-T, search intent, content quality, page experience, and customer demographics influence Google SERP content. The better you understand SERPs, the easier it is to create content, paid ads, and websites that rank at the top of the results page.
Google SERP: Paid Search Results
Typically, Google displays paid search results at the top of every SERP. Google identifies paid search ads with the word Sponsored.
The search query and intent determines the types of ads Google displays. For example, asking “how do I find keywords for my business” returns text-based ads that include a URL, title link, and description.
But a search query and intent that tells Google the customer is ready to buy “keto cookie dough” returns image-based ads, including the product image and shopping details.
In both examples, the top ranking paid ads were optimized for:
Google defines organic search results as: a free listing in Google Search that appears because it’s relevant to someone’s search terms.
Organic search results typically display directly below paid search results or as the top search result. These results make up the majority of the SERP content, displaying up to 60 search results if you’re searching on your computer.
Every organic search result includes a URL, title, and description. And depending on the search query and intent, may include images, videos, maps, and relevant search queries or additional helpful information.
For example, this screenshot shows the organic search results for the branded search query phrase “quantum nutrition labs probiotic”. These organic search results display directly below paid search results for probiotics.
And the less specific search query below asking “what are supplements” generates a different organic search result. Notice that this organic search result has the top position in the SERP.
Googles uses ranking factors to determine what it displays and the order of the organic search results.
Website loading speed, structure, and mobile friendliness
Google SERP Feature: People Also Ask
People Also Ask boxes typically display below paid search results and below the first organic search result. Google populates this rich snippet feature with questions related to the original search query and intent.
Every People Also Ask section includes four questions. More questions are added as you click and expand a question. Google adds follow-on questions based on the question you expand.
For example, here is the People Also Ask section for the search query “what are supplements,” including the organic search result directly below these questions.
And below is what happens when I expanded the first question in the People Also Ask section.
Along with answering the question and highlighting the most important information, Google includes an additional search query and adds more questions to the People Also Ask section.
To optimize your content for the People Also Ask section, do the following:
Research your competitors and identify their information gaps. Use a branded search query for your competitors and see what appears in the People Also Ask section. This tells you the problems and challenges people are having and what cannot be answered on competitor websites.
Create an FAQ based on relevant People Also Ask questions for your primary keyword phrase. Organize these in a Q and A format, and make sure the first sentence answers the question. Hint: Talk to your web team and ask them to format these FAQs with Google’s FAQPage schema.
Search for your keyword phrases and create content to answer the questions in the People Also Ask section.
Make sure you pay attention to the additional search queries Google displays. This tells you a lot about customer search habits and the types of information they want.
Remember the keys to writing high-quality helpful content:
Answer questions clearly and succinctly
Use bulleted and numbered lists to organize content
Use questions in your sub headings (H2s)
Optimize images with alt text, descriptive names, and captions
What’s In the Google SERP for Your Keyword?
Open Google and type your keyword phrase.
Where do you rank? What are the questions in the People Also Ask section? Who is winning the top paid search result and organic search result? What do the search results look like – are there images, maps, videos? Make sure you have the content formats that Google displays. Before you create a paid search ad, write a landing page, publish a blog, or add a new page to your website – do your research in Google Search. You need to know what Google considers to be important for your target keywords.
The more you know about what Google wants, the easier it is for you to give this to Google and your customers.
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