Google SERP Features To Keep An Eye On [Updated: 2025]

All search engines, no matter how different they are from each other, aim to answer search queries as quickly and conveniently as possible. Naturally, search engines are constantly evolving to improve their efficiency, which means SERP features are ever-changing. We’re breaking down Google’s latest SERP features, including AI Overviews, to catch you up on all things Search!

What Are SERP Features?

This is a simple explanation: all the elements on your results page aside from your regular blue-link organic results are SERP Features. They’re special elements that Google introduced to help users find their information faster and in a more organized manner. If you’re still catching up on what an SERP is, we’ve covered the basics in our guide to what it is and why it’s important!

AI Overview

Let’s face it, AI is everywhere; search engines, with AI integrations at different levels, are no exception. One of the most prominent uses of AI in Google Search is the AI Overview. 

Introduced in 2024, this feature involves the use of generative AI to answer a user query. The response shows up in the form of an AI-generated section right at the top of your page. This section can consist of paragraphs, tables, or lists. The layout varies depending on your search query but most often consists of a paragraph or two. Alongside the information are links to the sources they’re picked from.

Google designed the AI Overview keeping user experience in mind, giving users a sufficient breakdown of the information they’re seeking in one place. Essentially, instead of having to click on multiple links, they find it all right there. This helps satisfy most internet users who love speed and are happier if they can get the results they are searching for very quickly. 

That being said, Google is constantly making tweaks to the AI Overview. Currently, it doesn’t appear for all keywords, and its application could keep changing. Generative AI has already impacted fields like content marketing, and seeing its evolution on Search and SEO is bound to be interesting.

Paid Advertisements

Marked as "Ad" or "Sponsored", paid advertisements appear at the top or bottom of the SERP. This feature is visible either in the form of links or as Google Shopping Ads. They act as digital billboards of the internet and are a result of paid Search campaigns that advertisers have undertaken.

It's essentially an online ad auction where advertisers or marketers pay per click (PPC). They bid on certain keywords in the hopes of seizing some ad space for relevant search queries. The highest-ranked sponsored ad is awarded to the highest bidders after Google takes into account things like the quality of the web page itself, and the quality and importance of the advertisement. 

The ability to secure a prime spot in search results is an advantage of opting for paid advertisements. Although, it's worth noting that paid outcomes are clearly labeled as such. Seeing an obviously paid push could mean lower click-through rates and trust issues from your users.

People Also Ask 

This is a section that appears on almost every search result page, either after the first organic result or the sponsored links. The feature contains three to four questions related to the user’s search query, along with a drop-down arrow. Upon clicking the arrow, a line or two shows up providing the most relevant answer to the question. A link to the website the answer was taken from is immediately below it, which a user can click.

The People Also Ask questions help provide other useful information to the user and is also useful for people who may not know exactly how to articulate what they’re looking for. These questions thus serve as prompts of sorts, leading people to find information that is relevant to them.

Featured Snippets

Typically visible for info-seeking queries, a Featured snippet is a box of information containing what Google considers to be the answer to your search. This ‘answer’ is a snippet of content a few paragraphs long from the highest-ranking result, with the name and URL to the source site. These bite-sized pieces of information aim to directly answer a user's query. 

• FAQs: Brief responses to searches like "What is" and "Who is".
• Bulleted List: Utilized for compilations like "best of" lists and other rankings.
• Numbered List: Suited for providing instructions, DIY guides, recipes, and step-by-step tasks.
• Tables: Visual representation of data like dates, prices, rates, or tabulated information.

The majority of featured snippets consist of textual content. However, the rare result could lead to a Video Featured Snippet too.

Knowledge Panels

Knowledge Panels are content-rich boxes that pop up for specific searches like celebrities, well-known brands, or important landmarks. The information that shows up here is sourced from Google’s Knowledge Graph, which is a sizeable database about various entities.

They offer a snapshot of key details through images, social media/website links, similar searches, and more. If you look up a business or company, the Knowledge Panel is likely to contain information like its address, reviews, contact information, working hours, and the URL to its website.

Knowledge panels make it super easy for users by providing quick access to essential information. This reduces the need to make you navigate through multiple pages.

Image & Video Packs

Search engines have long evolved to include visual content, including featuring image and video carousels related to your search. It makes searching more fun and immersive, especially when you're hunting down DIY projects, recipes, or tutorials.

Image Packs are when you have results from Google Images showcased in a separate section at the top for searches that are best complemented by images. Video results, on the other hand, typically showcase a trio of videos on a carousel along with information like the video duration, description, and timecodes in some cases.

Top Stories

While Google has an entire tab for news, it also has a dedicated section on the SERP called Top Stories. Look for something that’s been in the news lately, and this SERP Feature shows up with article headlines, images, and brief descriptions. This specific Feature lets people consume news quickly and seamlessly.

Summing Up

Knowing the different features of SERP is beneficial to get the most out of it. This holds true for regular users as well as marketers. Keep in mind that search engines design their pages to give users the best experience, which also means they’re constantly changing and updating themselves! Keen on figuring out how to get your site to show up on one of these Features? Keep reading, or just reach out to us to get started.