SERP Elements Catalog
This website is compilation of information regarding the SERP elements present across the most popular web search engines: Google, Bing, Yandex, Yahoo!, Baidu and DuckDuckGo. The catalog organizes these SERP elements within a hierarchical taxonomy to provide a structured and standardized classification. The full data used in this work is also available in a research data repository.
This resource was developed within the scope of the author’s master’s thesis entitled User Interface Variations in Search Engine Results Pages Across Types of Search Queries and Search Engines with a research data repository associated.
Context and Motivation
Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) have evolved far beyond simple lists of links. Modern search engines integrate a wide variety of visual, interactive, and data-rich components designed to address different user intents, from informational and navigational tasks to transactional goals. Despite their central role in shaping online information access, there is no standardized classification or comprehensive reference that systematically documents these elements across search engines.
The SERP Elements Catalog was created to address this gap. It provides a structured taxonomy and a cross-engine inventory of SERP elements identified through the systematic analysis of hundreds of results pages from leading search engines. The goal of this resource is to support researchers, practitioners, and developers who seek to understand, analyze, or automatically detect SERP components in a consistent and reproducible manner.
How the Catalog Is Organized
The catalog is structured hierarchically to reflect both conceptual clarity and practical usability:
1. Categories
All elements are divided into three primary categories:
- Organic Results
- Sponsored Results
- Features
This separation distinguishes between unpaid algorithmic listings, paid advertisements, and interface enhancements that extend beyond standard textual results.
2. Types
Within each category, elements are grouped into types based on shared functional objectives. For example, features are organized into types such as exploration features, search refinement features, zero-click answers, carousels, knowledge panels, local features, topic-related features, search engine products, and search engine notes.
3. Subtypes
For feature types that share the same overall goal but differ in presentation or domain, subtypes are defined. This is particularly relevant for:
- Zero-click answers, which provide direct information in different formats.
- Topic-related features, which group domain-specific elements such as travel, shopping, news, education, and others.
4. Elements
At the most granular level, the catalog documents individual SERP elements. For each element, the catalog provides:
- A standardized name
- Alternative names (when applicable)
- A description
- Screenshots from different search engines
- HTML identifiers for automated detection