Rich Sitelinks in SEO: What You Need To Know
In this article, you will learn more about Rich Sitelinks (SERP Feature), their importance for SEO and how they contribute to Brand SERP Optimisation.
What are Rich Sitelinks in SEO?
Simple Definition of Rich Sitelinks (SERP Feature)
Rich Sitelinks are an interesting Search Engine Results Page (SERP) feature because they are generally rare, and yet very common in Brand SERPs (what your audience sees when they google your brand name). For that reason, in this short article, we’ll focus on Rich Sitelinks in the context of Brand SERPs.
Rich Sitelinks appear right under the brand’s homepage on the Brand SERP. They offer the user direct access to individual pages on the brand’s website in the form of a bluelink with a short snippet description. In Brand SERPs, Rich Sitelinks typically contain pages such as About Us, Log In, Contact Us, major Product pages, Category pages, FAQ Section, Careers, etc…
This rich information is automated by Google algorithms, which means that they only appear when Google thinks that they are relevant and useful to the users. Importantly, it is also Google’s algorithms that determine the choice of which pages appear.
Rich Sitelinks take up a lot of space on the SERP space (also known as SERP Real Estate), making your website standout among the dozens of pages Google might display (which is really great for Brand SERPs).
Here is a case study discussing about how and why Rich Sitelinks are vitally important to your Brand SERP.
What Do Rich Sitelinks Look Like?
Rich Sitelinks are highly visible because they appear right at the top of the Brand SERP, just underneath the brand’s homepage. They are displayed as blue links with short snippet descriptions underneath and Google shows anything from 2 to 8, or even sometimes 10 but this is rare. They are displayed either as two columns or one single column (as shown below). They allow users to go directly to subpages within the website or to subsections of a page without having to navigate there manually.
Here are examples of one and two column formatted Rich Sitelinks that Google displays for the “Kalicube Pro” website.
How Can I Get Rich Sitelinks for My Brand SERP?
You cannot control which pages and sections from your website appear as Rich Sitelinks because Google uses its algorithms to select the best ones according to its understanding of what will be helpful to people searching your brand name.. You can, however, influence Google to select the sections of your website you prefer and place those in the SERP as Rich Sitelinks for your brand.
Here you can find Google’s detailed explanation about Sitelinks in general, including some best practices!
How Do Rich Sitelinks Fit Into Brand SERP Optimisation?
Rich Sitelinks are extremely relevant and incredibly powerful in the context of Brand SERPs as they allow your audience to quickly navigate to the part of your website they want to visit. They provide quick and easy access to different aspects of your business. They also leave a lasting impression on your audience that your website is well maintained and organised.
Kalicube Solutions
- You can learn more about Brand SERPs and how you can control yours and ensure that you keep your potential clients focused on an accurate and convincing depiction of you with The Fundamentals of Brand SERPs for Business by Jason Barnard;
- You can browse our free resources (hundreds of articles, case studies and how-to’s to help you optimise your Brand SERP and manage your Knowledge Panel;
- You can sign up for the Kalicube Academy where you can learn more about Rich Elements and how to trigger them in your Brand SERP. We also offer in-depth video-driven courses, resources and quizzes that make optimising your Brand SERP and managing your Knowledge Panel a relatively simple task;
- You can opt-for the done-for-you Brand SERP and Knowledge Panel solutions where we do the hard work, identify the solutions and ensure that you achieve your goals and get Google “dancing to your tune.”
