What is a SERP?
A SERP (search engine results page) is the page a search engine shows in response to a query. It lists organic results, but on Google it often includes much more: ads, AI Overviews, featured snippets, "People also ask" boxes, map results, product listings, images, videos and knowledge panels.
These extra elements are called SERP features. Which ones appear depends on the query. A question like "how to descale a coffee machine" may show an AI Overview and videos. "Coffee machine repair near me" brings up a map with local businesses, while "buy espresso beans" shows shopping results and ads.
No two SERPs are exactly alike. Results differ by location, language, device and time. Search engines also keep testing new layouts. That is why SEO specialists study the actual SERP for a query instead of relying on a ranking number alone.
Why the SERP matters for your visibility
Your position in the organic results is only part of the story. If an AI Overview, ads and a "People also ask" box sit above the first organic link, a number-one ranking can end up far down the screen. Many searches now end on the SERP itself, a pattern known as zero-click search.
The SERP is also where search and AI visibility meet. The sources cited in an AI Overview, the page in a featured snippet and the facts in a knowledge panel (drawn from Google's Knowledge Graph) all shape how searchers see your market before they click anything. Tracking which features appear, and who owns them, tells you more than ranking data alone.
How to analyze a SERP
Search your key queries in a clean browser, logged out, with the right country and language settings.
Note which SERP features appear and in what order, including whether an AI Overview shows up.
Check who owns each feature: which domains are cited in the AI Overview, which page holds the featured snippet and which competitors run ads.
Match your content to the format the SERP rewards, such as a step-by-step guide, a comparison or a local page.
Repeat regularly, because features and cited sources change over time.
For the AI layer, Trackbase tracks your brand every day in Google AI Overviews and Google AI Mode, as part of the 11 AI models it monitors.
Examples of SERPs
"Best running shoes for flat feet": an AI Overview citing review sites, followed by shopping results and a "People also ask" box.
"Accountant Amsterdam": ads at the top, a map with local firms and their reviews, then organic results.
"What is a VAT number": a featured snippet or AI Overview that answers the question directly, leaving little reason to click.
A brand name search for a B2B software vendor: the vendor's own site first, sitelinks to key pages and a knowledge panel on the side.
Frequently asked questions
What are SERP features?
SERP features are all elements on a search results page other than the standard organic links. Examples include AI Overviews, featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, local map results, shopping listings, image and video carousels, sitelinks and knowledge panels. They take up space and attention, so they strongly influence how many clicks the organic results receive.
How do AI Overviews change the SERP?
When an AI Overview appears, it usually takes the top of the page and answers the query in a few paragraphs with source links. Organic results move further down, and the sources cited in the overview get the most prominent spot. For brands, being one of those cited sources can matter more than holding the first organic position.
Why does the SERP look different for different people?
Search engines adjust results to the searcher's location, language, device and sometimes search history. A query like "bike repair" shows different local results in Utrecht than in Groningen. Google also tests new layouts and features regularly. For reliable analysis, check SERPs with consistent settings or use a tool that records them from a fixed location.