SERP

SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page: the page a search engine shows after you have entered a search. In the past, it mainly consisted of ten blue links. Today, a SERP is much more varied, with ads, maps, images, videos, question boxes and AI summaries all competing for the searcher's attention.

If you look at the SERP for your most important searches, you learn a lot about what Google thinks people are looking for. A results page full of product listings points to buying intent; a page full of explanatory articles points to an informational question. That analysis is a standard part of solid keyword research.

Which elements might you come across?

The layout differs per search, but common elements include:

• Ads: paid results at the top or bottom, marked as sponsored.
• AI Overviews: an AI-generated summary with source links, at the top of the page.
• Organic results: the classic unpaid links, sometimes enhanced with rich results such as stars or prices.
• Featured snippet: a highlighted answer box taken from a single web page.
• People Also Ask: expandable related questions with short answers.
• Local pack: a map with local businesses for searches with local intent.
• Images, videos and shopping results: depending on the topic.

Why the layout of the SERP matters

Ranking first in the organic results doesn't always mean you are the first visible result. For some searches, ads, a map and an AI summary sit above the first organic result, so on a smartphone it only comes into view after some scrolling. That has a direct effect on your CTR.

Take a dental practice in Glasgow. For "dentist Glasgow", the map with local practices dominates, so a strong business profile delivers more there than an extra blog post. For "how much does a dental implant cost", the SERP mainly shows informational articles and questions, and that is where a detailed, honest explainer page pays off.

The SERP isn't the same for everyone, either. Location, device and language settings all help determine which elements appear and in what order. A search from Glasgow can show a different map from the same search made in Edinburgh. When you analyse your SERP, it is best to look at it from your own customers' perspective: from their area, on the device they use most and with the words they would type themselves.

How to use the SERP in your strategy

1. Look up your most important searches yourself, on mobile and desktop, preferably without being logged in.
2. Note which elements appear and which type of pages rank organically.
3. Decide which format your page needs: product page, guide, comparison or local service page.
4. Look at which competitors keep coming back and what makes their pages strong.
5. Repeat the check regularly, because the layout changes.

The SERP in the age of AI

With AI Overviews and AI Mode, Google is moving more and more towards direct answers. For many informational questions, the searcher already gets their answer without clicking. Being visible in the SERP therefore also means being included as a source in that AI summary. Want to know who dominates the results page for your searches? Insight into your competitors gives you a clear picture of where your opportunities lie.