Among all the pages on the web, there is nothing more important to digital marketers than search engine results pages or SERPs.

As 90% of consumer traffic goes to websites that appear on the first page of Google search results, don’t worry if your website isn’t there yet. Ranking on the first on the SERP might sound really daunting, but we are here to help you out.

Read on for a quick search engine results page guide.

What is a SERP?

A search engine results page, or SERP, is the page you see after entering a query into Google, Yahoo, or any other search engine. The most popular search engine is Google, which holds over 80% of the market share.

Understanding the SERP

In understanding the SERP, there are two things that you need to first take note of. These are the types of queries and the type of results

To start, we need to understand the three different kinds of queries that are searched.

• Navigational queries – these occur when a user looks for a particular website but doesn’t type in the site’s URL. It can be a bit difficult to rank for these queries, but you can consider buying ads for the keywords you want to rank for, like your business name.
• Informational queries – these occur when a user wants to learn something. They’re not necessarily looking to purchase, but the right content can expose them to the right brands. To rank here, it is important to create relevant content to your target audience.
• Transactional queries – these occur when a user is thinking of buying something, like a particular product or item. These queries have the most revenue potential. In addition to organic results, people will also see relevant paid results so keywords tend to have a lot of bids for pay-per-click spots.

It is also good to note that every SERP is unique, even with searches using the same queries on the same search engine. This is due to search engines customizing the experience for their users. Results are presented based on a wide range of factors such as location, browsing history, and social settings.

Next, we look at the difference between a paid ad and an organic result. Although they may look similar, it is an advantage to have both of them in your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy.

• Organic results – these earn their place on the SERPs by means of SEO, an ever-shifting set of techniques that you can use to help your site rank higher on SERPs. To get a good ranking, you need to have a high quality site. Because Google regularly updates its algorithm, it is important to keep up to date with these.
• Paid ads – these are the top 3 or 4 results on a SERP. They earn their place by bidding on keywords. However, there are a number of businesses vying for the top spot. As such, Google considers a number of factors to make that decision: bid amount, quality of the page, quality of the ad, and relevance of the search.

These are just the basics in understanding the Google SERP. If you want to know more, it might be a good idea to avail the services of an SEO consultant.

Consult with Top Results Consulting today!

If your business website isn’t on the first page results of the right keyword, you’re practically invisible to your potential customers.

Looking for SEO services for real estate?

Search Engine Optimization is an essential part of any digital marketing strategy that ensures your business website can catch the attention of those looking for a product or service that your business offers. Top Results Consulting understands search engine optimization for real estate, and we’ve proven time and time again that, with the right SEO strategy, small businesses can stand out – even among their medium- to large-sized competitors.

Our SEO specialist team consists of expert analysts who can tailor a unique strategy to fit your needs. Our digital marketing strategies for real estate are highly specific to cater to what works best to put you in the spotlight.

Using a mix of on-page content and off-page SEO strategies, we’ll help you climb the ranks and get the traffic you need to get one step closer to more conversions.