SERPs Explained: Why You Need to Care About Your Rankings

When you type a query into a search engine, you likely expect to find the best and most relevant answers without scrolling through pages of results. Search engines like Google have become incredibly good at sorting through vast amounts of information, helping users quickly access what they need. As a result, the algorithms that power these search engines have grown more sophisticated over time. The higher your website ranks on the search engine results pages (SERPs), the more likely it is that users will visit your site.

For example, if you’re searching for "SEO digital marketing near me," the search engine will prioritize local businesses and relevant results that match your query. You should know that 76% of all clicks go to page one of the search results, with the top five organic results capturing 53% of all clicks. This shows just how important it is for your website to rank highly in the SERPs, as your position directly impacts the amount of traffic you receive. However, understanding how SERPs work can be a challenge, especially since the algorithms that determine search rankings are constantly evolving. For many businesses, keeping up with these changes can feel overwhelming.

In this blog, we'll explore what businesses need to know about the SERPs, including how they work, what factors influence rankings, and why optimising your website is crucial for success. Whether you're looking for "SEO digital marketing near me" or trying to improve your website's ranking, understanding the SERPs is the first step to driving more traffic and achieving better results.

What is a SERP?

SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page. It's the page you see when you enter a query into a search engine like Google, Yahoo, or Bing. A typical SERP includes several types of content, such as paid advertisements, organic search results, images, videos, and even rich snippets like Quick Answers. The exact layout of a SERP depends on the query you're searching for and how the search engine believes that query can be best answered.

For instance, if you search for a recipe, Google might show a video, a list of ingredients, and a step-by-step guide directly in the search results. In contrast, a question about a product may trigger paid ads at the top of the page with reviews and product information beneath.

Understanding the layout of the SERPs is essential for businesses. The order in which results appear on a SERP is determined by a complex algorithm, which is continually updated. While search engines don't disclose all the factors that go into ranking pages, it is widely accepted that factors like page quality, relevance, user experience, and backlinks play a significant role. When search engines like Google make significant changes to their algorithms, they sometimes share insights about how the update impacts rankings. 

How Often Does Google Update the SERPs?

Google is constantly crawling the internet to find the most up-to-date and relevant information. The frequency with which Google updates the SERPs depends on how often it needs to refresh the information from different sources. Some sites, like news websites or social media platforms, are updated frequently, and Google may crawl them multiple times a day. Other websites may be crawled less often, perhaps once a week.

Typically, you can expect significant shifts in rankings every week, with most changes occurring on Mondays or Tuesdays. This can be particularly noticeable when major updates are made to the Google algorithm. These changes can lead to variations in which websites rank higher or lower on the SERP.

In recent years, Google has also introduced new features in the SERPs that are designed to enhance user experience. For example, a growing number of queries now show "People Also Ask" boxes, which provide a list of related questions and answers. This format is appearing on around 60% of desktop search results and 63% of mobile searches. It's just one example of how SERPs have become more interactive and visually engaging, aiming to answer users' questions as quickly as possible.

Is Schema Important for SERP Rankings?

Since 2015, Google's RankBrain has been a crucial component of its search algorithms. RankBrain uses machine learning to better understand and process the unique queries that users type into the search engine. Google has confirmed that RankBrain is one of the three most important ranking factors. Without RankBrain, Google would struggle to provide relevant answers to many of the more complex or ambiguous searches. In fact, removing RankBrain would significantly impact the quality of search results, similar to how a lack of content would harm a site like Wikipedia. 

To ensure that your website is optimized for RankBrain and other advanced algorithms, you need to make it as easy as possible for Google to understand your content. This is where schema markup comes in. Schema is a type of structured data that you can add to your website to help search engines understand the content of your pages more clearly. By using schema, you are essentially providing additional context to your website, making it easier for Google to categorize and display your pages correctly.

For example, if you run a restaurant, you can use schema markup to specify your business hours, location, menu items, and even reviews. This helps Google display relevant information directly in the search results. This can improve your visibility and increase the likelihood that users will click on your website. 

The Impact of Schema on Your Search Results:

One of the most significant benefits of using schema is its potential to improve your site's appearance in the SERPs. Rich snippets are enhanced listings that display additional information, such as star ratings, prices, or event dates, directly in the search results. These snippets make your listing more visually appealing and can lead to higher click-through rates (CTR). For example, a product listing with a star rating and price displayed right in the search results is more likely to attract clicks than a simple text-based result. 

In addition to rich snippets, schema can also help your site rank better for voice search. As voice-activated devices like Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa become more popular, it's important to optimize your website for voice queries. Schema markup can make your content more likely to be selected as a voice search answer, giving you a competitive edge as voice search continues to grow.

Using schema is a great way to ensure that your content is well-prepared for any new features or rich results that Google might introduce in the future. It can also help you stay ahead of your competitors, as search engines are increasingly prioritizing sites that use structured data.

Conclusion:

In today’s digital landscape, understanding how SERPs work and optimizing your website for search engines is more important than ever. Users expect fast, relevant answers to their queries, and search engines are continually improving their algorithms to meet these expectations. Your website’s position on the SERP plays a critical role in the amount of traffic it receives. By using SEO best practices, including implementing schema markup, you can improve your chances of ranking higher and attracting more visitors to your site or with the help of SEO experts of the best seo marketing company, you can make an increment in the number of visitors.

The world of search engine optimization is constantly evolving, and keeping up with algorithm updates and new features can be challenging. However, businesses that take the time to understand the SERPs and adapt their websites accordingly will find themselves in a stronger position to succeed in the competitive online marketplace.