In the ever-evolving landscape of SEO, staying ahead means paying close attention to emerging SERP features that can impact visibility and traffic.
One such feature that has quietly become a significant presence in the SERPs is the "From Sources Across the Web" block.
In fact, 38% of all the keywords tracked in seoClarity now show the presence of this result.
As this feature continues to appear more frequently on the SERPs, particularly on mobile, optimizing your content to get included can provide a competitive edge.
Below, we’ll explore actionable steps to optimize your content for this feature and reveal how seoClarity can simplify the process.
Prefer video? Watch this quick walk-through instead!
The "From Sources Across the Web" feature is a relatively new addition to Google's Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), first appearing in 2022.
It presents users with a collection of excerpts from various websites, aggregated into a carousel or block within the search results.
Here’s an example:
And here’s what it looks like when expanded:
This feature is designed to offer users a broader perspective on a specific query by pulling in relevant content snippets from multiple sources, often accompanied by the publication name and sometimes the date of publication.
This new SERP feature launched in July/August 2024 and sits in the most prominent spot on the SERP.
According to a sampling of more than one million keywords from the US mobile results, >96% of the time it’s in position 1-3 and 84% of the time in the first position! Wow…
Still not convinced? We are seeing this new SERP feature dominant in those positions in countries across the globe, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, Mexico, and likely more to come.
To identify how to get included in the “From Sources Across the Web” SERP feature, it’s important to first understand where the results come from.
In short, the results are based on Google's scraping of the web and identification of what entities co-occur within the topic.
To effectively optimize for the "From Sources Across the Web" SERP feature, it's crucial to understand the driving factor behind the items listed in it: the co-occurrence of the terms in association with the given topic.
Google’s algorithm looks for patterns where specific terms appear together in context, signaling their relevance to one another.
For example, when crawling the web, if Google encounters the term "online casino games" on pages that also mention "Roulette" and "Black Jack," it’s a strong indication that the term and the topic are related.
This means that to show up in the list for “From Sources Across the Web,” you must be referenced in articles and blog posts that cover topics related to your business
Here are two opportunities to ensure that your business, products, or content are frequently referenced within online resources that discuss related topics:
One of the most effective ways to optimize for this feature is by getting mentioned in authoritative, topic-related articles.
Specifically, focus on getting referenced in list-based articles that rank or recommend top products, services, or resources in your industry — such as "Best ______" or "Top X ______."
This process, known as "reference building," is similar to traditional link building but with a focus on getting your business or content mentioned as a valuable resource.
To do this, reach out to the authors or editors of sites that publish high-quality content in your niche and offer them insights, data, or unique content that can add value to their articles. Make it easy for them to include a mention of your business as a top choice or example in their content.
Seo clarity makes it easy to find reference-building opportunities.
First, enter your target keyword in Topic Explorer and use the top competitors tab to identify the top-ranking sites for that topic. These may be good targets for outreach to get your brand mentioned.
Then, choose one of the domains you found and enter it into Research Grid Domains. Use the keyword pattern filter to look for keywords that contain “best” or “top” or other words that might indicate a list-style article.
As a result, you’ll have a list of pages to target for your outreach to get mentioned.
Another method to optimize for the “From Sources Across the Web” SERP feature is to create and optimize content on your own site that thoroughly covers the relevant terms and concepts.
By "seeding" references within your site’s content, you’re essentially creating a foundation of resources that others can reference and that Google can recognize as authoritative.
Additionally, ensure these content pieces are well-interlinked, optimized for the keywords you’re targeting, and cover related entities in-depth. This will help Google understand the relationship between terms and increase the visibility of your content.
It’s also beneficial to actively promote your content across social media, newsletters, and through partnerships. The more visibility your content gets, the more likely it is to be referenced by others, further boosting your chances of appearing in the SERP feature.
seoClarity's AI content writer and analysis capability, Content Fusion, leverages the same core machine learning models used by Google to identify and assess topical relevance.
By simply inputting your target keyword, Content Fusion uncovers the most important entities, related keywords, and contextual relationships that should be included in your content.
This ensures that your content aligns closely with what Google recognizes as authoritative and relevant within the topic.
This strategic use of AI-driven insights helps you build stronger references on your site, enhancing your chances of inclusion in the "From Sources Across the Web" feature.
By combining strategic reference building with robust content creation on your own site, you can enhance your presence in the "From Sources Across the Web" feature, driving more organic traffic and solidifying your authority in your industry.
