The future of the SERP – part one

The SERP is no longer a simple list of links. From Google’s AI Overviews to social snippets, shoppable carousels and video-rich results, the search engine results page has become multi-format and multi-channel. Today’s search engine pages are diverse, visual, and evolving faster than ever. The way people search is changing fast. And the way brands show up needs to evolve. It’s not just that formats are changing – user behaviour is, too. People now scroll differently, scan faster, and expect to find what they need in seconds. We’re no longer optimising for blue links – we’re fighting for attention in a multi-channel, multi-format marketplace. We used Eyequant, an AI-powered attention analytics platform, to dig into how real users respond to the modern SERP. We compared 2025 results with snapshots from up to a decade ago to predict where search is heading next. Our aim: understand how real users respond to the modern SERP, and what marketers can do to win.  

What we analysed and why it matters

Today’s SERP is a dynamic blend of formats. For marketers, understanding where attention actually lands is more critical than ever. So we analysed 100+ keywords: brand, non-brand, and across different stages of the sales funnel. Using Eyequant’s Region of Interest (ROI) analysis, we could pinpoint exactly where users’ attention is most likely to land on the page.   Then, we took things a step further, pulling historic SERPs from the Wayback Machine, comparing them against current ones to measure two key elements:

1. Excitingness (how visually stimulating the page is)
2. Clarity (how easy it is to understand)

 

What we found: search is all about the visual now

The SERP has become a playground of formats. It’s multi-channel by default. And it’s shifting the goalposts for visibility.

• The SERP is multi-channel by default. 59% of results pages now show multiple formats above the fold. Video, maps, shopping ads, image packs, AI-generated summaries—all fighting for attention. Format matters.
• The attention hierarchy is shifting. Here’s how attention splits across different elements of the modern SERP, based on Eyequant’s average Attention Score out of 100. AI Overviews lead the way (Attention Score: 93), followed by Video (82), PPC (50), Shopping (46), and Organic (39). This is a big shake-up, with AI and visual formats pulling focus and diversifying the SERP beyond the traditional paid and organic text-based results.
• Paid is powerful. 35% of attention goes to Paid Search ads and 27% to Shopping ads. In a cluttered SERP, paid placements offer instant real estate, but only if your creative and targeting are up to scratch.
• Organic still counts. AI Overviews grab 18% of attention. Traditional organic links still account for 14%. To succeed, organic content needs to be structured, trusted, and ready to support formats like AI summaries and featured snippets—not just chase keyword rankings.
• The SERP is clearer and more compelling than ever before. Comparing current SERPs with past results shows that today’s more visual SERP is 72% clearer and 24% more exciting than historic pages. There has never been a more exciting time to optimise for search.

 

How can you adapt your strategy today?

The future of visibility isn’t just about rankings. You need to show up in formats that grab the eye and match user intent. Video, FAQs, product reviews, all play a role. The most effective strategies now blend performance media with content and technical SEO, working together to own the right placements at the right moments in an integrated way. Search is no longer about climbing a single ladder, it’s about showing up everywhere that matters. Thanks to our attention analytics study with Eyequant, we’ve decoded how real users navigate the modern SERP, and what brands need to do to stay visible. Search is changing. Fast. But with the right blend of format, intent and placement, your strategy can evolve with it.   To level up your search with an integrated approach that targets all formats, get in touch with us.