What is a SERP feature?

A SERP feature is anything on a results page that is not a plain blue link. They matter because they take the space and attention that used to go to the top result:

• AI Overviews - a generated summary above the results, citing a handful of sources.
• The local pack - the map and three business listings, driven by your Google Business Profile.
• People Also Ask - expandable questions, often the easiest feature for a small site to enter.
• Rich results - review stars, FAQs and event details drawn from structured data.

Ranking first is worth less than it was. Being the source a feature quotes is worth more.