A Search Engine Results Page (SERP) is the page that appears when you enter a query into a search engine such as Google. This page contains a list of search results ranked by relevance. The ranking is determined by a complex algorithm that considers more than 200 factors. As a result, you get the most relevant and useful information that matches your keywords.
Changes to SERP
The SERP is constantly evolving, and with the advent of new features, new challenges also arise for advertisers. Innovations such as expanded organic content (blogs, news articles) and AI integration make the competition for visibility, greater than ever. To stand out, ads must not only provide more value, but also be more responsive to users' needs and intentions.
A key trend is the growing role of AI within the SERP. AI tools such as ChatGPT Search, offer users a conversational and personalized experience. Instead of a list of links, users receive direct answers to specific questions. This reduces the need to click through traditional search results, which impacts ad effectiveness.
In addition, the visual presentation of ads is changing. In an increasingly dynamic SERP, ads with striking visual elements are more likely to be noticed and clicked on. Optimizing ads for AI algorithms, with a focus on relevance and user intent, is also becoming increasingly important.
The future of ads in the SERP
One of the most notable changes is the addition of an AI tool at the top of the page. This fills much of the space and offers significantly more information than current snippets. This shifts traditional ads to lower positions, resulting in potentially lower click-through rates. For example, a long-tail keyword is a specific, longer search term with less search volume, but higher targeting and clearer search intent. They are used in SEO and Google Ads because of their lower competition and higher relevance to a niche audience. However, advertising on long-tail keywords is becoming less and less effective because AI tools often already provide complete answers to these specific queries immediately.
The new SERP requires advertisers to adapt to changing user needs and strike a balance between creativity, relevance and technology. Only then will they remain visible and effective in an increasingly competitive landscape.
SemRush for SERP insights
In the context of the SERP, STROOM uses the tool SemRush to understand search results and market trends. SemRush helps us analyze keyword rankings and organic search traffic, as well as examine paid search traffic and recent ads. We also gain valuable competitive insights and can monitor trends in keywords. Although we do not actively use the AI-based keyword trends and optimization suggestions, SemRush provides us with detailed data that we visualize in charts and use as input for media strategies and recommendations.
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