How to Target SERP Features
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This guide covers how to optimise for each major SERP feature. For background on what features exist, how they affect click-through rates, and how to factor them into keyword research, see SERP Features.
AI Overviews
What they are
AI Overviews are synthesised summaries generated by Google’s AI (based on Gemini) that appear at the top of the results page for a wide range of queries. Unlike featured snippets, which extract from a single source, AI Overviews draw from multiple pages and present a synthesised answer in Google’s own words, with source citations.
How to target AI Overviews
There is no direct mechanism to submit content for AI Overview inclusion. Google selects sources based on the same signals it uses for quality assessment generally. However, research shows a strong correlation between featured snippet winners and AI Overview citations: the same content characteristics that earn featured snippets tend to earn AI Overview citations.
Targeting principles:
- Answer the query directly in the opening paragraph or an early H2
- Use clear, factual language rather than hedged or promotional language
- Support answers with specific data, dates, or figures
- Structure content so individual sections are self-contained answers: Google often pulls from mid-page sections, not only introductions
- Build E-E-A-T signals (authorship, cited sources, original research)
Monitoring: in Google Search Console, filter the Performance report by Search Appearance > AI Overviews to see impressions from AI Overview citations.
AI Mode
What it is
A dedicated AI-powered search interface within Google Search, using Gemini to handle complex, multi-step queries through a conversational session. Unlike AI Overviews, which are inline features in standard results, AI Mode is a separate experience where follow-up questions carry context across the conversation. As of May 2026, AI Mode has over one billion monthly users.1
How to target AI Mode
AI Mode draws on the same quality signals as AI Overviews but with greater emphasis on complex, multi-part queries. Because users ask follow-up questions within the same session, content that covers a topic comprehensively, including surrounding questions a researcher might ask, performs better than a single tightly scoped page.
Targeting principles:
- Cover the topic’s related questions, not just the primary keyword. AI Mode uses query fan-out: it generates related sub-queries to build its answer, pulling from pages that address those sub-queries directly
- Structure each section as a self-contained answer: AI Mode pulls passages, not whole pages
- Make your entity clear and consistent: brand, product, or service descriptions should match across your site, structured data, and third-party sources
- The same E-E-A-T signals apply: authorship, cited sources, original research, and external validation
Monitoring: AI Mode citation data is not yet separated from AI Overviews in Google Search Console. Use the AI Overviews filter in the Performance report as a proxy.
Featured snippets
What they are
A single extracted answer, shown above position 1 in the organic results (position 0). Google pulls the text, list, or table directly from a page. Three formats:
- Paragraph: a 2–5 sentence answer to a direct question
- List: numbered or bulleted steps or items
- Table: comparative data (prices, specs, comparisons)
How to target featured snippets
Identify snippet opportunities. Target queries formatted as direct questions: “what is X”, “how does X work”, “how to do X”, “X vs Y”. These trigger snippet formats most reliably. Check which queries on your site already trigger snippets (Search Console > Search Appearance filter) and identify gaps.
Format content to match snippet types:
For paragraph snippets:
- Open your answer with a 40–60 word direct response immediately after an H2 or H3
- Don’t bury the answer in supporting context
For list snippets:
- Use proper
<ol>or<ul>HTML lists - Each item should be a distinct, complete step or item
- 5–10 items is the typical range Google pulls
For table snippets:
- Use proper HTML
<table>markup - Include a header row
- Keep tables comparative (two or more items being compared)
Write for the question, not around it. The opening sentence of a section should answer the question posed by the heading, not introduce it. “Title tags are the text that appears in a browser tab and in search results” earns more snippets than “In this section, we examine what title tags are and why they matter.”
Monitor and iterate. Use Search Console to track snippet ownership. Ahrefs and Semrush both show which of your pages hold featured snippets and which competitor pages hold snippets you could displace.
People Also Ask
How to target PAA
Mine PAA for content gaps. PAA questions show what users ask after (and alongside) your target query. If your page doesn’t address PAA questions, a competitor’s page that does has an advantage.
Structure content as Q&A. Use question-formatted H2 and H3 headings followed by a concise answer paragraph. PAA often pulls from the same content format as featured snippets.
FAQPage structured data can reinforce Q&A structure for AI systems, though Google removed FAQ rich results from Search in May 2026.
Knowledge panels
How to influence knowledge panels
You cannot submit directly for a knowledge panel. Google determines eligibility based on entity prominence. To improve chances:
- Maintain a Wikipedia article (written in neutral, encyclopaedic tone)
- Ensure Wikidata entries are accurate and linked to your official pages
- Use
OrganizationorPersonschema on your homepage withsameAslinks to authoritative profiles (Wikipedia, LinkedIn, Crunchbase, social profiles) - Maintain consistent NAP (name, address, phone) information across the web
- Build entity associations through coverage in authoritative publications
If you have a knowledge panel, you can suggest changes via the “Claim this knowledge panel” button, useful for correcting inaccurate information.
Local pack (map pack)
How to rank in the local pack
Local pack ranking is determined by three factors:
- Relevance: how well your Business Profile matches the query
- Distance: proximity to the searcher
- Prominence: authority based on reviews, links, mentions, and Business Profile completeness
Practical actions: complete your Google Business Profile fully (categories, attributes, photos, hours), build local citations, maintain review velocity, and earn local backlinks.
Local pack ranking is separate from organic ranking: a site can rank in the local pack without ranking organically, and vice versa.
Shopping carousels
How to appear in shopping carousels
Shopping carousels require a Google Merchant Centre product feed. They are not earned through organic ranking signals. For e-commerce sites, this means:
- A verified and approved Merchant Centre account
- A complete, accurate product feed (title, description, price, availability, GTIN)
- No policy violations
Product schema on your product pages also improves eligibility for product knowledge panels and rich snippets.
Video carousels
How to appear in video carousels
- Host the video on YouTube (the primary source for video carousels)
- Use descriptive, keyword-relevant titles and descriptions
- Add
VideoObjectstructured data to embedded video pages on your site - Transcripts help Google index video content
Rich snippets
Schema types that enable rich snippets
Rich snippets enhance an existing organic result with additional information from structured data: star ratings, prices, event dates, recipe details. They don’t change ranking position but can improve CTR by making your result more visually distinct.
| Schema type | Rich result elements |
|---|---|
Review / AggregateRating | Star rating, review count |
Product | Price, availability, rating |
HowTo | Steps listed below the result |
Event | Event date, location, tickets |
Recipe | Cook time, rating, calories |
JobPosting | Job title, company, location |
Article | Top stories carousel eligibility |
Implement schema using JSON-LD in the <head> of the page. Validate with Google’s Rich Results Test before deploying.
Sitelinks
Sitelinks appear automatically when Google determines a site has strong authority for a branded query. They are not submitted or applied for. To influence which pages appear:
- Ensure your most important pages are prominently linked from the navigation
- Use descriptive anchor text in internal links
- Use
SearchActionsitelink searchbox schema if you want a search box shown in sitelinks
Generative UI
What it is
From summer 2026, Google Search can generate custom interactive interfaces for specific queries: comparison tables, calculators, simulations, and data visualisations built directly in the results page.1 Most common for comparative, decision-oriented, and research queries.
How to appear in Generative UI results
Generative UI pulls data from pages that make key information explicit and machine-readable. Pages that state figures clearly, use comparison tables, and label specifications are more likely to be sourced.
Practical steps:
- State facts explicitly: prices, specs, eligibility criteria, and feature comparisons should be clear in prose, not embedded in images or PDFs
- Use HTML tables for comparative data: these are easy for Google to extract and replicate in a generated interface
- Keep structured data accurate and complete (
Product,HowTo,Event, and similar schema types) - For e-commerce, maintain an accurate Merchant Centre feed: product comparisons in Generative UI may draw from feed data as well as page content
Tracking SERP feature performance
Google Search Console: filter the Performance report by Search Appearance to see impressions and clicks by feature type. Available types include AI Overviews, featured snippets, image packs, and more.
Third-party tools: Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz all track SERP feature ownership by keyword. Use these to see which competitors hold features you don’t.
Manual spot-checks: search target queries in an incognito window. Check what features appear, whose content is cited, and how much of the page organic results occupy before the fold.