What Is a Featured Snippet and How to Win It
A featured snippet—sometimes called 'Position Zero'—offers a concise, direct answer to a user's question, pulled from a webpage and displayed above standard search results. These snippets can appear as paragraphs, lists, tables, or videos. Getting your content shown here boosts visibility, authority, and click-through rates (CTR), often by 2x or more according to industry data. Featured snippets come from pages already ranking in the top 10, but formatting and optimization make the difference.
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Use Cases
Featured snippets can drive significant clicks—28% on average—by pushing your content above #1 rankings. It’s like SEO steroids without the PPC costs.
Appearing in Position Zero associates your name with fast, trusted answers. It’s a shortcut to credibility in even the most competitive niches.
Featured snippets feed Google Assistant and Siri. Optimizing for them puts your content first in the voice search revolution—where only one answer gets heard.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What types of content become featured snippets?
Google typically pulls content that is well-structured, directly answers a query, and comes from a page already ranking in the top 10. Formats include paragraphs, numbered steps, bullet points, tables, and videos.
How do I optimize for featured snippets?
Use clear headers (H2, H3), answer questions concisely (40–55 words for paragraphs), and structure your content using lists, definitions, or FAQs. Schema markup can help, but content quality and structure matter more.
Do featured snippets reduce page clicks?
Not always. While the user may get an instant answer, snippets often trigger more curiosity. When strategically written, they drive 2x+ higher CTR than standard results.
Can I track featured snippet performance in Google Analytics?
Yes, featured snippets appear across both platforms—and are especially impactful on mobile due to limited screen space and user attention.
Are featured snippets available on mobile and desktop?
No. Featured snippets appear above the #1 organic result and are technically 'Position Zero.' A page in the snippet may also rank lower organically.
Related Terms
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