How can you use search results page features to attract traffic?

To attract traffic through search results page features, first identify which features actually appear for your target keywords. Then assess whether your content could be featured and whether users still have a reason to click through to your website. Featured snippets, “People also ask,” and image packs may offer visibility beyond standard organic search links. But visibility does not equal traffic, and unchanged rankings do not mean unchanged opportunities for clicks. The following assessment methods draw on Semrush articles from 2023–2024; you still need to check which features appear on the results page when you review it.

Look for changes beyond rankings before rushing to rewrite content

When search traffic declines, check organic rankings, but also compare which features have been added to or removed from the results page for the same keyword. A 2023 Semrush article gives an example: even if a website remains in third place in organic search, a new instant answer at the top of the page may affect a tool’s traffic estimate. This shows that rankings are not the only clue, but a change in features alone cannot establish the cause of an actual traffic decline.

You can prioritize checking two types of keywords:

• Keywords for which competitors’ content appears in a search results page feature while their traffic also grows.
• Keywords for which your organic rankings have remained unchanged, but traffic has declined after a new feature appeared.

These changes are worth investigating, but they do not prove that changes in features caused traffic to rise or fall. Traffic estimates shown by tools also cannot be treated as the number of visitors your website actually receives.

Adapt content to the features that appear, rather than adding Q&A sections everywhere

Once you have identified the feature you want to appear in, choose a suitable content format. The articles cited above suggest the following approaches:

• Featured snippets: Reorganize relevant content to reflect the answer format displayed in the feature.
• People also ask: Identify questions relevant to the topic and add direct answers, rather than piling up unrelated FAQs.
• Image packs: Add original, optimized images for a chance to appear in image results.

For example, Semrush’s 2023 article noted the question “How much does it cost to build a complete website?” among the related questions for “how to build a website.” Such questions can be a starting point for content research and outlining. That does not mean they still appear today, nor does adding an answer guarantee that your content will be selected for the feature.

At Procrustes, we turn questions that genuinely matter to clients into articles as part of our ongoing content planning, writing, and updates.

Compare visibility opportunities—and whether users need to click through

For keywords with similar search intent, compare which results pages offer more suitable opportunities for visibility. Semrush noted in 2024 that these features may attract more attention than standard links. However, features can also change—for example, a featured snippet may be replaced by a video. Seeing a feature once does not mean it will remain there.

If your goal is to bring visitors to your website, you can also consider informational keywords whose results pages have no instant answer at the top. This is an approach to assessing click potential suggested in the 2023 article, not a claim that “no instant answer means guaranteed traffic.” When screening keywords, record the features currently present, suitable content formats, and questions worth answering before deciding which pages to update first.