Featured Snippets: why they’re valuable & how to win them

There’s prime opportunity to snag more visibility on the SERP with featured snippets — here’s how.

A featured snippet is a direct, concise answer to a query that appears at the top of Google’s search engine results page (SERP). It is referred to as position zero because it is often the first item that appears on a SERP, before other results like “People also ask” boxes (PAAs) and organic listings.

According to Google, you can find featured snippets as standalone answers, within the PAA section, or along with knowledge graph information. Google also makes clear its goal to deliver the most descriptive, highest-quality answer while keeping searchers on the SERP:

“We display featured snippets when our systems determine this format will help people more easily discover what they’re seeking, both from the description about the page and when they click on the link to read the page itself. They’re especially helpful for those on mobile or searching by voice.”

According to STAT Search Analytic’s 2021 research and analysis, featured snippets appear in one of four major formats:

• Paragraph featured snippets: Paragraph snippets dominate as the preferred format, with approximately 70 percent of all snippet results.
• List featured snippets: Lists, both numbered and bulleted, are the next most popular format. These generally appear for queries that return results involving many steps or several parts.
• Table featured snippets: Table featured snippets typically show up when the search queries are data-based.
• Video featured snippets: In last place are video featured snippets that often pull from YouTube, a large search engine in and of itself. Popular types of queries here involve “How-to” questions.

Is the Answer Box a Featured Snippet?

There are different schools of thought on this. Some say they are the same. I disagree. The content in the answer box comes from Google’s database of information versus coming from a website.

Why Featured Snippets Are Valuable

Because featured snippets appear before organic results, some people believe they aren’t important or beneficial, because they can lead to fewer click-throughs and lower traffic numbers.

But fewer clicks aren’t always bad. And getting a featured snippet doesn’t always mean fewer clicks.

Here are six reasons that demonstrate just how valuable featured snippets can be for your business:

1. Brand awareness
Position zero can be wonderful for establishing brand awareness. For the company I work with, AgentSync, we’re in a super niche space and we’re the new kid on the block. Featured snippets have helped us build our brand.

Since we started focused marketing efforts two to three years ago, we’ve seen a 150 percent increase in search for our branded keyword. Much of that can be attributed to our featured snippets.

2. Increased click-through rates (CTRs)
While a featured snippet delivers some information, it doesn’t deliver everything. If you can win the snippet, you’re also likely to snag clicks for searchers who want to read the full answer of what you have to offer.

Using a tool like Ahrefs, you can see exactly what the clicks are per keyword. Again at AgentSync, we’ve seen 75 percent of all searches for our results end up in a click.

Additionally:
• 14% of our blog page views came from a URL with a featured snippet
• Our average CTR is 1.8 percent, but our top URL with a featured snippet has a CTR of 5.8 percent
• 17% of all clicks come through from a URL with a featured snippet

3. Quick wins
Featured snippets can offer you a quick win based on which space you’re in. If you’re kicking off a new project or you’re stuck waiting on other items to move forward, look into featured snippets and what opportunities exist for you to win a few (or a lot) of them.

4. Share of voice
Winning a featured snippet of a keyword that you also rank on page one for increases your visibility and share of voice for that keyword. This is incredibly valuable!

STAT bases share of voice on two ideas:
• Not all ranks are equal. Higher ranks give you more share of voice.
• Not all keywords are equal. Higher search volume gives you more share of voice.

5. Authority building
Just as one featured snippet for one keyword shows your authority for that phrase, having multiple featured snippets can show you’re an authority in the space in which you sit. Greater authority can impact all aspects of your digital presence.

6. Broader impact
At AgentSync, we’ve seen our featured snippets impact other marketing channels and KPIs. For instance, we’ve experienced an increase in direct traffic. People have become more familiar with our brand because they’ve seen us at the top of search results.

There’s no question that, for us in our super niche space, it’s valuable to have featured snippets as part of our strategy.

How to Create a Featured Snippet Strategy

About 11 percent of SERPs have featured snippets — this means there’s a great deal of opportunity to win some snippets! To get them, however, you need a strong featured snippet strategy.

Here’s a three-step strategy for you to implement and follow for your greatest chance at success:

Step 1: Perform keyword research

First things first, you must perform keyword research. You could go down quite the rabbit hole here if you don’t focus, though.

When starting, look at the keywords you’re already ranking for. Then, out of those, look for those that have featured snippets present in the SERPs.

Pro tip: Focus on question searches!

STAT Search Analytics’ study found most queries start with the 6 Ws. Moreover, “why” questions make up 70% of featured snippets. Use tools like Google Search Console, STAT, Ahrefs, or Semrush to filter down the keywords you’re ranking for by those question words.

Once you have this list, narrow your focus to only those keywords that you’re currently in positions two through five on page one of the SERPs. Then narrow the field once more to the keywords with the highest search volume.

Step 2: Optimize your content for featured snippet success

At the core of a great featured snippet is fully optimized content aimed at delivering value to the searcher. Here are several tips for getting your content in the right place.

• Make sure your target keyword usage is in check.
• Use relevant internal and external links.
• Have a content structure that makes sense.
• Link to an author page to establish credibility.

Moreover, make sure you have search query alignment within your content. This means the content needs to match the intent of the query. For instance, you don’t want to deliver sales copy to someone seeking informational copy.

Also, ensure your copy has high readability! Use heading tags and bulleted lists. Write short sentences and short paragraphs. The more scannable your text, the easier it is to read.

Finally:

• Ask and answer the question concisely.
• Be factual.
• Answer related questions within the same piece of content.
• Use images, not just for readability but also for potentially winning image featured snippet results.

If you want a great example of how to do featured snippets well, go look at what Investopedia is doing. Investopedia has over 200,000 featured snippets! Their structure is super simple and their E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is done very well.

I’ve created a simple spreadsheet for you to start and manage your featured snippet strategy. Grab your copy here.

Step 3: Keep your content updated

You must keep your content current to maintain your hold on your featured snippets. Why? Because approximately 70 percent of featured snippets were published no more than two to three years ago. Stale content equals lost featured snippets.

How to Win Featured Snippets

Featured snippets are a great bonus to earn as you look to stretch your marketing efforts. While you cannot control when they show up, you can take all the right steps to make conditions ripe for them.

Track your efforts

First, see where you’re starting from with featured snippets and determine where you’re going. Use tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and STAT Search Analytics to help you along this path.

Remember to track specific URLs. Featured snippet URLs get parameters added to them that you can then filter for within Google Analytics or Google Search Console.

Focus on page one keywords

You’re already doing well with keywords that appear on page one. Build on that momentum by focusing your featured snippet strategy here. This is the best way to earn those quick wins.

Take down your competitors

See where your competitors are showing up. Analyze what they’re doing and then determine how you can do what they do, but better.

Follow SEO best practices

Set the right foundation in place by following SEO best practices. This will give you a better chance at winning the featured snippets you’re going after.

The Future of Featured Snippets

Google continues to make changes

Recently, Google started highlighting the direct response to a query in blue. It also expanded the number of pixels a featured snippet takes up on a SERP, increasing its real estate. For now, snippets seem to be growing in popularity and importance, which means they’re worth going after.

AI content generators are now in play

No conversation around content and SEO is complete these days without at least touching on AI. Here, the hat tip goes to Chris Long of Go Fish Digital. He recently shared on LinkedIn a prompt you can use in ChatGPT to generate options of featured snippet text.

As with all things AI-generated, please read through any content you create using these tools and revise as much as needed for clarity, voice, and accuracy.

You Can Win With a Strong Featured Snippet Strategy

Featured snippets can be valuable for brand awareness, share of voice, and authority. They can also offer a quick win when things are slow or on hold.

As you create and implement a strong featured snippet strategy for your brand, remember to focus on proper keyword research and SEO best practices.