What search result features are and why they matter
SERP features are the extra pieces of information that appear alongside your website's title and description in Google search results — things like star ratings, prices, recipe times, FAQ answers, or a map showing your business location. When Google shows these features next to your listing, your result takes up more space on the page and stands out from competitors. People are more likely to click on a result that shows a rating or a price than one that shows only text.
You do not pay Google to show these features, and you cannot request them directly. Instead, you earn them by marking up your website's content with structured data — a standardized format that tells search engines what information is on your page and what it means. Google then decides whether to display that information as a feature in the search results.
The most common SERP features for small websites are star ratings (for reviews or products), prices, business information (address, phone, hours), FAQ sections, and job postings. E-commerce sites often see product snippets. Local businesses see map results and knowledge panels. The features you can earn depend on what your website actually contains.
Key Takeaways
- SERP features appear in search results when you add structured data markup to your website, which tells Google what information is on each page.
- The most accessible features for small websites are star ratings, business information, FAQ answers, and product details — all require only a few lines of code added to your pages.
- Google Search Console shows you which features are may be able to access on your site and which ones have errors that prevent them from displaying.
- You can test your markup before publishing using Google's Rich Results Test tool, which shows exactly what your feature will look like in search results.
- Adding structured data takes a few hours of setup but does not require ongoing maintenance once it is working correctly.
The two ways to add structured data to your website
Structured data is code that sits in the background of your web pages. You add it in one of two ways: by hand, or by using a plugin or tool that writes it for you. Hand-coding is more flexible but requires some technical comfort. Using a plugin is faster if your website platform supports one.
If you use WordPress, plugins like Yoast SEO, Rank Math, or All in One Schema Rich Snippets can add structured data without you writing any code. You fill in fields (like your business address or product price) and the plugin generates the markup. If you use Shopify, Wix, or Squarespace, many of these platforms add basic structured data automatically for products and business information — you just need to fill in the details in your product or business settings.
If you code your own website or want more control, you can write the markup directly into your HTML using JSON-LD, which is Google's preferred format. JSON-LD looks like a block of text with curly brackets and quotation marks. You paste it into the <head> section of your page, and it does not appear to visitors — only to search engines. This method takes longer to set up but gives you complete control over what information you share.
How to choose which SERP features to target first
Start with the features that match what your website already does. If you sell products, target product snippets and prices. If you have customer reviews, target star ratings. If you answer common questions, target FAQ snippets. If you have a physical location, target local business information. Do not try to add features that do not fit your content — Google will not show them, and you will waste time.
The easiest features to add are business information (name, address, phone, hours) and FAQ sections. Both require only a small amount of structured data and work for almost any website. Star ratings are slightly more complex because you need actual review data on your site. Product information requires prices and descriptions to already be on your pages.
Look at your competitors' search results to see what features they are showing. Search for keywords related to your business in Google, then look at the top 10 results. If you see star ratings, prices, or FAQ answers appearing, those are features worth targeting. If you see features that do not explore to your site, skip them.
Step-by-step: Adding business information as your first feature
Business information (also called LocalBusiness schema) is the simplest feature to add and works for any website with a physical address or service area. This is the data that appears in Google's knowledge panel on the right side of search results, and it can also show up in local map results.
First, go to Google's Structured Data Markup Helper at schema.org. Select "LocalBusiness" from the dropdown. Enter your business name, address, phone number, and hours of operation. The tool will generate JSON-LD code for you. Copy that code and paste it into the <head> section of your website's homepage (or into your website platform's header settings if you use WordPress or Wix).
After you add the code, wait 24 hours, then go to Google Search Console and check the "Enhancements" section. Look for "Structured Data" or "Rich Results." Google will show you whether your business information markup is valid and whether it is may be able to access to appear in search results. If there are errors, the console will tell you exactly what is wrong — usually a missing field or incorrect format.
Once your markup is valid, Google may start showing your business information in search results within a few weeks. You do not need to do anything else — the markup stays in place and works automatically.
Adding star ratings and review snippets
Star ratings appear in search results when you have actual reviews on your website and you mark them up with structured data. This feature only works if people can see the reviews on your page — you cannot add ratings without showing the reviews themselves.
If you use a review platform like Trustpilot, Google Reviews, or Yelp, you can embed those reviews on your website. Then add review schema markup that points to those reviews. If you collect reviews directly on your site (through a form or plugin), add the markup to the page where the reviews appear.
The markup needs to include the reviewer's name, the rating (usually 1 to 5 stars), the review text, and the date. If you use WordPress, plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math can add this markup automatically when you use their review blocks. If you code by hand, you can use Google's Structured Data Markup Helper to generate the JSON-LD code.
Test your review markup using Google's Rich Results Test (search.google.com/test/rich-results). Paste your page URL into the tool, and it will show you exactly what your review snippet will look like in search results. If the test shows errors, fix them before publishing.
Adding FAQ snippets to your pages
FAQ snippets appear in search results as expandable questions and answers. When someone searches a question that matches one of your FAQs, Google may show your answer right in the search results. This feature works best for pages that have at least 2 to 3 questions and answers.
To add FAQ markup, you need an actual FAQ section on your page — a list of questions with answers below each one. Then you add structured data that tells Google which text is a question and which is the answer. If you use WordPress, most SEO plugins have an FAQ block that adds the markup automatically. If you code by hand, use the Structured Data Markup Helper to generate the JSON-LD code.
FAQ snippets usually appear for informational searches (like "how do I reset my password") rather than commercial searches (like "buy blue shoes"). If your website answers how-to questions or common customer questions, this feature is worth adding.
Testing your markup before it goes live
Always test your structured data before you publish it to your live website. Google provides a free tool called the Rich Results Test that shows you exactly what your SERP feature will look like in search results.
To use it, go to search.google.com/test/rich-results. Paste the full URL of your page (or paste the HTML code directly if the page is not yet live). Click "Test URL" or "Test Code." The tool will scan your markup and show you whether it is valid. If it is valid, you will see a preview of what your feature will look like in Google search results. If there are errors, the tool will list them and tell you how to fix them.
Common errors include missing required fields (like a price for a product), incorrect date formats, or typos in the markup. Fix these errors before publishing. Once the test shows no errors, your markup is ready to go live.
Monitoring your SERP features in Google Search Console
After you add structured data and publish it, Google Search Console will track whether your features are showing up in search results. Go to Search Console, select your website, and look for the "Enhancements" section on the left menu. You will see a list of rich result types (like "Product," "Review," "FAQ," or "LocalBusiness").
Click on any feature type to see how many pages have valid markup, how many have errors, and how many impressions (search results shown) each feature is getting. If you see errors, click on the error to see which pages have problems and what needs to be fixed.
Google updates this data every few days, so check it weekly for the first month after you add new markup. Once everything is working, you only need to check it occasionally — usually when you add new pages or make major changes to your site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use a plugin to add structured data, or can I do it myself?
You can do either. Plugins are faster if your website platform supports them (WordPress, Shopify, Wix). If you code your own site or want more control, you can write JSON-LD by hand using Google's Structured Data Markup Helper as a guide. The tool generates the code for you — you just copy and paste it.
Will adding structured data improve my search ranking?
Structured data does not directly improve your ranking in Google's search results. It only affects whether your listing shows a SERP feature (like a star rating or price). However, SERP features make your result more noticeable, so more people click on it — which can indirectly help your traffic.
How long does it take for SERP features to appear after I add the markup?
Google usually takes a few days to a few weeks to start showing your SERP features in search results. It depends on how often Google crawls your site and how much search traffic you get for the keywords related to that content. You can check progress in Google Search Console under Enhancements.
What if Google shows an error in Search Console but my Rich Results Test shows no errors?
This usually means the error is on a different page than the one you tested. Go back to Search Console, click on the error type, and look at the list of affected pages. Click on one of them to see the specific error. The Rich Results Test works on individual pages, but Search Console checks your entire site.
Can I add SERP features for content I do not own, like reviews from other websites?
You can embed reviews from other platforms (like Google Reviews or Trustpilot) on your website and mark them up with structured data. However, the reviews must be visible to visitors on your page — you cannot add markup for reviews that only appear in search results. Google's guidelines require that structured data describes content that is actually on your page.