SEO Fundamentals
SERP Features Explained: The Parts of a Google Results Page
Knowing what each part of the results page is called, and which you can influence, makes SEO conversations clearer.
Google publishes a Visual Elements gallery naming the building blocks of its results page and explaining whether site owners can influence each one. It notes that appearance changes by device, country, language and other factors.
Here’s a plain-English tour, with what you can and can’t control.
Short answer: A Google results page is made of result types and their parts. Text results include attribution (favicon, site name, visible URL and breadcrumbs), a title link, a snippet, sometimes a byline date and sitelinks. Rich results add features such as review stars, usually from structured data. Image and video results come from embedded media. Exploration features include related searches and People Also Ask. You can influence titles, snippets, site names, favicons, breadcrumbs and rich results, but not exploration features.
Key Takeaways
- Google names and documents each results page element.
- Title links and snippets come mainly from your page.
- Rich results usually rely on structured data.
- Sitelinks are automated.
- You can’t control People Also Ask or related searches.
Elements and what you can influence
| Element | What it is | How to influence |
|---|---|---|
| Favicon and site name | Identify your site | Provide a favicon and site name markup |
| Visible URL and breadcrumb | Page’s place in your site | Breadcrumb structured data, clear structure |
| Title link | The clickable headline | title tags |
| Snippet | Summary text | meta descriptions |
| Byline date | Estimated publish/update date | Show clear dates on the page |
| Sitelinks | Extra links under a result | Automated; clear structure helps |
| Rich attributes | Stars, prices, recipe info | structured data |
| Image and video results | From embedded media | image SEO |
| Related questions / searches | Exploration features | Not controllable; useful for topic ideas |
Other features you’ll see
- Featured snippets inside or above results (featured snippets).
- Local results with maps (map pack).
- AI Overviews (how AI search results work).
- Shopping results (Shopping and free listings).
Frequently asked questions
Can I choose my sitelinks?
No, Google says sitelinks are automated, though clear site structure helps.
Why does my result look different on mobile?
Google says visual elements vary by device, country, language and other factors.
How do I get into People Also Ask?
You can’t control it directly; clear answers can be shown as featured snippets when a question is expanded.
Not sure where your site stands?
Request a free SEO audit. We’ll check indexing, technical health and your key pages, and tell you what to fix first.
Sources
Last reviewed October 14, 2026.
Table of Contents
Get a Free SEO Audit
Find out what’s holding your site back in Google, and what to fix first.
Related Guides
Free SEO Audit
A manual on-page and technical SEO review of your website, with prioritized fixes.