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A SERP audit shows who owns Google’s first page for the searches that matter to your business: ads, map listings, AI Overviews, organic results and the “best of” lists your buyers read. A Share of SERP audit goes one step further and scores how much of that page is yours, so you can see exactly where to show up next.
This guide walks you through running one yourself with our free template. Want to see how our team runs it for clients across SEO and PPC? Read our Share of SERP walkthrough.
What is a SERP?
SERP (Search Engine Results Page): SERP is the page displayed by a search engine in response to a user’s search query. It typically includes a list of organic search results, paid advertisements, featured snippets, images, videos, local map listings, and other relevant elements.
In 2026, a typical first page can include top ads, an AI Overview, a map pack, “People also ask,” organic results, videos and bottom ads. Every one of those is a spot you could own, either directly or by being mentioned in it.
How to setup your audit with a free template
1. Copy the free share of serp template right here.
2. Duplicate the file “CLIENT NAME – Share of SERP Audit Template”
3. Use your 3 most impactful bottom-of-funnel (BOFU) keywords: searches people make when they’re ready to buy, hire or sign up (for example, ‘catholic website design agency’ or ‘specialty vehicle manufacturer’). The template has one tab for each.
4. Use the Following Share of SERP Audit as a Guide:
How to perform a share of SERP audit
1. Enter the all of the top BOFU Keywords into an Incognito Google search
2. Map out the first page’s results. Note which SERP features appear (ads at the top and/or bottom, local pack, featured snippet, People Also Ask, videos and any AI Overview) and who owns each one. Record your own ranking and the positions of your top 3 competitors. For AI Overviews, log which sites are cited.
3. After copying each link on the keyword’s tab, go to each link, one by one, and look for three things:
– Is your business listed anywhere?
– If it’s a list with you and other competitors, where do you rank?
– Is the page running Google display ads (AdSense/Ad Manager)? If so, it may be a placement you can target with display or remarketing campaigns.
4. Open Semrush (or Ahrefs) and put the URL in to determine if the page ranks for other BOFU keywords – Click on Organic Rankings.
5. Repeat for each keyword.
6. On the first tab, summarize the opportunities found in each keyword tab: flag every SERP feature you don’t hold yet, which pages you should try to rank on (or get listed on), and which pages have display ad placements. Then list your priority recommendations.
– Site Name is different than the url
– Next Steps should be your recommendation for what to do with this opportunity
– Notes should be any particular insight you may have about this opportunity (super low DA, not actually relevant, etc.)
How to score your Share of SERP
Share of SERP = spots you own or appear in ÷ total Page 1 spots
Count your website, your ads, your Google Business Profile in the map pack, citations in the AI Overview and mentions in third-party lists. If you appear in 6 of 20 spots, your Share of SERP for that keyword is 30%. Track it monthly for each money keyword. The empty spots are your to-do list: ads to test, listicles to pitch, review profiles to complete and pages to improve.
For a real example of SEO and Google Ads working the same results pages together, see High Level Enterprises: ranking keywords grew about 9x, from about 49 to 431 (Jan 2025 to May 2026). Read the High Level Enterprises case study.
Want us to run it for you?
We run Share of SERP audits as part of our SEO services and paid search management. Book a strategy call and we’ll show you how much of Page 1 you own today.
