- The main SERP features, as Google groups them
- Things Google says you can't control
- AI Overviews: the newest SERP feature
- How to see which SERP features show for your keywords
- How to win more SERP features
- Why SERP features change your keyword choices
- SERP features and click-through rate
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
SERP features are the parts of a Google results page that go beyond a plain text result: rich results such as review stars, image and video results, People also ask boxes, related searches, sitelinks and AI Overviews. They matter because they change where clicks go, so a page ranking third under an AI Overview and a video block can get fewer clicks than a page ranking fifth on a plain page.
SERP just means search engine results page. 'Features' is the industry's name for everything on it that isn't a standard link. Google itself calls them visual elements, and its documentation keeps a gallery of the main types, which is the clearest map there is.
The main SERP features, as Google groups them
| Feature | What it shows | What it needs from you |
|---|---|---|
| Text result | The standard result: title link, snippet and attribution (favicon, site name, visible URL) | Good titles, descriptions and a clear site name |
| Sitelinks | Two or more extra links from the same site grouped under a result | Clear site structure; Google picks them automatically |
| Rich result | A result with extra graphics or interactive parts, such as review stars or recipe details | Valid structured data for a supported type |
| Image result | A result based on an image embedded on a page, more likely for image-seeking searches | Image SEO: descriptive file names, alt text, relevant context |
| Video result | A result based on an embedded video, with thumbnail and upload date | Video best practices and video metadata |
| People also ask | A group of related questions that expand into a featured snippet | Clear, direct answers to the question on your page |
| Related searches | A cluster of searches other people made, linking to new results pages | Nothing directly; use them as topic ideas |
| AI Overviews and AI Mode | AI-generated summaries with supporting links | No extra requirements beyond being indexed and snippet-eligible |
Things Google says you can't control
Google's gallery is frank about a few of these. It says sitelinks are automated, though there are best practices to improve their quality. It says you can't control what appears in the exploration features such as People also ask and related searches, but that they're worth watching when you plan topics. And it notes that how any of these elements look can change with the device, the country, the language of the search and other factors.
AI Overviews: the newest SERP feature
Google's guidance on AI features is short and worth knowing word for word in spirit: there are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, and no special optimisations needed. To be eligible as a supporting link, a page must be indexed and eligible to show in Search with a snippet. Google also says both features may use a 'query fan-out' technique, running several related searches to build an answer, which is why the pages cited can come from searches you'd never have tracked.
Two practical consequences. First, Google says traffic from AI features is counted in your overall Search Console data, not shown separately, so you'll see it as impressions and clicks on normal queries. Second, if you'd rather limit what's shown from your pages, the same controls apply as for snippets: nosnippet, data-nosnippet and max-snippet.
How to see which SERP features show for your keywords
- Search the keyword in a private window on mobile and desktop and note every block above and around the organic results.
- In Search Console, use the Search appearance tab in the Performance report to see the result types your pages earned.
- In a rank tracker, turn on SERP feature tracking. Most will show which features appear for each keyword and whether you own any of them.
- Record the feature next to the position. 'Position 4 under an AI Overview, a map pack and four ads' is a very different opportunity from 'position 4'.
Trackers that record SERP features are compared in my guide to rank tracking tools for small businesses, and if you're weighing up research suites that show features at the keyword level, see Serpstat alternatives.
How to win more SERP features
- Rich results: add structured data for supported types (product, recipe, review, event and others) and test it before publishing. Google says it doesn't guarantee a rich result even when markup is valid.
- People also ask and featured snippets: put the question in a heading and answer it in the first sentence or two underneath, then expand.
- Image results: use original images with descriptive alt text and file names, placed near the text they illustrate.
- Video results: embed a relevant video on the page that answers the search, with a clear title and thumbnail.
- Sitelinks: keep a clean menu and descriptive internal link text so Google understands your main sections.
- AI Overviews: write pages that answer clearly and can be quoted, and make sure they're indexed. That's all Google asks.
Why SERP features change your keyword choices
A keyword's search volume tells you how many people search. The SERP features tell you how many of them are likely to click an organic result. For searches with a quick factual answer, an AI Overview or featured snippet may satisfy most people on the page. For searches where people want to compare, read reviews or see options, organic results still earn plenty of clicks.
So before you chase a keyword, look at the page. If the top of the page is taken by ads, a map, a video carousel and an AI Overview, your realistic share is smaller than the volume suggests. If it's mostly text results, the volume is closer to the truth.
SERP features and click-through rate
This is where Search Console data starts to make sense. If a page sits at a respectable average position but its CTR is low, the features above it are usually the reason, not the title. Check the live results page before rewriting anything. Sometimes the answer is to target a feature (add the answer block, the video, the structured data) rather than to fight for a blue link that's pushed below the fold.
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My verdict
Stop treating rankings as a single number. Note the features on every results page you care about, chase the ones your content can win (rich results, People also ask, images, video), and accept the ones you can't control. Google's own advice on AI Overviews is reassuring for small businesses: no special tricks, just pages that are indexed and worth quoting.
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Frequently asked questions
What are SERP features in SEO?
They're results on Google beyond the standard text result, such as rich results, image and video results, People also ask, related searches, sitelinks and AI Overviews.
How do I get my site into People also ask?
Put the question in a heading and answer it clearly in the first sentence or two beneath it. Google says you can't control what shows there, but clear answers give you a chance.
Do I need special markup for AI Overviews?
No. Google says there are no additional requirements; a page must be indexed and eligible to show with a snippet.
Are rich results guaranteed if I add structured data?
No. Google says it doesn't guarantee structured data will show up in search results, even when it's valid.
Why does my page get few clicks at a good position?
SERP features above you, such as AI Overviews, ads, maps or video blocks, can take the clicks. Check the live results page before changing your title.
