The search landscape continues to evolve in 2024, driven by changes in how Google displays results on its Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). To stay competitive, SEO professionals must understand the top features dominating the SERPs and adapt their strategies accordingly. From visual content like videos and image carousels to the rising importance of local packs and Knowledge Graphs, the structure of SERPs is shifting dramatically. This article delves into the key SERP features of 2024, examining their prevalence and Share of Voice (SoV) while providing actionable insights for SEO professionals.
Overview of SERP Features and Their Impact
SERP features are specialized content blocks that appear on search engine results pages. They go beyond traditional blue links, providing users with quick answers, visual content, or local information. In 2024, these features not only drive more user engagement but also push organic results further down the page, making it essential for SEOs to optimize for these spaces.
Why Understanding SERP Features Matters in 2024
In an era where traditional organic rankings are no longer the only path to visibility, understanding how to appear in SERP features is crucial. Whether it’s local packs, People Also Ask, or videos, each feature represents a new opportunity for traffic and engagement. As SERP features become more prominent, especially on mobile devices, brands that don’t adapt will see their organic reach diminish.
Key SERP Features by Presence
Related Search: The Ubiquitous Feature
The Related Search feature has become nearly universal in 2024, appearing in 99% of SERPs, up from 84% in 2023. While this feature offers users additional query suggestions, it doesn’t provide much direct SEO opportunity beyond keyword research.
Increase in Prevalence from 2023 to 2024
In just a year, Related Search has grown from being present in most queries to almost every search, signaling its importance in helping users refine their searches.
Use Cases for Related Search
Although SEO professionals cannot directly optimize for Related Search, it serves as a valuable tool for understanding user intent. By examining related search suggestions, you can identify content gaps, new keyword opportunities, and long-tail keywords to target.
Videos: The Shift Toward Mobile
The dominance of videos in SERPs has shifted from desktop to mobile in 2024. Once more common on desktops, video snippets are now appearing more frequently on smartphone searches, driven by the rise of short-form content and platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts.
The Rise of Video Features on Smartphone SERPs
With improved mobile bandwidth and better processing power on modern devices, search engines are increasingly incorporating videos into mobile SERPs. Videos now appear in a majority of mobile searches, reflecting user preferences for visual content.
TikTokification and What It Means for SEO
The shift toward short-form, engaging video content is often referred to as the TikTokification of search. To capture this growing opportunity, SEOs must focus on mobile video optimization, ensuring fast load times, engaging thumbnails, and relevant titles.
Carousel and Images: Visual Content Gaining Traction
Carousel and image features have also seen a significant rise in 2024, especially on mobile SERPs. These features display multiple images or videos in a scrollable format, making them highly engaging for users.
Image and Carousel Features on the Rise
The rise of carousel and image features, especially for industries like eCommerce, shows a clear shift toward visual content in search. These elements allow users to interact with the SERP directly and engage with visually rich content.
Importance of Visual SERP Features for Mobile
For SEO professionals, optimizing for visual content is crucial. This includes image SEO (alt text, size optimization) and ensuring that content is mobile-friendly. Websites that can provide visually appealing, fast-loading images will see more opportunities in mobile SERPs.
Key SERP Features by Share of Voice (SoV)
Places/Local Pack: Dominating the Top Spots
Local packs, also known as Places, hold the highest Share of Voice in 2024, even though they don’t appear in every search query. When they do, they command a large portion of the SERP, especially for mobile and location-based queries.
Growth in Share of Voice for Local Packs
The Share of Voice for local packs remains strong, despite a small year-over-year decline. Local businesses must optimize their Google My Business listings, ensuring accurate NAP (name, address, phone number) details and regularly updating their profiles to maintain local pack prominence.
Strategic Importance of Local SEO in 2024
For local businesses, appearing in the local pack is crucial. This means maintaining positive reviews, updating business hours, and ensuring location information is accurate. As the local pack continues to dominate, focusing on local SEO remains essential.
Knowledge Graph: Expanding on Smartphones
The Knowledge Graph has seen an expansion in visibility, particularly on smartphone SERPs. It offers quick, structured answers to user queries and now covers a wider variety of topics, from film casts to currency conversions.
Types of Knowledge Graph Features in SERPs
The Knowledge Graph provides structured, authoritative answers to a wide range of queries. Results can include definitions, calculators, and public figures. To appear in the Knowledge Graph, SEOs need to focus on structured data and schema markup.
Smartphone Dominance in Knowledge Graph Visibility
On smartphones, Knowledge Graph features are taking up more SERP real estate than ever before. Businesses and content creators can enhance their chances of appearing by ensuring their websites are properly marked up with relevant structured data.
People Also Ask: Opportunities and Limitations
The People Also Ask (PAA) feature has slightly declined in Share of Voice in 2024, though it still appears prominently on many SERPs. However, its influence is waning as Google experiments with new, more interactive features.
Drop in Share of Voice for PAA Features
While the People Also Ask feature still holds value, its Share of Voice has dropped, particularly as other interactive features like “Ask a Follow-Up Question” gain ground.
How PAA is Being Replaced by Follow-Up Question Features
As Google looks toward more conversational search experiences, features like “Ask a Follow-Up Question” are replacing PAA in some queries. This marks a shift towards more dynamic and context-aware search functionalities.
Organic Results: A Decline in Prominence
Organic results continue to lose prominence in SERPs, particularly on mobile. In 2024, they account for only 34% of Share of Voice, down from 40% in 2023.
Decrease in Organic Search Share of Voice on Mobile
Organic results are pushed further down on mobile SERPs as features like videos, carousels, and local packs take up more space. SEOs must optimize for SERP features in addition to focusing on organic rankings.
The Increasing Competition from SERP Features
As the presence of SERP features grows, SEO strategies need to evolve. Ranking for traditional organic results is no longer enough — SEOs must diversify and aim for rich results, Knowledge Graph entries, and local pack placements.
The Future of SERP Features
Disappearance of News Tabs
Google is experimenting with the reduction of News Tabs in search results, favoring more interactive or community-driven features like discussions and forums. This shift may reflect a broader trend of prioritizing user-generated content.
Growth of Interactive and Conversational SERP Features
Interactive features like Ask a Follow-Up Question are gaining traction, allowing users to engage in conversational search flows. This indicates a future where voice search and AI-driven interfaces may dominate.
What SEOs Should Focus on Moving Forward
To stay competitive, SEOs need to focus on structured data, visual content, and local optimization. These elements will play an increasingly important role in search visibility as SERP features continue to evolve.
Conclusion
Adapting to the New SERP Landscape
As SERP features evolve in 2024, SEOs must adapt to the changing landscape. With traditional organic results losing prominence, success will depend on optimizing for visual content, local packs, and structured data. Additionally, businesses must prepare for the rise of interactive and conversational features that drive user engagement.
Key Takeaways for 2024
Staying ahead in the SEO game means keeping up with the evolving SERP features. By prioritizing optimization for trending features such as the Knowledge Graph, local results, and videos, brands can secure greater visibility and user engagement. As search engines increasingly prioritize user intent and context, those who are proactive in refining their strategies will stand out.
If you’re looking for expert assistance in navigating these key changes, Art Revo Digital Agency offers cutting-edge SEO services tailored to the challenges of 2024. Based in the UAE, Art Revo specializes in optimizing for global audiences, ensuring your business thrives in local and international search markets. Whether you need help with local SEO, mobile optimization, or advanced SERP strategies, Art Revo can provide the expertise to position your business for long-term success.
FAQs
What are the most important SERP features in 2024?
The key SERP features in 2024 include local packs, video snippets, Knowledge Graph results, and carousel images, which are all gaining prominence.
Why are organic results declining in SERPs?
Organic results are being pushed down by the increasing dominance of SERP features like videos, local packs, and Knowledge Graphs, especially on mobile devices.
How can I optimize my site for SERP features like the Knowledge Graph?
To appear in the Knowledge Graph, use structured data and schema markup to give search engines more context about your content.
What is the role of video content in SERPs?
Videos are becoming a dominant feature, particularly on mobile. Creating optimized video content, with attention to load speed and relevance, is essential for visibility.
How can Art Revo Digital Agency help with international SEO?
Art Revo Digital specializes in International SEO, helping businesses optimize their websites for different regions, languages, and local search engines, ensuring global visibility and engagement.
