What Are SERP Features?
SERP features are any Google search result formats that go beyond the traditional ten blue organic links on a results page. The term SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page. As Google has evolved, it has added dozens of enriched result types to answer queries more directly, connect users with local businesses, and surface visual or structured content. Understanding which SERP features apply to your industry is an important part of any SEO strategy.
The most widely encountered SERP features include: featured snippets (a boxed answer pulled from a webpage, shown above organic results), the local pack (a map and three business listings for local queries), knowledge panels (information cards about businesses, people or entities), People Also Ask boxes (expandable question-and-answer sections), image carousels, video carousels, shopping results, sitelinks, and review stars. More recently, AI Overviews have appeared at the top of many results pages, synthesising answers from multiple sources.
Appearing in a SERP feature can place your content above position one in the traditional organic listings, giving you what is sometimes called position zero. However, SERP features also carry a risk: for informational queries, they may answer the searcher's question so completely that they do not click through to your site at all. This is one reason why tracking impressions and average position in Google Search Console alongside click-through rate is important when evaluating your SERP feature presence.
For South African businesses, the local pack is particularly valuable. Queries like "digital marketing agency Pretoria" or "accountant Sandton" almost always trigger a local pack. Optimising your Google Business Profile, gathering genuine reviews, and maintaining consistent NAP (name, address, phone number) data across the web are the primary routes to appearing in this feature.
SERP Features In Practice
A Johannesburg-based law firm optimising for the query "how long does a divorce take in South Africa" might find that Google shows a featured snippet pulling a direct answer from one of their blog posts. If the firm structures its content with a clear, concise answer in the first paragraph followed by supporting detail, it increases the likelihood that Google will extract that text as the snippet.
Similarly, a Pretoria restaurant appearing in the local pack for "restaurants near me" receives significant visibility without needing to rank first organically. This comes from maintaining an accurate and complete Google Business Profile, responding to reviews, and having consistent listing information across directories like Snupit and Brabys.
Schema markup plays a central role in unlocking several SERP features. FAQ schema can trigger expandable questions below a listing. Review schema can produce star ratings in results. Recipe schema enables recipe cards. Each of these features increases the screen real estate your result occupies, which tends to improve click-through rates even when your absolute ranking position has not changed.
Common types of SERP feature
SERP features are the elements beyond the standard ten blue links. Common ones include the featured snippet, an answer lifted above the results; AI Overviews, a generated summary of several sources; the People Also Ask box of related questions; the local map pack for location queries; image and video carousels; the knowledge panel describing an entity; sitelinks under a brand result; and review stars drawn from structured data. Each occupies space and changes how users behave. Knowing which features a query triggers tells you what to compete for: a query dominated by a map pack rewards local SEO, while one with a featured snippet rewards a concise answer block.
How to optimise for SERP features
You optimise for SERP features by giving each the input it draws on. Featured snippets and AI Overviews reward concise, answer-first passages under question-shaped headings. The People Also Ask box rewards pages that answer related questions clearly. Review stars require valid structured data reflecting genuine reviews. The map pack rewards a complete Google Business Profile and consistent local citations. Image and video features reward well-labelled media. There is no single switch; you earn each feature by structuring content so the specific element can be generated from it. Because features push the standard links down, competing for them is increasingly how visibility is won, not just ranking first.
FAQ
Which SERP features should South African businesses prioritise?
Local businesses should prioritise the local pack via a well-maintained Google Business Profile. Service businesses benefit from targeting featured snippets with structured, answer-first content. E-commerce sites should pursue shopping results and image carousels through product schema markup.
Do SERP features always increase clicks?
Not always. Featured snippets can answer a query so fully that users do not click through, a phenomenon called zero-click search. However, occupying a SERP feature alongside your standard ranking increases overall visibility and brand authority, which has indirect traffic benefits.
What is a zero-click search?
A search where the user gets their answer directly on the results page, from a featured snippet, AI Overview or knowledge panel, without clicking through to a site. Zero-click results make being the cited source, and ranking for queries that still need a click, more important.
How do SERP features affect click-through rate?
They can raise or lower it. Owning a featured snippet or review stars can lift clicks by making your result stand out; but features that answer the query in place, or ads and Overviews above you, can reduce clicks to standard listings even at a high rank.