Search Intent Evolution and SERP Feature Optimisation: Winning the Real Estate Beyond Rankings

Search engine optimisation is no longer about rankings alone. While it is still important to appear on the first page, the nature of what appears on that page has changed dramatically. In many cases, users do not interact with traditional organic listings at all. They click on videos, swipe through carousels, scan summaries, or dive into featured answers. Understanding this shift is essential for anyone trying to build a durable presence in search.

This evolution is driven by changes in user behaviour, algorithm sophistication and the expansion of result types on the search engine results page. It also reflects Google’s growing desire to satisfy user intent without requiring further clicks. For businesses, this means rethinking what success in search actually looks like.

In this article, I explore the evolution of search intent, the growing importance of SERP features, and how I build multi format, multi purpose content to capture attention across as many surfaces as possible. I explain my process, share tool stacks, and offer practical examples from client projects where this approach has delivered measurable results.

The Evolution of Search Intent

Search intent refers to the underlying goal behind a user’s query. Is the user trying to buy something? Learn something? Find a specific page? Compare options? Book a service?

Google has become remarkably good at detecting this intent, often better than the user themselves. The result is a diversified results page that attempts to meet that intent using different formats. This is no longer about matching a keyword. It is about satisfying a need.

There are four classic categories of intent:

Informational: the user wants to learn
Navigational: the user wants to go somewhere specific
Transactional: the user wants to take an action, often commercial
Comparative or investigative: the user wants to evaluate options before deciding

In practice, many queries sit between these categories. A search for best running shoes may be part informational, part commercial. A search for climate impact of air travel may lead to longform research, a video explainer or even a calculator.

Understanding this nuance is the starting point for effective optimisation. I use a combination of keyword research tools, SERP simulations and user journey mapping to determine what users are really looking for. Tools such as Ahrefs, Semrush and SEOTesting provide visibility into what Google is showing, and by extension, what it believes the user wants.

What SERP Features Are and Why They Matter

SERP features are result formats that go beyond the standard link and meta description. These include:

Featured snippets
People Also Ask boxes
Video carousels
Top Stories
Image packs
Knowledge panels
Local packs
Sitelinks
Reviews and star ratings
Events
Recipes

Each of these is triggered by different types of queries, content formats and schema markup. They also attract clicks at the expense of traditional results. In some cases, they completely dominate the page.

If your content is not optimised for these formats, you are not just missing out on rankings. You are missing out on real visibility.

How I Optimise for SERP Features

My process starts with intent mapping. I look at the query and determine what type of result Google is showing. Is there a featured snippet? Is there a video carousel? Are images shown near the top? This tells me what Google believes is the best format for that query.

I then build or restructure content to match that format. For example:

For featured snippets, I use concise definitions, lists and tables near the top of the page
For People Also Ask boxes, I build FAQ sections using schema markup and question style headings
For videos, I create short clips that directly address the query and optimise the title, description and transcript accordingly
For image packs, I create high resolution, contextually relevant images with descriptive file names and alt text
For Top Stories, I write timely, well structured articles with clear dates, bylines and structured data

I also combine formats. A single piece of content might include text, video, charts and downloadable resources. This increases the chances of being included in multiple features.

Tools I Use to Monitor and Trigger SERP Features

I rely on a stack of diagnostic and monitoring tools to understand what is possible and what is working:

Ahrefs for identifying which features appear for a given query and who currently owns them
Semrush for feature tracking across domains and keyword sets
SEOTesting for controlled experiments and observing how changes affect SERP appearance
Search Console for impressions, clicks and position tracking across different content types

These tools help me reverse engineer the content structure, markup and format that contribute to feature inclusion. I also test changes in controlled environments to see what moves the needle.

Multi Format Content as a Visibility Strategy

One of the most effective approaches I use is what I call surface area expansion. Instead of relying on a single format, I create content that can be sliced and reused in multiple ways.

For example, a deep guide might include:

An introductory video that appears on YouTube and in video carousels
A concise answer paragraph that targets the featured snippet
Visual diagrams and process charts optimised for image inclusion
A downloadable worksheet or tool that adds value
A structured FAQ that targets People Also Ask visibility

Each of these parts serves a different user and satisfies a different aspect of intent. Together, they increase the chance that the page is picked up across multiple SERP features.

I design these systems in advance. I do not treat content creation as linear. I treat it as a modular process where each asset is designed to work independently and together.

Client Example: Optimising for Multiple Features

In one recent project, I worked with a B2B software company targeting compliance professionals. Their goal was to rank for complex, regulation driven queries.

We created a longform resource centre that included:

Short explainer videos
Structured policy breakdowns
Interactive checklists
Definitions written in snippet friendly formats
Graphical timelines and charts
Schema enhanced FAQs

Over the course of several months, the content began appearing in featured snippets, video results, image packs and related questions. Organic impressions grew by sixty percent. Engagement also improved, as users were able to find what they needed in the format they preferred.

Related Strategies and Concepts

SERP feature optimisation is closely related to several other areas of search strategy:

Semantic SEO and entity optimisation, which increase the chance of being included in knowledge based features
Structured data and schema markup, which is essential for triggering many SERP formats
Content design and accessibility, which influence how content is interpreted by search engines and users
User intent profiling and journey mapping, which guide what content to create and how to present it

I treat all of these as part of one system. You cannot optimise for features in isolation. You must design with the full journey in mind.

Looking Forward

As Google and other engines continue to evolve, surface area will matter more than position. Search results will continue to diversify. New formats will appear. Large language models will synthesise more content. Interfaces will offer summaries, previews and direct answers.

To stay visible, you need to be present in multiple forms. You need to meet the user in the format they expect. That means going beyond articles. It means thinking in terms of experience design, not just publishing.

I help clients build that presence. I design content ecosystems that maximise discoverability, usability and value. I do not chase rankings. I build systems that earn attention.

If you want to compete where the results are, not just where they used to be, I can help you get there.