Google Rich Results: what are rich results and how to use them

Google Rich Results, also known as Google’s featured snippets, provide answers to all our inquiries. Google rich results came as an outcome of the search engine. They simplify our lives by finding all the answers to our questions with the help of results page features. Google Rich Results can be divided into more categories. We will try to show you some types of rich results so you can have a better understanding. There are map snippets, which lead you to a physical location such as a shop or restaurant.

You can also find Google shopping ads that will help you in the buying decision process.

Google even uses video results to help with ‘how to’ searches.

The same goes for image results.

Sometimes, rich results come in the form of a list.

Best SEO agencies Google Rich Results List

After previous adjustments, the Google Rich Results tool can “fully support all Google Search rich result features.” In the beginning, the Google Rich Results test only had support for four types of structured data: recipes, jobs, movies, and courses. Google Rich Results tool is capable of testing data sources such as JSON-LD, Microdata, and RDFa and is also able to test for all types of markup that Google’s search results also support. Another capability of the rich results test that sets it apart is the ability to test either a whole URL of a page or an isolated code snippet.

What are Rich Results and Rich Results Tool?

The purpose of rich results is to illustrate key information and support search engines in the process of understanding the purpose of a page as clearly as possible. This will provide more relevant results for all users and fewer presumptions from Google. Rich results came as a consequence of a large number of users. Let’s make it easier for you! The more users for a web page, the merrier ways of web coding and structuring. Without any doubt, this can be a hassle for all the bots that index websites. Are rich results “rich cards”? This is perhaps the most mistake people make. Rich results are composed of rich cards and rich snippets. They offer not only a carousel feature but also more image space. In order to benefit from rich results, there are a few things to need to do:

Sequential carousels
Logos and contact information
Breadcrumb navigation
Social profile information and search box

Additionally, you can also tag up individual content, such as:

Books
Blog articles/news
Events
Jobs/occupations
Product description
Local business details
Media (videos, music, podcast, movie information)

Rich result testing tool is a testing tool from Google that tests your page’s data sources and gives you a more accurate representation of how it appears in search results. Rich results can include carousels, images, videos, stars or other non-textual elements.

Benefits of the Rich Results Tool

It shows which Search feature enhancements are valid for the markup you are providing
It handles dynamically loaded structured data markup more effectively
It renders both mobile and desktop versions of a result
It is aligned with Search Console reports

Google’s Rich Results Test

Google’s rich results test was introduced in 2017 and offered a more accurate representation of how a page is displayed in search results, as well as the ability to test structured data within dynamically loaded content. Curious about how your website tests for Google Rich Results tool? Please, check your website here…

How to use Google Rich Results Testing Tool

Using the Rich Results Testing Tool is not complicated. There are two ways to get your insights: either you enter the URL of the page you want to test or the piece of code you want to test. The second option can be a piece of structured data or the full source code of a page, whichever you prefer. Moreover, you can choose a user agent (this is an optional feature). There is the option to choose your preferred user when you test your page. You can test the page with either a smartphone or a desktop computer. Google has a mobile-first indexing policy, as a result of the increased use of mobile devices when accessing web pages. Therefore, the default user agent is always a smartphone. In case your website is mobile-first, it is recommended to use the standard user agent (smartphone) when you take the test. Otherwise, you can use the desktop-user agent.

Why are Rich Results so valuable?

Rich results are valuable simply because they contain ready-to-click info that people are looking for. Detailed rich results present a more enticing prospect for users to click through to your site – and search engine algorithms love high click-through rates, often boosting rankings for your website. It provides a more accurate reflection of the page’s appearance on Search and includes improved handling for Structured Data found on dynamically loaded content. Furthermore, rich results boast technical benefits too. Tagging pages for easier crawling of your site means more relevant results are returned – in that way users are encouraged to click through to the page. Rich results indirectly influence your rankings too, since they help Google to understand the website intent. Lastly, if Google has more information to represent your page fully, rich results can decrease bounce rates.

How to get the most from rich results?

Optimizing your website to appear in rich results will boost your ranking and traffic. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your rich results:

1. Provide partial answers or additional information to get people clicking through to your page

Ranking for an instant answer that gives away the entirety of your article within the answer itself means you’ll miss out on clicks to your site. Including additional information on the page itself gives users an incentive to click through – and gives you traffic, leads and sales.

2. Create content in the format search engines prefer

In order to rank for a specific rich snippet, you have to make sure the content you’ve created matches what is currently ranking – for example, an FAQ page or a slideshow.

3. Encourage reviews

Reviews and star ratings are extremely important in order to build trust in your product or business. Many rich results pull through star ratings directly to the search page, so you need to have genuine and positive reviews with testimonials from satisfied customers.

4. Make sure your on-site experience matches up

Provide users who click through to your website with a high-quality experience. You can do this by having fast-loading pages, providing qualitative content and up-to-date information. Also, do not forget about user experience and intuitive navigation.

5. Optimize your website

Rich results will not automatically make your website rank higher on Google. You have to optimize your content and keep up with the latest SEO trends.

6. Have a natural writing style

Snippets depend on the type of content. You need not only well-written but also structured content. Your content needs to be written in a conversational style. This plays an important role for voice searches. Thus, raise the bars and keep your content top-notch.

Google Rich Results Testing Tool-free, easy-to-use, and reliable tool for webmasters

Google offers a testing tool so you can get a preview of what some of your rich results will look like in search. That tool will also highlight any coding issues you have in your markup. To make the transition easier for people who aren’t familiar with the rich results test, Google will still offer the structured data testing tool for some time.