20 SERP features and what each one means for ranking
The classic 10 blue links are an exception now. Most SERPs include features that take clicks before the organic results even start. Here are 20 features and what each one signals about a keyword's ranking economics.
1. AI Overview
The biggest click-eater. Cuts position-1 CTR by 40-60% on informational queries. Skip these keywords unless you can be the citation.
2. Featured snippet
Still worth chasing — gets 35%+ of clicks. Win with concise answer + supporting detail structure.
3. People Also Ask
Indicates Google sees multiple sub-intents. Build FAQ-rich pages and you can occupy multiple PAA slots.
4. Knowledge panel
A brand or entity has been crowned. Organic position 1 still gets clicks but the panel takes the queries that were just looking for facts.
5. Video carousel
YouTube and TikTok content satisfies the intent. Pure text pages lose clicks unless they offer something the videos don't.
6. Image pack
Visual intent. Optimise images with alt text and structured data; the carousel itself can drive traffic.
7. Shopping ads
Commercial intent confirmed. Organic clicks drop but the remaining clicks have strong buying intent.
8. Local pack (map + 3 listings)
Local intent. National sites can't compete; this is a Google Business Profile game.
9. Top stories / news box
Time-sensitive query. Authority news sites dominate; evergreen content loses.
10. Twitter / X carousel
Real-time chatter. Skip unless you have an active social presence on the keyword's topic.
11. Site links
Multiple links from one domain under one result. Indicates Google sees that domain as the canonical source — hard to displace.
12. Recipe rich result
Recipe schema active. Required if you target cooking queries; without it, you're invisible in food SERPs.
13. FAQ rich result
Pages with FAQ schema get an expanded SERP listing. Doubles your effective SERP real estate.
14. HowTo step list
HowTo schema with images can occupy a huge vertical slice of the SERP. Highly competitive but rewarding when won.
15. Product rich result (price, rating, availability)
Product schema with reviews shows star ratings. Massive CTR boost. Required for e-commerce keywords.
16. Review snippets (stars)
Review or AggregateRating schema renders stars in the SERP listing. Lifts CTR 20-30%.
17. Event listings
Event schema shows date and venue. Critical for any event-related keyword.
18. Job postings
JobPosting schema. Google Jobs takes the top slot on job queries.
19. Discussions and forums
Reddit, Quora, Stack Exchange cards. Indicates Google thinks community answers are best. Your content has to genuinely add value to compete.
20. "Things to know" expandable
A new (2025+) feature that summarises sub-topics. Pages that exhaustively cover an entity get cited here disproportionately.
What to do with this list
When evaluating a keyword, count the SERP features above the organic results. Each feature compresses the organic CTR. Three or more features and a keyword's "search volume" is already over-stated by 50%+.
SERPTool detects the presence of all 20 SERP features per analysed keyword and adjusts the opportunity score accordingly.
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