If you film a product demo or a podcast for YouTube, and you don\u2019t get views, is it anything more than a virtual paperweight? If someone writes a blog and nobody reads it, does it really exist? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can painstakingly create exceptional content, but your time and effort won’t mean anything if you can\u2019t get eyes on it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s a myriad of ways to draw attention to your website. From tried-and-true SEO techniques to connecting on social media, or even the classic touch of a business card, the choices are vast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what if there’s a golden ticket to top visibility? Enter: the Featured Snippet on Google Search. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Below, we\u2019ll unpack this standout method and offer guidance on how to position your content for Feature Snippets. If you\u2019re looking to have your website standout in one of the most sought after placements on Google search engine results pages, you\u2019ll want to read on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contents:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Google Featured Snippet gives you information when you enter a query into the search field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Note that the snippet isn\u2019t the same as the answer box. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The answer box appears with a simple answer and without a citation. For instance, if you ask when the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series, Google would generate \u201c1992\u201d and \u201c1993\u201d in a box at the top of a page without citations. That\u2019s an answer box. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conversely, when you click through to the cited website, a snippet gives you a detailed answer. It highlights the extracted blurb\u2013and its location. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, the snippet link has an anchor tag<\/strong><\/a> to take you to the blurb\u2019s precise page location instead of taking you to the top. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you still having a hard time envisioning a Featured Snippet? Ask Google, \u201cWhat\u2019s a Featured Snippet?<\/strong><\/a>\u201d and one will appear with the definition and a requisite link. Also, underneath the extracted website text, the snippet will actually say \u201cabout Featured Snippets.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Featured Snippets evolve continually, perpetually adding and trialling new features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Up to 23% of Google searches<\/strong><\/a> yield Featured Snippets. The longer a search query, the likelier it will generate a Featured Snippet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n SEMrush research<\/strong><\/a> cites paragraph snippets comprise 70% of Featured Snippets, making them\u2013by far\u2013the most popular. An average featured paragraph snippet is around 249 characters or 42 words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why should your business and brand prioritize Featured Snippets? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Appearing in a snippet means you\u2019re at the top of the search engine results page (SERP). Thus\u2013whether on mobile or desktop\u2013the clickability of your content multiplies exponentially. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Featured Snippets take up significant real estate on mobile screens \u2013 around 50% or more of the available space. Thus, Smartphone and Android users have no choice but to see the featured snipper for their query. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Note that Featured Snippets are more prevalent with intent-specific keywords (e.g., long-tail keywords)<\/strong><\/a> at a given sales funnel stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before moving on to the next section, here\u2019s a breakdown of Featured Snippet percentages (according to SEMrush): <\/p>\n\n\n\n Below is a list of the various Featured Snippet types: <\/p>\n\n\n\n A featured paragraph is the first one that pops into most people\u2019s minds when they think of a Google snippet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With these paragraphs, Google attempts to answer a search question with extracted text from a page. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Featured paragraph snippets can also be text from a video description. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll see featured number-list snippets explaining how to do something. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Want a recipe for a homemade chilli or Fettuccine Alfredo? Type in \u201cchilli recipe\u201d or \u201cFettuccine Alfredo\u201d recipe, and Google will generate a numbered list with the recipes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This notion holds for other DIY tasks. Whenever you ask Google, \u201cHow do I?\u201d or \u201cHow to\u2026\u201d there\u2019s a strong chance that the results will feature a numbered list snippet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Imagine you want to know the top expert-rated sedans in 2023. If you take this query to Google, it\u2019ll likely yield a featured bulleted list. Generally, you\u2019ll be linked back to a listicle article<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll typically come across bulleted lists when you want \u201cbest of\u201d rankings or generally ranked items. Although, bulleted lists do appear for unranked items and feature lists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tables will have pricing, lists, data, and rates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019re also precise in providing relevant content based on the user\u2019s needs. A table will organize specific information about the search query and generate its own table (i.e., you won\u2019t find the same table within the linked content). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Paragraph snippets might be the most prevalent of the bunch, but table snippets hold their own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Tables make up almost 30%<\/strong><\/a> of all snippets since Google likes to show them off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A significant advantage of Featured Snippets is their versatility. You aren\u2019t limited to your website. For example, your YouTube content is more prime material for Google to mine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you not making YouTube videos? We get that it\u2019s intimidating for some, but the medium is always worth exploring, given the results it yields<\/strong><\/a>. Check out this helpful how-to video<\/strong><\/a> for making excellent YouTube videos for your business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the scenarios wherein Google will feature a YouTube video in a snippet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carousel isn\u2019t only the de facto scene title of Don Draper\u2019s finest moment in Mad Men<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also a Google Featured Snippet type. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With carousels, relevant, Google-suggested keywords a user might search for will appear in little bubbles at the top or bottom of snippets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Upon clicking a keyword, the user will see the snippet content transform into something else. The search results will also change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The carousel snippet appears when a query requires more intensive research or refinement to offer a concise answer. It also shows itself when there\u2019s a different answer after a refinement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Moz research cites that around 67% of carousel bubbles<\/strong><\/a> appear from websites in the two to ten ranking spots. The last 33% come from non-raking sites. If you missed out initially, the carousel gives you another chance to take some snippet-based real estate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You increase your carousel viability by ensuring you\u2019re covering your topics comprehensively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Google might seem like some omnipotent, ubiquitous, big-brother-type entity. Yet, it\u2019s not all-knowing. It has flaws and can\u2019t always decipher intent and meaning, as seen in how it responds to some search queries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, as proven by the double-Featured Snippet, Google covers its bases, even when it\u2019s not 100% sure about the information a user seeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In short, Google displays two Featured Snippets instead of one when the user\u2019s intent is a bit murky. While \u201cunclear intent\u201d can have many meanings, instances include when keywords have multiple interpretations, contexts, and definitions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are a couple of points to keep in mind with double-Featured Snippets:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The two-for-one snippet might sound similar to a double-Featured Snippet, but they couldn\u2019t be any different. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Two-for-ones occur when Google cites two websites to answer one question. For instance, they\u2019ll take an image from one company\u2019s YouTube video and text from a different brand\u2019s website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Most queries calling for a two-for-one snippet require answers best conveyed with images. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you ever notice a \u201cpeople also ask\u201d tab popping up when you make a search query? <\/p>\n\n\n\n This feature is very similar to the accordion snippet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Such a snippet applies to queries involving topics that require more information, and the answer can\u2019t be offered in a paragraph or table. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Accordion Featured Snippets include multiple collapsible tabs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you were starring in a rom-com, Google would be your love interest. You\u2019re courting them in hopes of them featuring your content in one of their highly coveted snippets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, sending Google a bouquet of flowers won\u2019t work (believe us, we\u2019ve tried!) Even a candlelit dinner will get you nowhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, Google seeks specific qualities within the content it intends to feature. Most crucially, the content itself must be of a high quality. The preeminent search engine in the world has a reputation to uphold. It puts the user experience first on its priority list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Thus, anything less than excellent won\u2019t pass the Google Featured Snippet test. <\/p>\n\n\n\n An appealing, relevant long tail keyword is the other facet of ticking Google\u2019s Featured Snippet box. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Help your cause by discovering a tantalizing long-tail keyword (pertinent to your brand). Then, make your bid for that Featured Snippet-based real estate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, creating high-quality content is a tall order. Attracting Google requires many optimization efforts, which we\u2019ll detail below: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you want to get Google\u2019s attention so they\u2019ll feature your content in snippets? If so, the optimization efforts below will prove integral to your cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Questions are Featured Snippet fodder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, Google most often generates these snippets in response to a question instead of more generalized searches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s always wise to ask, \u201cCan I turn this header into a question?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n You don\u2019t necessarily want to force it\u2013the questions must be relevant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, let\u2019s say you\u2019re writing something like \u201cThe benefits of winter boots.\u201d That can easily be, \u201cWhat are the benefits of winter boots?\u201d Or \u201cWhat benefits should I look for in winter boots?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n What would a \u201cforced version\u201d of the above practice look like? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe something like, \u201cWho wants benefits from winter boots?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n While we appreciate the effort and trying to find ways to shape the header into a question, nobody\u2019s going to ask Google such a thing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Do your best to put yourself in your target customer\u2019s head. What kind of questions would they ask Google about your content\u2019s topic matter? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember, too, that Google seeks relevant questions incorporating equally relevant terms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Type in half a query, and you\u2019ll quickly notice the box below completes that very query with its own predictions. Use that to your advantage to learn the types of questions being asked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a list of relevant questions with relevant terms (we\u2019ll stick with the winter boot example):<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other question words include is, which, who, should, where, and does. These will apply to specific terms in your content but not necessarily to our winter boots example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The term \u201cwinter boots\u201d used above has its limitations\u2013as do other generic names for products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWinter boot\u201d isn\u2019t useless as a keyword by any means, but it\u2019s evergreen and generalized on its own. A more versatile approach is needed to determine more relevant terms to help you reach a more lucrative audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n More to the point, only specific types of keywords rank for Featured Snippets, and other words don\u2019t rank at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Paid tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs provide much of the information required to guide your process. They provide a snapshot of which keywords rank for snippets and which don\u2019t (when another site ranks for it). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if budget is an issue, we suggest investing in paid tools.<\/strong><\/a> The return typically vastly exceeds the upfront costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Free tools like People Also Ask<\/strong><\/a> or AnswerThePublic <\/strong><\/a>will show long-tail question keywords. These will give you a window into the mind of your target customer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, these free tools can provide insights into pain points you\u2019ve never considered, going beyond offering keyword information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A paragraph snippet is generally your go-to and what you should often aim for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Help your cause (and your click-through rate) by providing immediate answers. Don\u2019t beat around the bush\u2013get to the point because it gives the reader\/user what they want. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you give your target user the goods (a direct answer), you can sprinkle in other details to further engage the searcher, inspiring them to click through. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Note that Featured Snippets only show limited lines of text or tables (54 to 58 words). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Facts and data sets apply to list-based snippets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Imagine you ask, \u201cShould I wear running shoes or winter boots?\u201d In this instance, you have a comparison on your hands. You can then ask about weather, terrain, temperature, environment, etc. You could also ask, \u201cWhat are the different types of footwear?\u201d In this case, you\u2019ll likely get a list or table offering another data set. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Make life easier for Google\u2019s web crawlers by formatting your page with basic HTML tags. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Questions and bullet points require <h2> and <H3> tags. <p> applies to paragraph tags for the text. List items include <ol> or <ul> and <li>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lists don\u2019t necessarily have to be ordered, although it won\u2019t hurt if they are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Content generated in table snippets tends to be snackable, ordered lists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What do we mean by snackable? We mean easily digestible content that quickly and effectively conveys an idea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider ways to take your current information and repurpose it into snackable lists. That could mean taking non-listicle content you\u2019ve already written and re-writing it as a separate blog\u2013for instance\u2013and turning it into a listicle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Relevant pictures generate the best results when they\u2019re photos or illustrations. However, infographics or diagrams will suffice if you don\u2019t have the former. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ensure your images have these attributes and entities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Structured data<\/strong><\/a> can be found on around two-thirds of articles containing Featured Snippets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Search results and structured data go hand in hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Structuring data is a concise way to provide information, giving users what they want in seconds. Then, they\u2019ll be enticed to engage with your website\u2013known as rich results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The optimization tips provided above will give you a significant leg up in appearing in a Featured Snippet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, we can\u2019t make any promises. Turning up in a Featured Snippet comes down to various, ever-evolving factors as well as Google\u2019s always-changing algorithms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below, we\u2019ll highlight some best practices to help increase the likelihood of your content appearing in a Featured Snippet: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dig into the nuances of your desired snippets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Determine where Google is grabbing snippets from on featured web pages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask, \u201cWhat type of schema markup<\/strong><\/a> does the featured content have?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s time to embrace your inner Sherlock Holmes, investigate these details, and use the information to foster success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Say your keyword is \u201cBest DIY Christmas Decorations.\u201d The results page will likely generate visual content (i.e., videos and images). Thus, your content must be visual to match your searcher\u2019s intent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the above instance, people need images to help with an activity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Conversely, someone asking for something specific and factual would have their intent matched by a paragraph snippet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Matching your content with intent gets you ranked and featured in snippets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In snippets, Google provides short, concise information, especially for voice query results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, cut to the chase and get to the point, eliminating needless words in the content you wish to be featured in snippets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your most popular pages should have a \u201ctoo long, didn\u2019t read<\/strong><\/a>\u201d summary at the end (or beginning), including the key takeaways. Prioritize information that yields the most conversions and audience engagement (based on your analytics). <\/p>\n\n\n\n This small effort can make a massive impact in ranking you for all manner of Featured Snippets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Google wants new, fresh content appearing as Featured Snippets. According to SEMrush, articles no more than two to three years old dominate Featured Snippets, as they\u2019re featured 70% of the time<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prioritize the user\u2019s needs by adding the date to your content since most people want to ensure your information is current and relevant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the percentages for how frequently dates are displayed in Featured Snippet types: <\/p>\n\n\n\n 80% of the time, Featured Snippet content will belong to URLs\/website links with a structure similar to the examples below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n We don\u2019t necessarily mean there\u2019s a causal relationship here. Having between one and three subfolders won\u2019t necessarily increase the likelihood of having content featured in Google snippets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, it\u2019s worth noting that longer URLs don\u2019t typically get featured, making one to three subfolders a nice, creamy middle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The current landscape for small business owners and in-house marketers is daunting. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy Do Featured Snippets Matter?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Types Of Featured Snippets<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Paragraph<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Numbered List<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bulleted List<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Table<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
YouTube<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Carousel<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Double Featured Snippet<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Two For One<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Accordion<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How To Identify Content With Featured Snippet Potential<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Optimizing Your Content For Featured Snippets<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Write Headers As Questions And With Relevant Terms<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Implement Paid Tools Into Your Content Workflow<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Getting to the Point<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Facts and Data Sets<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The information above can end up on a table. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHTML Lists<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tables<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Relevant Pictures<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Image Attributes and Entities.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Schema<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What Are Some Featured Snippet Best Practices?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do the Research<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Discover Your Searchers’ Intent<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cut to the Chase<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Incorporate a TL;DR Summary<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Publish New Content (and Add Dates)<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Commit to Site Structure Optimization<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Thriving in a Challenging SEO Landscape<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n