The Google Search Engine Results Page, or SERP, is a ubiquitous and fascinating element of the internet. It’s hard to envision the online world without it.

While all Google search pages share certain traits, each is unique. This guide will help you understand the different parts of a SERP, their functions, and how the SERP has become a sophisticated part of the internet.

Chapter 1: Evolution of the SERP

Google search pages first appeared online in the late 20th century, specifically on September 4, 1998.

Early Google SERPs were basic, but they effectively helped internet users find information. This early success over other search engines propelled Google to the top.

Today, Google SERPs empower countless people to navigate the vast digital landscape of the World Wide Web. They are responsive, intuitive, and powerful tools used by millions daily.

Organic Results

When Google launched, SERPs only showed organic links. Google’s indexing algorithm, later called Googlebot, crawled web pages and indexed them. For its first two years, Google only returned unpaid, “organic” links. We’ll discuss organic results further in Chapter Two, while Chapter Four covers Google’s newer information tools.

Some Google SERPs still only display organic results. This occurs when searches are clearly informational. For example, someone searching for “Abraham Lincoln” is unlikely to be looking to buy related products or services. So, Google doesn’t show ads for many informational searches.

While early Google only displayed organic results, this changed two years after launch with the introduction of the AdWords advertising platform.

Paid Results

Needing revenue to survive, Google monetized its search engine in October 2000 with Google AdWords.

Initially, only 350 advertisers used AdWords. Today, millions of businesses utilize it to reach customers. As Google’s advertiser base expanded, so did the available advertising formats and options.

Survival of the Smartest

Advertising provides the vast majority of Google’s revenue, enabling them to branch into other areas like mobile operating systems, internet infrastructure, and the driverless car project from Google’s experimental Google X lab.

However, Google’s core remains investing in sophisticated search technology research and development, consistently enhancing the user experience for people worldwide.

Chapter 2: Organic Results

Organic results on a Google search page are indexed pages that haven’t paid for potential prominent display to users searching for related information.

In the figure above, the highlighted results are classified as organic. Organic search results are dynamic and change constantly. Hundreds, if not thousands, of “ranking signals” determine their order on Google search pages. These include:

• Time and date of publication
• Relevance
• Domain authority
• Link profile
• Social shares
• Brand mentions
• Keyword relevance/density

Due to the number and complexity of Google’s ranking signals, organic results are in constant flux. A page at the top of the organic results one day might not be there the next.

Experts have speculated about how Google’s algorithm uses ranking signals, but the specifics remain secret. However, certain best practices can increase the chances of achieving a high organic ranking on Google. This practice is called search engine optimization, or SEO.

While SEO is outside this guide’s scope, nexus-security has many resources for optimizing pages for search engine visibility – see PPC University for more information.

Chapter 3: Paid Results

As discussed in Chapter One, Google monetized its search engine in 2000 for a steady revenue stream.

Early AdWords advertisements were small, text-based ads above and to the right of organic results. Now, dozens of advertising formats and options exist for advertisers leveraging Google’s massive reach.

Google Search Network Ads

While Google’s advertising business has expanded since AdWords’ launch in 2000, text-based ads, commonly called pay-per-click ads, remain the foundation of Google Search Network advertising.

Search network ad formats have changed slightly as Google evolved, but now often include features to boost click-through rates, like ad extensions. Note the extra information with the ad copy in the examples above.

Text-based pay-per-click ads can appear above, beside, and below organic search results.

Local Ads

With over half of Google searches now on mobile devices, Google emphasizes results personalized to the user’s location.

Local ads are usually near the top of the Google SERP and include information like user reviews and maps, letting users make informed decisions about visiting those businesses.

Shopping Ads

In 2012, Google launched Shopping Ads, allowing e-commerce websites to promote products with a carousel-style ad format showing a product image relevant to the search, along with pricing. Shopping Ads are usually above organic results but can be elsewhere on the SERP.

Besides providing another revenue stream, Google Shopping helps consumers compare product prices from different retailers without needing a price comparison website – keeping users within Google’s properties.

Chapter 4: Contextual Informational Results

In recent years, Google has become adept at understanding user intent from search queries. As Google’s algorithm advanced, new result types enhance user experience.

While the following examples are considered “organic,” they differ from indexed organic results (Chapter Two) because of how Google collects and presents the information.

Knowledge Graph

Launched in 2012, the Knowledge Graph changed how people search for information.

Usually right of organic results, the Knowledge Graph pulls relevant data from various web sources and compiles it, letting users quickly find information without leaving Google.

Branded/Individualized Knowledge Graph

Depending on the query, Google SERPs might include a branded Knowledge Graph focused on a specific organization or person.

For relevant searches about an organization, the branded Knowledge Graph can include:

• Current CEO
• Stock price
• Headquarters
• Customer service contact information
• Founding date
• Founders

The branded Knowledge Graph for individuals usually includes:

• Short biography
• Birth date and place
• Partner or spouse
• Education
• Awards or professional achievements
• Filmographies/discographies for artists

Nutritional Information

In 2013, Google announced it would index and show nutritional information in SERPs. Depending on the search, this data appears with other information, usually right of the organic results, like the Knowledge Graph.

Answer Box

Expanding on the Knowledge Graph, Google’s Answer Box provides quick answers without leaving the SERP.

For example, before the Answer Box, someone wanting to know which film won Best Picture at the Academy Awards would type their question and get a list of sites that might have the answer. Now, the answer appears above the organic results.

Google’s Hummingbird algorithm update handles more sophisticated user queries, especially those suited to the Knowledge Graph. On mobile devices, Google’s virtual assistant, Google Now, combined with Hummingbird, effectively answers questions and understands complex contextual meanings and search query semantics.

Users can ask sequential questions related to the original query, and Google understands and offers relevant results on related topics – all without needing further user input.

The Evolution of Search

As internet users’ expectations rise, Google will continue refining the SERP to improve user experience and deliver the information they need, when and where they need it.

The Google SERP has changed drastically since its emergence. It will undoubtedly continue evolving to survive and thrive in the ever-changing internet landscape.