SERP: definition, anatomy and ranking
Updated on February 22, 2026
Quick definition
The SERP (Search Engine Results Page) is the page displayed by a search engine in response to a user query. It is composed of organic results, paid ads, featured snippets and other enriched elements such as knowledge panels or local packs. The SERP is the main competitive battleground between websites for capturing users' attention and clicks.
How it works
The SERP is structured into several distinct zones for Google:
- Paid ads (top and bottom): identified by a 'Sponsored' badge
- Organic results: ranked by algorithmic relevance
- Featured snippets (position zero): a direct answer extracted from a page
- Knowledge panels: sidebar panel for known entities
- Local packs: 3 nearby businesses with a map
- People Also Ask (PAA): frequently asked questions
- Rich snippets: review stars, prices, availability
- Video results: YouTube thumbnails
Concrete example: for the query 'best restaurant Paris', the SERP will first display ads, then a local pack with a map and three restaurants, then the organic results from gourmet guides.
Understanding SERP composition for your target keywords lets you adapt your strategy: if the SERP is dominated by videos, creating a YouTube video may be more effective than a blog post.
Why it matters
The SERP is the first point of contact between a user and your site. Click-through rate (CTR) varies considerably by position:
- Position 1: ≈ 28% of clicks
- Position 2: ≈ 15%
- Position 3: ≈ 11%
- Beyond page 1: clicks become negligible
Understanding the anatomy of targeted SERPs lets you choose the right content formats, optimise your title tags and meta descriptions, and aim for enriched features that boost visibility even without being in position 1.
How to improve or use it
- 1Analyse the SERP for your target keywords: which content types dominate (articles, videos, local packs, featured snippets)?
- 2Optimise your title and meta description tags to increase CTR.
- 3Implement Schema.org structured data to earn rich snippets.
- 4Monitor your average CTR per query in Google Search Console to identify well-positioned pages that under-perform in clicks.
With Sublim
Sublim complements Google Search Console by showing you what visitors do after clicking in the SERP: time on page, bounce rate, pages viewed, conversions. This behavioural data — collected without cookies in compliance with GDPR — lets you validate whether a page actually answers the user's search intent.
Frequently asked questions
What is position zero in the SERP?
Position zero, or featured snippet, is a box displayed above the standard organic results that directly answers the query. It is extracted from a well-positioned page and can take the form of a paragraph, list or table. Earning position zero can significantly boost visibility, even if it sometimes reduces CTR because the user gets the answer without clicking.
How many results appear on a Google SERP?
By default, Google displays 10 organic results per page, but the SERP can contain many more elements: ads, local packs, videos, images, FAQs. In practice, a user first sees the paid zone and then only 4 to 6 organic results before having to scroll down the page.
How do you analyse competitors' SERPs?
Tools such as Ahrefs, Semrush or Google Search Console let you analyse which pages rank for your target keywords. Manual analysis in private browsing mode remains complementary for observing the enriched modules (PAA, knowledge panel, local packs) actually displayed.
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