Search Landscape provides a clear overview of how the Google SERP is evolving. It tracks the presence and trends of 12 distinct SERP features including AI Overviews, Hotel Ads, and more using Google’s official naming conventions. This data reflects the user’s Whole Market View and helps monitor changes in visibility, offering valuable insight into a constantly shifting search environment.
- Navigate to the feature
- Search feature frequency chart
- Search features
- Search feature frequency and change table
Navigate to the feature
To access Search Landscape, go to the left-hand navigation menu, click on the Adverts tab, and select Search Landscape from the dropdown list.
Search feature frequency chart
The Search Feature Frequency chart shows how often specific search features (such as People also ask, Shopping ads, Sitelinks, etc.) appear across your selected search terms over time. It also highlights changes from the previous period, shown as either an absolute difference or a percentage point change.
How to use the chart
- X-axis: Displays the time range you’ve selected (e.g., April 10 to May 29).
- Y-axis: Shows the percentage of SERPs (based on your relevant terms) that include each search feature.
Each colored line on the chart represents a different search feature, as indicated by the legend on the right-hand side. You can hover over any data point to view the exact percentage presence of each feature on that specific date. To focus on particular features, simply click items in the legend to hide or reveal them on the chart.
What it shows
- Track trends: See how the visibility of features like Shopping ads, AI Overview, or Text ads is changing over time.
- Compare feature types: Understand which features dominate the SERP for your terms.
- Spot shifts: Identify when new features emerge (e.g., AI Overview) or decline in prominence.
Tip: Use this chart to understand how SERP complexity may impact your visibility strategy. For example, if “People also ask” appears on 90% of your results, that may impact how users engage with your listings.
The chart can be downloaded in PNG, JPEG, or SVG format by clicking the download button located in the top-right corner of the chart.
Search features
The Search Landscape tracks 12 distinct Google SERP features, helping you understand the presence and trends of each element across your Whole Market View. Below is a breakdown of each feature included in the report:
AI Overview
A new generative AI-powered summary Google displays at the top of the SERP for some queries. It synthesizes information from various sources to answer a question or explain a topic directly on the SERP. Appears at the top or mid-SERP (currently being gradually rolled out by Google)
- Example search: will humans ever live in space
- Where it appears: Top or mid-SERP (currently being gradually rolled out by Google)
App Install ads
Ads promoting mobile apps, often including a direct download or install button. They appear on mobile devices and may be shown in search results or across Google’s ad network.
- Example search: alien identification app install
- Where it appears: Top of mobile SERP; labeled as “Ad” and links to Play Store or App Store
Featured snippets
Brief, direct answers shown at the top of search results, extracted from a web page and displayed in a box. They aim to quickly answer the user's query without requiring a click.
- Example search: how many stars are there in our solar system
- Where it appears: Directly beneath ads or as the first organic result
Flight pack
A block of results showing flight options, pricing, and filters (e.g., airlines, travel time). It allows users to explore and compare flights directly on the SERP.
- Example search: flights from Austin to Reykjavik-Keflavik
- Where it appears: Mid-to-top SERP
Hotel ads
Paid listings that appear in hotel search results, often within or alongside the Hotel Details Card. They include pricing from various booking platforms and allow direct booking through Google.
- Example search: cheap hotels near Kennedy Space Center
- Where it appears: Below ads, often with a map and booking partners
Hotel details card
A rich result box that appears when users search for hotels. It includes pricing, photos, reviews, amenities, and booking options, often powered by Google’s travel tools.
- Example search: Hyatt Place Titusville / Kennedy Space Center
- Where it appears: Right-hand panel (desktop), top/mid-page (mobile)
Local pack
A group of local business listings that appears for location-based queries. It typically includes a map and three business listings with ratings, addresses, and business hours.
- Example search: observatory near me
- Where it appears: Mid-SERP, especially for location-based queries
Local service ads
Ads for vetted service providers (e.g., plumbers, electricians) that appear above regular paid and organic results. They include customer reviews and a “Google Guaranteed” badge.
- Example search: UFO landing lights electrician near Austin
- Where it appears: Above text ads on mobile/desktop for eligible services
People also ask
A collapsible panel showing related questions that expand to display short answers. Each question can be expanded to reveal a short answer, typically pulled from a webpage, along with a link to the source.
- Example search: how to fly to the moon
- Where it appears: Mid-page, often below the first result
Shopping ads
Visual product listings that appear on the SERP, featuring product images, prices, brand names, and seller info. These are part of Google’s Shopping campaigns and appear above or beside search results. This doesn't include organic listings; it refers to paid listings only. For automotive clients, shopping ads in the Search Landscape report refer to Vehicle Listing Ads (VLAs), but may also include Product Listing Ads (PLAs), as some automotive advertisers compete with sellers of automotive-related products.
- Example search: cool space gifts
- Where it appears: Top of the SERP on desktop and mobile
Sitelinks
Additional links shown below a main search result, typically for branded or navigational queries. They help users quickly access important sections of a website (e.g., "Contact Us," "Pricing"). This data combines organic and text ads.
- Example search: nasa
- Where it appears: Beneath the first organic listing
Text ads
Traditional paid search ads consisting of a headline, display URL, and description. They usually appear at the top or bottom of the search results page.
- Example search: best universities to study astronomy
- Where it appears: Above and below organic results
Search feature frequency and change table
The Search Feature Frequency Table displays each SERP feature alongside:
- Frequency: The percentage of SERP results where that feature appears for a given account.
- Change: The difference in frequency (in percentage points) compared to the previous four-week period.
You can sort the table by clicking on any column header.
Note: This is the first version of the feature; additional enhancements are on the way!
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