AI Overviews
Google's AI-generated summaries shown at the top of many search results, synthesising information from multiple web pages with links to…
SERP FeaturesSearch engine results page
SERP
The page a search engine returns for a query, combining organic results with ads, rich results, AI-generated answers and vertical modules.
In full
Modern SERPs are assembled per query from many systems, so their composition varies by intent, location, device, language and personalisation. The share of the page occupied by non-organic elements determines how much traffic a top organic ranking can actually earn, which is why SERP feature analysis precedes any traffic forecast. Composition also changes over time, sometimes dramatically, without any ranking change on the site's part.
Example
A commercial query returns four ads, a shopping carousel, an AI Overview and People Also Ask before the first organic result appears.
Related terms
Featured snippet
A block at or near the top of Google's results that quotes an extracted answer from a page, with a link to the source.
People Also Ask
An expandable set of related questions on the SERP, each revealing a snippet-style answer drawn from a web page, with more questions…
Zero-click search
A search where the user's need is satisfied on the results page itself — by a snippet, knowledge panel, calculator or AI Overview — and no…
SERP intent match
The practice of inferring what Google rewards for a query by analysing the page types, formats and features currently ranking, and…
Where to read more
- 2024 Zero-Click Search Study · Study · sparktoro.com
- Advanced Web Ranking Google Organic CTR Study · Study · advancedwebranking.com
- BrightEdge Research Reports · Study · brightedge.com
- How to Write Meta Descriptions and Control Snippets · Documentation · developers.google.com
- Influencing Title Links in Google Search · Documentation · developers.google.com
- Site Names in Google Search · Documentation · developers.google.com