ONPAGE · SEO GLOSSARY

SERP Features

Non-standard Google SERP elements beyond blue links — including featured snippets, People Also Ask, Knowledge Panels, image packs, video carousels, and local packs.

Definition

SERP features are any search result elements beyond the standard "ten blue links" organic results. They include: featured snippets (a highlighted answer box at the top of results, often called "position zero"), People Also Ask (expandable question-answer boxes), Knowledge Panels (entity information cards from the Knowledge Graph), image packs (inline grids of images), video carousels (YouTube and other video results), local packs (map + three local business listings for location queries), site links (additional navigation links under a main result), reviews/ratings stars, job listings, shopping results, and increasingly AI Overviews (Google's AI-generated summaries). SERP features can dramatically affect organic CTR — a featured snippet can receive 20–30% of clicks for its query, reducing clicks to all organic results below it.

Why it matters for SEO

SERP features change the competitive landscape for specific queries. If a competitor owns the featured snippet for your target query, you may get fewer clicks even if you rank #1 below the snippet. Conversely, earning a featured snippet ("position zero") or People Also Ask inclusion can dramatically increase visibility without moving from position #3 to #1. FAQPage and HowTo schema are the most reliable triggers for People Also Ask inclusion. Question-form headings and direct answers improve featured snippet eligibility. Understanding which SERP features appear for your target queries tells you what content format to use.

How DeepSEOAnalysis checks this

The audit identifies which pages target queries that commonly trigger SERP features (using question-form headings, FAQ sections, and how-to structure) and checks whether the structured data and content format align with feature eligibility. FAQPage schema on pages with FAQ sections, HowTo schema on step-by-step content, and question-form H2s are all checked as SERP feature eligibility signals.

Useful tools and resources

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