15 min read
Featured Snippets 2021 Update
In this article, you will learn what a featured snippet is and how to earn one. Here is what you will learn:
- What a featured snippet is
- Types of featured snippets
- Words and themes that generate featured snippets
- The starter words of queries answered in featured snippets
- How to format your content for a featured snippet
- What to include in your content for a featured snippet
- Featured snippet tools
“What is a Featured Snippet?”
Featured snippet is the term used to identify the box of information Google provides at the top of search results. This position in SERPS is known as zero position. These boxes are also called answer boxes because Google provides an answer to a user query in these boxes.
FACT: Featured snippets offer information pulled from organic search results and give credit to the site via a link.
Why are Featured Snippets Important?
The primary purpose of SEO is to convince Google to recommend your site as the best answer to a user query. In other words, SEO is the art and science of directing organic traffic – traffic you are not paying for – to your site. Featured snippets direct the user’s attention to the box that answers their question. These sought-after spots in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) are great ways to call attention to your company’s site.
12.29% of search queries have featured snippets in their search results. The answer to “Why are featured snippets important?” is that they provide a great branding opportunity and drive critical organic traffic to your site. This article discusses types of featured snippets and how you can optimize your content to win featured snippets. It also provides some featured snippet tools and examples.
Note: Google no longer duplicates results in SERPs. Obtaining a featured snippet means that your site loses its place on the following snippets on the SERP.
Types of Featured Snippets
Search Engine Journal compiled a list of the three main types of featured snippets Google provides in response to a user query:
- Paragraph Snippets: 81.95%
- Bulleted and Numbered List Snippets: 10.77%
- Table Snippets: 7.28%
Google also offers YouTube Snippets in response to some queries.
Paragraph Snippets
Paragraph snippets are those featured snippets that answer a question in paragraph format. These snippets answer questions like:
- How to…
- How do I…
- How to get…
- Who is…
- Why is…
- What is…
For example, when searching “What is a featured snippet”, this is the paragraph snippet:
Bulleted and Number List Snippets
List snippets provide an answer to a user’s question in list format. These snippets are commonly provided as answers for:
- Recipes.
- How to…
- DIY subjects.
- How do I…
- Best…
- Worst…
- Top…
For example:
Table Snippets
Table snippets are one of the ways Google answers a query about comparisons. They parse, sort, and present data like:
- Rates
- Prices
- Years
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For instance, when Googling “2019 car sales by brand”, this is the table I get:
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How to Optimize for Featured Snippets
Featured snippets should: 1) offer an answer to the user’s question, and 2) create the desire to learn more by clicking through to your site.
The first rule of content is quality. Don’t write content specifically to obtain snippets. However, there are some tricks to creating great content and obtaining the zero position. Here are some tips from the experts on how to optimize for featured snippets and for users.
Find the right keywords.
Find out what users are asking. One simple way to find out what users are asking in your niche is autocomplete. Simply begin a query with your seed keyword and let Google tell you what users want to know. The “People Also Ask” box in Google’s search is another way to discover keywords for your posts.
Another good way to get keywords is to ask employees what customers are asking. Talk to the employees in your call center. Ask them about what customers are asking. They can tell you how customers are asking these questions, as well.
Keyword research tools and tools for featured snippets can also be helpful in finding keywords that answer a user’s questions. You will find listings for these tools below this section. Diib® offers a keyword research tool that can give you answers to all your keyword questions; allowing you to formulate the ideal campaign. Here is that tool:
Answer questions relating to these words.
Most featured snippets have these words, themes, and starter words. Using these in your text can significantly increase your chance of obtaining the coveted zero position.
Most common words and themes:
STAT Search Analytics has compiled a comprehensive list of the most common words and themes that generate featured snippets. Their research shows that the most common queries answered with featured snippets include the words:
- Average
- Salary
- Many
- Much
- Does
- Years
The complete list is posted here.
Most common query starter words:
The most common starter words of queries that trigger featured snippets are:
- How to…
- What is…
- How do…
- How much…
- What does…
- What are…
- How many…
- How long…
- Can you…
- Recipe for…
Write posts that answer several questions.
Most featured snippets are triggered by long-tail keywords, according to a study by @ahrefs. You can create great content and increase your chance of winning the featured snippet by writing niche-specific blog posts and using the right long-tail keywords. Some sites get the featured snippet for more than one question or answer. In a search for “coffee drink”, for example, here is a list of the long-tail keyword phrases you may see:
Use LSI Keywords in your content.
Using LSI keywords makes it easier for Google to understand your topic. Backlinko offers this definition: “LSI keywords are conceptually related terms that search engines use to deeply understand content on a webpage.” They are not synonyms for your seed keyword, although you can use synonyms in your text. LSI keywords are keywords that further refine your topic. These keywords indicate to Google that you know your business well. For example:
Write in the user’s language.
Include questions when possible, such as on FAQ pages. Note that a single featured snippet may answer more than one question. FAQ pages are good because they can offer both the question and the answer. Remember when you create your content that featured snippets are most commonly provided in response to voice queries.
Offer clear and concise answers.
Featured snippets offer 40-50 words and answer questions in formats that are short and to-the-point. This doesn’t mean you need to limit your content, however.
Check out sites from various featured snippets in your niche, and consider the length and format of the content featured on the landing page. Notice its format and keywords. Try to create your content in the ways these are written.
Format your content correctly.
Use h1, h2, h3, and so on to structure your content. “It’s critical to use H2 headings to get your answers discovered by Google,” according to Content Marketing Institute. Here is a visual:
Place the headers close to your content. Varying the types of content and formats on your site, especially in your blog posts, allows you more opportunities to win a featured snippet.
Include a summary in your content:
Summaries come in all types of formats. Some types of summaries you might include in your content are:
- Conclusion (Paragraph format)
- Key Takeaways (List format)
- Important Points (List format)
- What You Need to Know (List format)
- A video or image series demonstrating how…
- An infographic displaying data or a process
Be sure to include target keywords in your summary. Here is an example:
Write in the inverted pyramid style.
Answer the most important questions first: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. Answering one or more of these questions near the top of your content can help you get a featured snippet. Next, provide important details about the topic. Finally, write information that is interesting but not necessary to know, such as background information.
Answering questions first when possible increases SERPs rankings. Write FAQ pages to increase your chances. Remember the questions listed under starter words when creating content to get your page to position zero.
Create bulleted and numbered lists.
Lists are a great way to create good content and to score the featured snippet. Use lists to explain processes, to rank items, and to list options. Listicles make for easy-to-digest content and increase rankings.
Add tables to your content.
Putting tables in your content offers Google the opportunity to parse information and make it available to the user in response to their query.
Add images to your content.
Include photos of your products with blog posts and product pages. Photos help both a user and Google understand your content.
Infographics hold the user’s attention and help them process and remember data. They are good SEO tools and provide Google with another good chance to answer a question clearly.
Remember that Google reads your images in many ways and creates your content with this in mind. Create your ALT text descriptively without keyword stuffing. Place your images near the corresponding text. Here is a great example of both good and not so good ALT text:
Add videos to your content.
How-to videos are great for obtaining feature snippets. They can complement most any type of content format, from paragraph to numbered list.
Create a Calculator or Tool.
Users ask questions like “How much flooring do I need for a 20 sq. ft room?” (Note this is just an example.) Your site is more likely to hit the zero position if you have a tool that will answer a mathematical question.
Use tools and calculators for anything that requires understanding data in a more complex form. “How much will a 30-year mortgage cost in interest?” might be a good question to answer with a tool.
Tools for Featured Snippets 2021
Here you will find a list of some of the best tools, both free and paid, for SEO and featured snippet research.
Here is a featured snippets tool that is available at no charge at WordPress SEO Review Tools. A search of the keyword “gardening” listed 100 possible questions. WordPress also offers a Content Idea Generator.
The keyword “Gardening” offered 100 possible content titles, many of which could work well with the long-tail keyword questions offered. There are many other SEO research tools available, as well.
SEMrush Position Tracking Tool
SEMrush offers a position tracking tool that includes a featured snippet tool. This shows you what keywords you should be focusing on to get featured snippets.
Internet Marketing Ninja Featured Snippets+
This tool offers you the rankings of your competitors on your primary keywords. It offers possible keywords and the formats the winning snippets are using.
Rank Ranger Featured Snippet Tool
This tool offers the rankings of your competitors for target keywords, links to the landing pages, and more.
Featured Snippet Examples
The following are examples of feature snippets obtained by using certain queries in Google.
This is a featured snippet example obtained by searching with Google with the query: “What is zero position?”
The Zero Position, also referred to as a featured snippet, is the information Google offers at the very top of the search results. This information most closely answers the question posed by the user. Since the dawn of search engines, we all pursued the #1 organic position on Google search engine results pages.
We hope that you found this article useful.
If you want to know more interesting about your site health, get personal recommendations and alerts, scan your website by Diib. It only takes 60 seconds.
What is the Zero Position? – Northwoods
Here is a featured snippet example obtained by a search for “pet cameras to watch and interact with your pets while you’re not home.” You can see the actual snippet with a featured image by clicking on the link.
With an impressive array of features at a decent price, the Pawbo Life Wi-Fi Pet Camera is a great investment for loving pet owners.
Pawbo Life Wi-Fi Pet Camera. …
Furbo Dog Camera. …
PetChatz HD PawCall. …
Petzi Treat Cam. …
YI Dome Camera. …
Petcube Bites Pet Camera. …
Petcube Play 2 Smart Pet Camera. …
JemPet Automatic Pet Feeder.
Aug 6, 2019
Best pet cameras: Keep tabs on your dog or cat – Mashable
Because the query used to get this result was niche-specific, there was less competition for this featured snippet.
Diib®: Organize and Rank Your Featured Snippet!
It is possible to both create great content and win featured snippets. The key is to anticipate the user’s questions. A good way to do this is through keyword research. The Diib software was designed to alert you to possible issues with your featured snippets or areas where they could be used effectively. Here are just some of the key features you’ll love:
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FAQ’s
These are, just like we’ve discussed in the article, short snippets of text that appear at the top of Google’s search results that were designed to quickly answer a searcher’s query. This could be a paragraph, list, guide or chart of information.
This represents a whole new avenue for securing a spot on SERPs. Because they are at the very top of the page, they offer your information greater visibility and clickability.
The short answer is no. In seeking to offer people quick and accurate information, Google created the snippet. This position is only secured through that information and the only information that appears above this box are those paid ads.
The most simple, straightforward way to check to see if your website has snippets is through Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool. By simply entering your URL, Google will run a quick website scan. This will give you all the information from your website on rich snippets.
This is the first line of your text that appears in the subject line. You can use this space as a call to action or offer they can’t refuse. Either way, you need the recipient to be intrigued to open the email and read more.
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