A search engine results page is what the user sees after entering a query. Its layout is dynamic: it changes by query, by device, by location, by language, and by the searcher's prior activity.
What appears on a SERP
- Ten blue organic results (historically the standard).
- Paid search ads at the top and bottom.
- SERP features — featured snippets, People Also Ask, image packs, local packs, video carousels, knowledge panels.
- AI Overviews on queries where Google has enabled them.
Example
A search for "italian restaurants near me" on mobile in London returns a local pack of three restaurants with a map, then organic results, then an image pack, and no AI Overview. The same query on desktop in New York can return a completely different set of features.
How SEM Optimiser reports it
SEM Optimiser captures a SERP snapshot with every rank check and stores the timestamp so you can prove which features were present on the day a ranking changed.
Related terms
- SERP Feature
A SERP feature is any non-standard element on a search results page beyond the classic ten blue links, such as a featured snippet, People Also Ask box, or local pack.
- Featured Snippet
A featured snippet is a boxed answer displayed at the top of a Google SERP that quotes text or a list from a ranking page.
- People Also Ask
People Also Ask is a SERP feature that shows a list of related questions the user might also want answered, each expanding to reveal an extracted answer.
- AI Overview
An AI Overview is a generative summary shown at the top of a Google search results page, synthesised by Google's Gemini model from multiple ranking sources.
- Rank Tracking
Rank tracking is the practice of monitoring a website's position in search engine results for a defined set of keywords over time.