SEO Course #3: How Google Displays Search Results

In the first two parts of our SEO course, we covered the principles of how Google Search works, how it discovers websites and content, and what we must do to make our sites as accessible as possible to the Google search bot. This time, we will look at how Google processes this data and how it displays it in search results.

Standard Layout - Organic Results

When you enter any keyword, the results will show at least the standard layout: the 10 organic results. These are not ads or any other special result types we will cover later in this article; they are simply the 10 websites most relevant to your search query. Of course, there are rare situations where Google might not show any results at all, such as when entering a nonsensical combination of letters. You can reach these 10 results (and those on subsequent pages) through SEO services or naturally if Google deems your website content high-quality enough.

Organic Results + Google Ads

The next most common display format consists of these same 10 organic results combined with Google Ads, which are generally positioned as follows: 4 ads in the top block above the organic results and several at the bottom, below the organic results. For us as an agency, these are the most common layouts we encounter because we work with companies that sell products online; therefore, competitors are not just the owners of organic results, but also those advertising via Google Ads.

Ads differ from organic results only by the added "Ad" label, as seen in the image below. The display of ads changes - while they used to be highlighted with a separate background color, they are now almost indistinguishable from other results.

In this case, your Google marketing strategy must account for the fact that you cannot reach your maximum potential with organic results alone; you will also need to advertise using Google Ads.

Additional Google Search Result Features

In addition to these basic layouts, Google regularly tests and introduces new solutions. These are primarily various blocks and panels. Below, we will look at all currently available features, but it is recommended to regularly follow updates and tests, which are usually conducted in the US market first.

Featured Snippets

Featured Snippets act as Google's own "quick answer" to a search keyword: a summary of the answer taken from a highly authoritative website (in Google's algorithm's opinion, of course). The snippet also displays the source website's name and URL.

There are 3 types of featured snippets based on the query type and answer format: paragraph snippets, list snippets, and table snippets. Most snippets are paragraph snippets. They are displayed above organic search results, effectively creating a "position zero." While these results are still rare in Latvia, globally, only the most authoritative portals can secure them.

Knowledge Panel

In a way, this is very similar to Featured Snippets, but this panel is allocated a larger block on the right side of the Google results. This panel includes more detailed information about the search keyword if available (facts, figures, etc.). These results often appear for famous people, as seen below in the case of Kristaps Porziņģis. Again, only the most authoritative websites can appear here.

Knowledge Cards follow a similar principle, but they are not as extensive, summarizing only the most important information in a small widget.

Image Pack

This is a frequently encountered result type in Latvian searches as well. It has evolved significantly, displaying not just images above all organic results, but also images from specific websites and businesses, as seen in the image below when searching for the phrase "flower bouquets."

To appear in these results, you must determine if Google offers this display for specific keywords in your industry. If it does, pay attention to image quality, file names, ALT text, and descriptions - this will increase your chances. Of course, the website itself must be well-optimized and search-engine friendly.

Top Stories

These results are relevant to the news, entertainment, and show business industries, as they display a summary from the most authoritative resources regarding a specific topic, event, or person. While still rare for Latvian-language searches, this display will almost certainly appear for all current events in English.

People Also Ask (PAA)

This result display works perfectly as a form of FAQ on websites: initially, you see a few popular questions about the topic taken from various authoritative industry websites. As you view the answers, more questions and answers appear, allowing you to "dig deep" into the topic.

These results are also rare for Latvian-language searches, but we expect them to appear soon. They force you to think more about your website's content strategy. They also help you understand what people are most interested in when searching for information on a specific topic.

Sitelinks

This block is common in all searches, including Latvian ones. Google displays sitelinks only for the most authoritative resources for a specific keyword, showing other available sections of the website that might interest the user. We most often see sitelinks when searching for brand keywords, as seen in the image below, but they are increasingly appearing for other keywords as well. While you used to be able to influence these results, they are now highly dependent on website structure, so you should pay attention to your section naming.

Related Searches

This display is among those not related to other websites: Google suggests that visitors perform searches for other keywords that people typically search for in similar situations. These results are more useful for website owners to understand what other keywords are circulating in the industry on Google.

This block is located below the organic Google results and before the bottom Google Ads block. A maximum of 10 related links can be displayed, with 5 links in two blocks.

Shopping Results

This result display is not yet available in Latvia, but it could appear very soon. Shopping results are also visible above organic results. These are paid results (similar to Google Ads) called product data ads. They are usually displayed in a carousel format and include images, price information, and product rating stars (0-5).

Reviews

This display depends primarily on the website owner and can be created using Schema markup. However, that alone is not enough; this display will not appear automatically in Google Search - Google will also evaluate the website's authority and the authenticity of the reviews. Nevertheless, we always recommend that all e-commerce companies implement this solution from the start so that it might eventually be displayed.

The Schema markup website contains various types of displays, not just ratings; you can learn about them on the Schema website and decide which options you could use on your site.

Local Pack

A display that has gained huge popularity in Latvia in recent years because it provides a great return for various service providers. It also appears above organic results and can be optimized. To appear in these results, you must register on the free Google Business Profile platform and make the most of all its features: fill in all information, add images, videos, content, services, products, phone number, website, and contact details. One of the most important aspects is collecting customer reviews. They will help you rank as high as possible in these local results.

These results are displayed to people along with a map location, showing the nearest service providers based on the user's geographic location. Accordingly, searching for a hairdresser in Riga versus Liepaja will yield drastically different results. These results can also be boosted with local advertising options.

Video Results

If your business products are better sold in video format (training videos, consultations) or if you are an entertainment business, then Video results can be a great way to gain additional audience beyond what is already available on YouTube or other video platforms. Since YouTube is the world's most popular video social network, you will primarily find YouTube videos here.

It is important to divide videos into topics when uploading so that they can appear in Google results as beautifully and detailed as seen in the image below. Of course, Google will only display these video results if they are authoritative enough and relevant to the search keyword (unfortunately, this result type has not yet fully taken hold in Latvia).

Twitter Results

Very similar to the Top Stories block, Twitter results display popular tweets from the Twitter social network. As you might expect, these results cover current events, people, and everything being discussed on Twitter. The most authoritative Twitter accounts whose posts have become popular can appear here.

In-depth Articles

If a search query is broad or ambiguous, Google sometimes displays an in-depth article widget. Three articles appear in the block, and although they look almost exactly like standard organic results, the block counts as only one organic position. These article blocks are almost always from massive publishers with immense authority.

Mixed Results for Special Events

For globally important events, Google tries to display as much information as possible directly in the search engine to make it easy for people to navigate. This display usually shows several of the solutions mentioned above. This was the case during the Covid pandemic, and it is also the case, as seen in the image below, for the war in Ukraine - immediate key statistics, authoritative videos, images, news, Twitter signals, and frequently asked questions.

Quick Answers

How much is 10 kg in grams, how much is 14 miles in kilometers, how much is 1000 euros in dollars, what time is it now, what is the temperature in a specific location, what is the result of my football team's game, etc. A huge number of keywords will give you a specific answer immediately, if possible.

To control these results, you must use one of the popular SEO tools that will show exactly what results are being displayed in your case in Google Search. By monitoring competitors, these same tools will also show what appears for them and what you should aim for or seek an SEO agency consultation for. In any case, as mentioned, many of these displays are not yet available in Latvia, but that does not mean they won't be available in, say, 2024. Everyone should be prepared for this, and certain actions should be included in SEO strategies. To find out which displays might appear in your industry soon, follow your industry in the US - that will be the best cheat sheet.