When you type a question into Google and get a brief answer at the top, you’ve encountered Google’s “featured snippet.” This content block aims to answer a user’s question quickly and efficiently, pulling information from a webpage.
How do you ensure Google includes your information in its featured snippet, though? This guide will help you sort out how featured snippets work and how you can take advantage of the visibility they bring.
What Is a Featured Snippet?
Also known as “position zero” to advertisers, featured snippets are the ideal place to be in search. Google extracts them from a website and features them prominently at the top of a search results page. It can be a block of text, list, table, or even a video, depending on the search query it’s answering.
“I like to think of featured snippets as premium real estate on the search engine results page (SERP),” says Brianna Strouse, SEO manager at LevLane Advertising. “These SERP elements are a hot commodity in the search engine landscape, and acquiring them should definitely be a part of your SEO strategy.”
Importance for SEO
A featured snippet can take your visibility to the next level, especially for mobile and voice search, where users may only get the top result. That visibility can bring the following benefits:
- Increased click-through rate (CTR): Featured snippets can quickly answer a question, but they often entice users to click over for more. Even if your website appears in the first organic position, the snippet can further increase visibility.
- Improved authority: If Google selects your content for a featured snippet, that means the algorithms see your content as authoritative and relevant, and that can be good for your overall search performance.
- Voice search dominance: Smart devices like Google Assistant will typically read the featured snippet in response to spoken search queries. This puts you ahead of competitors in an environment that’s increasingly shifting toward voice.
How to Optimize for Featured Snippets
1. Target Question-Based Keywords
Instead of optimizing for keyphrases, move toward a strategy that answers questions. Look for popular, relevant search queries that begin with “what,” “how,” “why” or “who.” Innovative tools that use artificial intelligence (AI) to predict search queries can help you come up with the right type of content. These tools are built on extensive engagement data and can pinpoint the exact phrasing you need.
2. Use Clear and Concise Answers
Google’s featured snippets typically range from 40 to 60 words, which highlights the importance of being concise. Make sure your content answers the question quickly but thoroughly so that the algorithms will spot it and extract it.
3. Apply Structured Headers
Big blocks of texts don’t appeal to the algorithms. Use H2s and H3s to break content into logical segments. The algorithms scan content for this type of structure. As a bonus, this hierarchy also makes it easier to, say, repurpose your content into carousel ads.
4. Create Lists and Tables
Google’s algorithms tend to favor how-to lists and product comparisons when choosing content for snippets. To make it clear that’s what you’re offering, use bullet points and tables in your content rather than relying solely on paragraphs.
Types of Featured Snippets and How to Win Them
Paragraph Snippets
These snippets answer queries using a few concise sentences. To boost your odds of winning the featured snippet, make the subheading a question, then follow it with a short answer.
List Snippets
If your content is a listicle (i.e. “5 Simple Ways to Clean Your Washer”), it’s important to use bullet points or numbers under a clearly labeled header. These snippets tend to come from step-by-step guides or rankings.
Table Snippets
Consumers often compare multiple products, and table snippets can be a quick way to get that information. Tables give users a quick way to compare prices, features, and statistics, making them ideal for featured snippet status.
Video Snippets
Since Google owns YouTube, it’s no surprise Google often displays YouTube videos answering a query. The best way to shoot for a featured snippet with your video is to optimize the video title, description, and timestamps. Tools with social import functionality can help you repurpose your assets into snippet-ready content.
Tools for Featured Snippet Optimization
1. Semrush
Semrush has a featured snippet option inside its Position Tracking report that lets you track where your content is appearing. You can easily view which target keywords have featured snippets and see opportunities for future featured snippets.
2. Ahrefs
Ahrefs offers a feature called Site Explorer that helps you identify which areas of your website have featured snippet potential. It looks at the formatting of the content, as well as its current ranking position.
3. Google Search Console
You can use the Google Search Console to determine whether your content is already appearing as a featured snippet. The performance tab will also show keyword data and offer click-through insights. If you’re seeing high impressions but low click-through rates on a page, that page might be a candidate for a featured snippet.
4. Predictive Audience Tools
Platforms with deep learning technology using historical performance data can accurately predict the content most likely to win snippets. Thanks to AI, these tools can be great for streamlining everything from content creation to landing page builds, making it easier for you to compete for featured snippet positioning.
Key Takeaways
Featured snippets appear at the top of a search results page, providing quick, direct answers to question-based search queries. Optimizing for featured snippets can bring more customers to your website, especially in an era where users are shifting toward voice and mobile search. Advanced tools that use AI technology can help predict, format, and deploy snippet-winning content.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do you get a featured snippet on Google?
While you can’t control whether your content appears as a featured snippet, you can boost your chances by creating content that answers relevant search queries in a concise, structured format.
“Google typically scans the first few ranking articles as its source for a featured snippet, so you’ll need a webpage that is ranking at least in the top 10 (ideally top 5),” says CJ Miller, CEO at Dypto Crypto. “From there, snippets are selected based on their quality and how well they answer the specific query. Google wants something succinct and to the point, usually referencing the question within the answer itself.”
What is the ideal length for a featured snippet?
If your goal is to earn a featured snippet, aim for a word count of between 40 and 60 words. But, length isn’t as important as structure.
“The ideal length is roughly 50 words for paragraph snippets, and for list-based snippets, aim for four to seven concise bullet points so that Google can display the entire list without truncation,” says Linda Orr, fractional CMO at Orr Consulting.
Can you lose a featured snippet?
The short answer to this question is yes. Google’s algorithms are constantly hard at work, ensuring the most useful content appears in that section.
“If another page presents a more relevant, up-to-date, and well-organized response, it’s possible to lose one’s earned featured snippet,” says Brandon Schroth, founder at Reporter Outreach. “Google’s algorithms perpetually evaluate the content used for snippets. This is why it’s crucial to monitor featured snippets for highly relevant keywords and phrases and update your content accordingly, to improve your chances of your content being picked.”
Why are featured snippets important for voice search?
In an era of smartphones and smart speakers, consumers increasingly use voice assistants to get answers to everyday questions. Voice assistants often pull directly from featured snippets, giving featured brands a voice-search advantage.
“Featured snippets are incredibly important for voice search because of how people talk to their phones and smart speakers,” says Alex Smith, manager and co-owner of Render3DQuick.com. “In voice search, there is no second-place finish. Either you are the snippet, or you are invisible. Getting into that position puts your content at the center of the conversation people are having with their devices, and that naturally pulls more visitors to your site.”
What type of content is most likely to appear in a featured snippet?
Concise, informative content that directly answers a question is a prime candidate for a featured snippet. The following content is most likely to qualify:
- How-to guides.
- Definitions.
- Comparisons.
- FAQs.
“I always advise businesses, ‘Think about what a person actually wants to know, then tell them that without any unnecessary fluff,’” says Abigail Wright, marketing specialist and senior business advisor at ChamberofCommerce.org.
How do you format lists and tables for featured snippets?
To format lists and tables, you’ll need to know a little HTML. Google responds to well-structured posts, so make sure you use relevant headers to improve both crawlability and readability.
“Use clean headers, short bullet points, and properly labeled tables,” says Jensen Savage, CEO of Savage Growth Partners. “Google loves structure it can easily understand.”
What is the “People Also Ask” box and how does it relate to featured snippets?
You’ve probably noticed the “people also ask” box hanging out among search results. Content that ranks in people also ask (PAA) can also show up as featured snippets. That further expands the visibility you’ll get by formatting your content for featured snippet eligibility.
“A tip to rank for this type of content is to have an optimized FAQ on your site with FAQ schema markup,” Strouse says.
Do featured snippets increase website traffic?
Featured snippets can drive traffic toward your website, particularly if they relate to high-volume keywords. Yes, they can answer the question directly, causing some users to never click over to your site, but more often than not, consumers will click over for a deeper dive.
“For some questions, the snippet gives users everything they need, and they might not click,” says Rodrigo Cesar, CEO and founder at SSInvent. “But, for more complex answers, winning a featured snippet can dramatically boost click-through rates and drive highly qualified traffic to your site.”
How do you track your featured snippet rankings?
You’ll find a variety of tools for tracking featured snippet rankings. Some of the most popular are Semrush, Ahrefs, and Moz. If your chosen marketing platform allows, set alerts to monitor for changes.
“I use a combination of tools to track featured snippets,” Cesar says. “Tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, and Moz can show whether you’re ranking for a snippet. I also manually check critical keywords by searching them incognito to see how my pages appear visually on the results page.”
What are some tools for featured snippet research?
In addition to SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz, look for tools that aggregate user intent data, automate headline testing, and enable quick content deployment. Bonus points if you can find solutions that periodically refresh your creative and provide predictive targeting capabilities.
