How Did Search Engine Results Pages Start?

The first web-based search engines came on the market in 1993, with early popular engines like Yahoo! and Lycos bringing the first widely used search engine results pages to the internet in the middle of the ’90s. SERP results were based on name, URL, keywords, and listing in internet directories

It wasn’t until Google introduced its ranking algorithm, which measured both on-page and off-page variables, that SERP results started to get more accurate. Google built its algorithm, using approximately 200 factors to get the necessary search results. Google added AdWords, which eventually became Google Ads. This feature brought paid results to the top of search engine pages. Other search engines, such as Bing and Yahoo!, added similar paid search ad placements on their SERPs.

The Advantages of Search Engine Results Pages

There are several ways that businesses can take advantage of search engine results pages to improve their visibility and draw visitors from their target market.

First, all results come with a title. In SEO, the heading that appears on a search engine results page is the “title tag.” You can select the title tag to display text that accurately describes the page. It can be different from the title that appears when you click through on the page itself. The title tag, sometimes also referred to as the “meta title,” plays a crucial role in influencing search engine rankings and attracting user clicks.

Secondly, you can select the text that appears in the snippet section of your SERP entry. This snippet is generated automatically unless your page has a meta description. If you write a meta description, it is what will appear on the SERP entry. This gives you a chance to craft a sentence or two that may entice readers to click through on your result instead of the other results on the SERP.

Another advantage of SERPs is that you can often increase your traffic just by getting a higher ranking. In the default setting, Google has 10 results per page. This number can change based on different factors such as the type of search query, device used, and any personalized settings. Most searchers do not move past the first page. According to research, 27.6% of searchers click through on the #1 organic result on the page, and the second result gets 15.8% of clicks. Improving your ranking through organic SEO is an excellent way to increase traffic.

Google offers other tools, such as Google My Business listings and Maps, that allow people to search for businesses based on location. These offer other avenues for searchers to find your business outside of standard SERPs.

Finally, you can take a shortcut to the top of a SERP by purchasing paid search ads. By bidding on specific keywords, you can appear near the top of the SERP even if you lack the SEO to get there organically.

Disadvantages of SERPs

There are some drawbacks to relying too heavily on SERPs. First, most searchers stay with Google’s default setting, which is 10 results per page. And they rarely move beyond the first page. This means that sites that are just starting and those with poor SEO practices will not get much organic traffic through Google or any other search engine.

The same research that found that 27.6% of users click through on the first SERP result also found that very few people even get to the second page of Google search results. While it is possible to get to pPage 1, it can take time. A new site in a competitive niche may need 12 months to rise to the top 10 results in relevant keywords. Even non-competitive markets require four months or more of solid SEO practices before they start to see results.

Yes, you can jump to the head of the line with paid search, but that option requires a marketing budget, and you need to invest to see significant results.

Also, there are many moving parts to SEO. In addition to keywords, title tags, and meta descriptions, you need a site that loads fast, is mobile-friendly, and is easy to navigate. Failure in one of these areas can set you back.

Find Out More About Search Engine Results and Other SEO Topics

At In Context SEO, we offer a variety of services aimed at helping businesses get the ranking they need on search engine results pages. We are currently working on a series of articles meant to provide you with information that you can use to improve your business website’s SEO. Visit us today to sign up for our newsletter so that you do not miss any of these important and useful insights.

Never Miss an Update by Joining Our Mailing List

Are you interested in learning more? If so, you can subscribe to our mailing list so you never miss a post. In addition, we have an informational series of blogs coming up, and you’ll get notifications to your email as soon as we publish them.