Rich Snippets vs Rich Results: What's the Difference?

2 min read

You've probably heard both terms — 'rich snippets' and 'rich results' — used interchangeably. They're related but not the same thing. Understanding the difference helps you know exactly what to aim for with your schema markup.

Rich Snippets (The Old Term)

Rich snippets were Google's original name for enhanced search result displays — star ratings, prices, and review counts shown alongside regular search listings. The term dates back to 2009 when Google first started showing structured data in search results. Technically, a rich snippet is an enhanced version of the standard search result snippet (the title, URL, and description). It adds visual elements pulled from structured data on your page.

Rich Results (The Current Term)

Rich results is Google's current, broader term that encompasses rich snippets plus newer formats like: product carousels, FAQ dropdowns, how-to steps with images, recipe cards with cooking times, job posting cards, and event listings. The key difference: rich results include formats that go beyond just enhancing the standard snippet — they can create entirely new visual layouts in search results.

What Matters for Ecommerce

For online stores, the most valuable rich results are: **Product rich results** — Show price, availability, star ratings, and review count directly in search listings. Requires Product schema with offers, aggregateRating, and review data. **FAQ rich results** — If you have FAQ sections on product pages, these expand as dropdowns in search results, taking up more space. **Breadcrumb rich results** — Show your category path instead of the raw URL, making listings more navigable. All of these require proper structured data (JSON-LD schema markup) on your pages.

How to Get Rich Results

1. Add the required schema markup to your pages (Product, FAQ, BreadcrumbList) 2. Test each page type in Google's Rich Results Test 3. Fix any errors or missing required fields 4. Wait — Google needs to re-crawl your pages and process the schema. This typically takes 2-4 weeks. RankRipper checks your schema on every scan and shows a Rich Result Eligibility checklist so you know exactly what's needed for each type of enhanced listing.

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