How to optimize Google for Featured Snippet | SEO Guide for Rank in Position #0
Google constant improves its algorithm to rank a website, and you have to keep all features updated in website. Googles featured snippets are the first thing that appears on top in search results to fulfill a specific search request. Featured snippet gives you a chance to drive traffic right to site with rich contents, and to beat competitors. So what are Google Featured Snippets? How can you optimize a web page content to rank?
Featured snippets are selections of text appearing on the top of search result, automatically fetched from all relevant web pages by Google. It is an opportunity to get more clicks on website, and drive an organic traffic right to website, even you are not ranking high in Google’s search result. A featured snippet gets approximately 11.9% of all clicks, if you can optimize website with specific keyword and search term. If your niche is DIY, health or finance, you have the highest probability of getting featured.
For an instance, if you are searching for "how to do SEO" ?
Google will answer your search term with containing a special box with content snippet (a paragraph, a list, or set of steps) in search result on the top. Google pulls the right contents from the relevant website that is already ranking on page one. It makes finding answer easier and accurate from search listings, even it can also pull the contents from lower ranking on SERPs. Ranking for a featured snippet is so helpful and effective for driving traffic.
You can boost website, and beat competitors without paying any fees for advertisement to rank for them. Anyone from you (a company, organization, or an individual) can earn that snippet to website for better search ranking. But there is no exact formula for earning a featured snippet on a web page (or website). Google decides who serves better content for a search request, and who will earn the rank zero. There is only easiest way to earn a snippet, provide quality contents to users that will Google love.
According to Ahrefs, 95.58% of featured snippet pages are already ranking in top 10 search results. But a study says, about 65% of snippets come from sites that are not in top search ranking and provide better contents from others. So if your business website is not ranking high in search result, don’t worry. You have still a good chance to earn a featured snippet from Google. It is always a good idea to start with researching good keywords, starting with question-type search queries (“what”, “how”).
Google says "Featured snippets are special boxes where the format of regular listings is reversed, showing the descriptive snippet first."
How Google’s featured snippets are chosen ?
When a user search in form of a question, Google picks a content snippet from most relevant website, and provides a quick answer in search result at rank #0. This featured snippet come from certain search listings which contains right useful information. This snippet can be a paragraph, a table, or a list (or set of steps). Google’s automated systems highlight the content snippet for a specific search request by user, from relevant website.
How can I optimize my page as a featured snippet?
No, you can’t optimize a web page for featured snippet by yourself. Google system itself determine whether a web page would make a good featured snippet for a user’s search request.
Types of Featured Snippet
There are 3 types of featured snippet that appears in Google Search Result:
1. The Definition Box (Paragraph)
2. A List
3. The Table
The Definition Box
When it comes to definition (paragraph) style featured snippet, Google pulls a selection of text with images from relevant website on the top of search result. Apparently 70% of text snippets are taken from Wikipedia articles. Sometime Google pulls a video snippet in search result, mostly taken from YouTube for the specific domain. Text snippets give a concise description or definition, commonly used to give answer for “what is” queries. Here is the example of what a paragraph feature snippet looks like?
List Snippet
Google tends to pull the result in form of a list (Ordered or Unordered List) for search request, shows a set of steps to do something more specific. If result data is not structured in a list, Google decides takes the data from relevant website, and use a list. It may also show the images in answer sometime. Here is the example of what a list featured snippet looks like?
The Table Snippet
When it comes to tables, it shows the comparison or pricing for some products. Google pulls data from linked pages or website for a specific search terms, and displays a well-structured data in form of tables. Here is the example of what a table feature snippet looks like?
How to optimize for a featured snippet?
Find SERPs with a Featured Snippet
Your first page is look for a search result page that already has a featured snippet. So, you can get an idea to optimize web page for snippet. First thing, you have to research for potential keywords to target a featured snippet. You can use SEMrush or Ahrefs tools to find a good keyword with a featured snippet. Now, it is the right time to optimize web page, so Google choose your content for a search request as a featured snippet.
Long tail Keywords: search terms that people use that are more specific to make a search request. You can use Google search to uncover the snippet because Google understands better a lot of common search terms.
The Definition Box: You need to provide a strong and clear 40 – 60 words of text snippet to Google. It may take some time or few months to reach your snippet. Google does not want your opinion about a subject, you are showing as a definition. If you have a strong feeling about topic, write your best there. Google systems will decide about your snippet to show in search result.
The List: Google can easily understand the specific steps (set of steps, to complete the necessary action or process) in form of a list (may ordered or unordered).
The Table: Google does not build a table or does not use the existing data. Google systems pulls the right data from web page that you have designed as a table to show the comparison, prices, or well-structured data.
Optimize Web Page for Snippet
Find a good topic for an article in your niche, do research keyword, and write all possible answers related every question about article. If one any of your article earns a featured snippet, it becomes featured in other related queries. Write a solid article with high quality images or videos that answers all questions, instead of writing multiple article for each. Keep your section concise so that Google can easily understand contents, and may pull out some times for a search. It is smarter idea to redesign your website that let you optimize web pages for SEO and “what-is, how-to” contents.
Earning a featured snippet means that your web page has the highest ranking in search results with no advertisement or no fees. Now you know exactly what featured snippets are, how to optimize a website to rank for them. So try to do solid experiments with articles or web pages, and rank for them.
Regards