SERP
SEOAlso: Search Engine Results Page · Search Results Page
Quick definition
SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page. It's the page a search engine shows after someone types a query. A SERP contains a mix of organic results, paid ads, featured snippets, local listings and other formats that vary by query. Ranking on a SERP is the primary goal of search engine optimisation.
How it varies across Australia
Australian SERPs are more competitive than many mid-market businesses expect. Global publishers, aggregators and well-funded local incumbents occupy the top organic positions across most commercial queries. The realistic opportunity for most Australian businesses is in long-tail, local and brand-specific queries where the competition is thinner and the searcher intent is closer to a conversion.
See organic acquisition scores across Australian industries →The main result types on a SERP
Unpaid listings ranked by Google's algorithm based on relevance and authority.
Pay-per-click ads that appear above and below organic results, labelled 'Sponsored'.
A boxed answer pulled from an organic page and shown above all other results.
A map and three business listings shown for queries with local intent.
A right-column box summarising a brand, person or place from Google's Knowledge Graph.
What it actually means
A Search Engine Results Page (SERP) is not a list of ten blue links anymore. It's a page Google assembles on the fly, mixing paid slots, organic results, featured snippets, image packs, video carousels, local map results and knowledge panels depending on what the algorithm thinks the searcher wants.
The composition of a SERP changes dramatically by query. A search for a local plumber shows a local map pack with three listings. A search for a product shows Shopping ads across the top. A search for a how-to question might show a featured snippet that answers the question without the searcher ever clicking a link. That last format is the one that gets most content marketers frustrated.
What matters for a SERP strategy is knowing which formats are present for the queries you care about, not just what position your organic result sits in. Ranking third organically below two paid ads and a featured snippet means your visible position is closer to sixth. Clicks follow visibility, not rank.
Position one on a SERP with a featured snippet above it is actually position two. Know what you are competing against before you set the target.
How it shows up
SERPs show up in your data through organic clicks, impressions and position in Google Search Console. The gap between impressions and clicks on a query tells you something about the SERP composition. High impressions with low clicks usually means a SERP feature is absorbing the traffic before organic results get a look.
SERPs also show up indirectly in your CPA and CVR data. Traffic from branded SERPs converts at a different rate than traffic from generic queries. If you're pooling them in a single conversion-rate figure, you're losing the signal.
The Australian context
Australian SERPs show local results and Australian-specific domains more prominently than global SERPs. Google's localisation of results means a business with an Australian domain, a Google Business Profile and genuinely local content has a structural advantage over global competitors on locally-flavoured queries.
The flip side is that Australian search volumes are small by global standards. A query with strong Australian commercial intent may have a monthly volume that makes investment hard to justify on its own. The opportunity is usually portfolio-level across a cluster of related queries, not a single SERP win.
Where people get this wrong
Related terms
Common questions
What does SERP stand for?
SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page. It's the page you see after typing a query into Google or another search engine. It contains a mix of organic results, paid ads and features like snippets and local listings that vary based on what you searched for.
How many results are on a SERP?
Traditionally ten organic results per page, but the actual number of visible slots is smaller once paid ads, featured snippets, local packs and other features are factored in. For many commercial queries, only four to six organic results appear above the fold before the user has to scroll.
Can you appear on a SERP without ranking organically?
Yes. Paid search ads appear on SERPs regardless of your organic ranking. You can also appear in the local pack via Google Business Profile, in Shopping results via Google Merchant Centre, or in image and video carousels through media optimisation. Each format has its own requirements.
What is a zero-click SERP?
A zero-click SERP is one where Google answers the query directly on the results page, so the searcher gets what they need without clicking any link. Featured snippets, knowledge panels and direct answer boxes all contribute to zero-click behaviour. High impressions with very low clicks in Search Console is a common signal that zero-click is happening on a query.
Keep exploring
About New Rebellion
New Rebellion is a marketing intelligence consultancy. We build tools, score Australian businesses on how their marketing actually performs, and publish Debrief every day. This dictionary is part of how we work in the open.
How we think →