Carousel

What is a Carousel in SEO?

In SEO, a carousel is an interactive feature within search engine results where multiple images, videos, or other types of media are displayed in a horizontal row. Users can scroll through the carousel to view additional media related to their search query. This feature can often be seen in searches for specific topics, such as movies, products, places, and more.

The key difference between an image carousel and traditional image search results lies in the way the images are displayed. While a typical image search shows static images within the search results, a carousel allows users to scroll through a series of images directly from the SERP itself. If a user clicks on an image in the carousel, it will take them to a new SERP tailored to that image, providing additional context or results related to the selected image.

Types of Carousels in SEO

There are a few different types of carousels you might encounter in SERPs:

Image Carousels
These are the most common type of carousel and display a collection of images related to the search query. They are often found when searching for visual content, such as products, destinations, celebrities, or movie posters.

Video Carousels
Similar to image carousels, video carousels display a set of video thumbnails that users can scroll through. These are commonly found for how-to guides, reviews, or any other type of search query where video content would be helpful.

News Carousels
When looking for recent or trending news, you might encounter a carousel that shows headlines and summaries of relevant news articles from different sources. This type of carousel is often updated in real time.

Local Pack Carousels
For location-based searches, a carousel may display local businesses or locations relevant to the search query. For example, searching for “restaurants near me” might bring up a carousel of restaurants in your area.

How Do Carousels Work in Search Results?

Carousels are designed to highlight specific content that might interest the user. These features typically appear for queries that are highly visual or where users might prefer a richer media experience. They are designed to engage users and keep them on the SERP longer, as they offer easy access to several options at once.

For example, if someone searches for “best laptops 2024,” the carousel might show images of various laptops, with each image representing a different product. If the user clicks on one of these images, they are directed to a new search result page that contains additional information or reviews of that specific product.

The presence of a carousel in the search results can be beneficial for websites because it can increase visibility for relevant content, driving more clicks and engagement with users.

Benefits of Carousels for SEO

Increased Visibility
Carousels are placed near the top of the SERP, making them highly visible to users. Having your media featured in a carousel can significantly boost your content’s exposure.

Engagement
Carousels encourage user interaction by allowing users to scroll through multiple images, videos, or options. This means a higher chance for your content to be selected by users.

Enhanced User Experience
The interactive nature of a carousel can improve the user experience, as users can quickly view a range of content before making their selection.

Opportunities for Rich Snippets
Carousels provide a chance for content to be showcased as rich snippets. This not only boosts visibility but also signals to Google that the content is highly relevant to the query.

How to Optimise Content for Carousels

To take advantage of carousel features and potentially have your images or videos displayed in them, consider the following optimisation strategies:

High-Quality, Relevant Media
Ensure your images or videos are of high quality and relevant to the search queries you are targeting. Clear, visually appealing content stands a better chance of being featured.

Optimise Image Alt Text
Use descriptive alt text for all images to ensure they are indexed correctly. This improves the chances of appearing in image-based carousels.

Structured Data Markup
For rich media to appear in a carousel, you can use structured data markup (Schema.org) to help search engines understand the context of your content. This will improve the likelihood of being included in carousels.

Target Visual Content
Since carousels are often used for visual content, creating image-based or video-based content can increase your chances of appearing in carousels.

Focus on Trending Topics
Carousels are often featured for current or trending topics. By producing timely, relevant content, you can increase the chances of your content being included in a carousel.

Carousel vs. Other SERP Features

While carousels are a prominent feature on the SERP, they aren’t the only interactive element designed to grab attention. Other SERP features include:

Featured Snippets: Text-based answers to questions that are highlighted at the top of the page.

Local Packs: A set of local business results typically displayed in a map format.

Knowledge Graph: A box of information pulled from authoritative sources to answer specific queries.

People Also Ask: A list of questions related to the search query that users can click on to expand and view more.

Each of these features provides a unique way to engage users, and having content optimised for one or more of these features can help improve your site’s visibility.

Conclusion

The carousel feature is an essential part of modern SERPs, offering users a dynamic and interactive experience. For businesses, optimising content to appear in carousels can significantly enhance visibility and engagement, ultimately driving more traffic to the site. By focusing on high-quality, relevant media, and implementing the right optimisation strategies, you can increase the chances of having your content included in this valuable SERP feature.