
What are Featured Snippets?
One of the most common ways that people use the internet is to look up information. And their favorite search engine is Google.
Over the last couple of years, Google has added an attractive feature to their pages that have made searches even more user-friendly. The search engine result page now features a brief explanation or summary of the subject matter being searched for. This will be found at the top of the first search engine result page and is called a featured snippet.
There are four types of featured snippets that Google uses.
In order of popularity, they are:
- A small paragraph
- A bulleted list
- A numbered list
- A table
Benefits of featured snippets
Featured Snippets are extremely popular with both users and advertisers.
It benefits the reader as they can get a quick overview of the subject matter without visiting any websites that appear on the first page and reading through the content.
Advertisers, especially those whose websites are dependent on organic searches or web traffic, find that the featured snippets are a great tool to improve their visibility. A website that has a feature generated out of its content will get a lot of traffic.
Read Also: What is the Concept of Google Page Rank Algorithm
Google’s 9 Basic Rules
Google has developed nine basic rules to help websites generate content that could be picked up as a featured snippet.
Rule No: 1 – Add a “What is” heading?
The web pages must feature a “What is” heading, followed by a brief explanation or overview of the subject matter. The quality of content and the explanation must be excellent as Google will check on this with voice searches.
Example: “What are Featured Snippets?”
Rule No: 2 – Use an “is” sentence structure
Avoid indirect speech, past tense, and complex sentence structures in the heading. It should be concise, simple, and direct. This kind of question does very well on featured snippets.
Example: “What is a precision air conditioner?”
Rule No: 3 – Fully define the topic
When writing your content, particular attention should be paid to the first paragraph. The first sentence of the first paragraph should define the subject matter clearly and concisely. The second and third lines should include must-know facts that are useful to the user. Avoid irrelevant information and fancy phrases.
Example: “What is coconut coir?”
Rule No: 4 – Match the featured snippet format
The four formats (paragraph, bulleted list, numbered list, table) for featured snippets are the recommended formats from Google, so it is essential to adhere to one of these formats and not deviate from this. If you stick to them, the chances of your content being picked up for a featured snippet will increase.
Rule No: 5 – Do not use your brand name
Avoid any mention of your brand name in the featured snippet and keep it generic. References to the brand can be confusing. It can mislead the reader into believing that the explanation given in the content applies to the brand being referenced.
Rule No: 6 – Do not use the first-person language
Avoid words like we, our, ours, in your content. This can sound ambiguous. It confuses the reader into wondering who the “we” that the content refers to is. It is better to keep the language specific.
Rule No: 7 – Scale featured snippets
Google generates featured snippets as a bulleted list from popular small business listings for each business category. Business houses can exploit this feature and scale up or appear in featured snippets for multiple business directories. This is achieved by optimizing the keyword using the HTML header tags.
The H1, H2, and H3tags could carry keywords related to categories, subcategories, and sub-subcategories of the businesses relevant to the company.
Rule No: 8 – Prioritize when you rank in the top five
There are various opportunities to refine your web page content to appear in the search engine’s top five pages. This is a good marketing strategy as the chances of appearing in the featured snippets increase as you get closer to the top.
Rule No: 9 – Iterate your optimizations
Adhering to all the above rules may not assure your content a place in the featured snippet at the very first instance. You will need to continually refine your page content and play with all these rules till you find a combination that gets you there. The good news is that if you do it right, you will get there in four to five iterations.
With its featured snippets, Google has once again come up with an innovative feature to enhance the quality of organic searches. It is easy for searchers to find the information they are looking for easily and quickly with featured snippets. It also gives advertisers ample opportunity to differentiate themselves and move up in the Google rankings.
So, get your featured snippets for your web pages ready today!
Categories
- The Ultimate Guide to Content Repurposing – The Underrated SEO Factor
- Difference Between Copywriting and Content Writing
- Content Marketing – A Modern Guide for 2023
- How Does Video Content Help Improve SEO?
- What Is the Difference Between Content Marketing and Content Strategy?
- Top 5 Reasons Why Your Website Needs a Blog Corner
- How to Write Compelling Headlines in 3 Steps
- The Importance & Effectiveness of Monthly Newsletters
- Brand Loyalty – Why Does It Matter and How to Build It?
- 5 Ways to Convert Your Visitors into Customers
- How to start a digital marketing agency from scratch and run it successfully? | Part 2
- How to start a digital marketing agency from scratch and run it successfully? | Part 1
- Digital marketing tips for preschool owners
- What are brand pillars, and why do they matter?
- How to Get the Results You Want through Your Digital Marketing Plan?
- Demystifying the Debate Around Influencer Marketing (How to Do It Correctly)
- How to Use Customer Service as an Online Marketing Strategy
- The Importance of Commenting in Forums for SEO
- Google Algorithm Updates – March 2024
- Google Ranking Algorithm Updates – February 2024
- Top Search Engine Marketing Tools to Use to Save Time and Money – Part 2
- Google Ranking Algorithm Updates – September & October 2023
- Top Search Engine Marketing Tools to Use to Save Money and Time – Part 1
- Google Ranking Algorithm Updates – August 2023
- Google Ranking Algorithm Updates – July 2023
- Google Ranking Algorithm Updates – June 2023
- Google Ranking Algorithm Updates – May 2023
- 10 Cool Things You Could Do with ChatGPT
- ChatGPT Is at Capacity Now – How to Fix This Error?
- ChatGPT – Is It the Future or Just the Latest AI Fad?
- 5 Ways Technology Might Be Blocking Your Business Progress
- Trends That May Shape the Future of Digital Marketing
- The Significance of Meta Description in 2024
- What are the 9 basic rules Google follows for Featured Snippets?
- What is agile marketing?
- How will Core Web Vitals enhance SEO in 2024?
- Digital Marketing Trends for 2024
- Ecommerce Website: Benefits, Working and Development Process
- Choosing the Right E-Commerce Web Development Company: A Comprehensive Guide
- E-Commerce Site Search – Best Practices to Increase Conversion (Part – 2)
- E-Commerce Site Search – Best Practices to Increase Conversion (Part – 1)
- What Is E-Commerce Merchandising and How Can It Help Improve Sales?
- Top 5 Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Website in 2023
- How to Write a Product Description for eCommerce Websites
- Essential Rules and Strategies for Effective Healthcare Content Marketing
- Healthcare’s Content Revolution: Statistics and Strategies for Reaching Today’s Patients
- Healthcare Marketing: Loyalty-Building Techniques and Basic Healthcare Marketing Content Ideas
- The Essential Guide to Content Marketing for Modern Healthcare Organizations
- Healthcare Marketing through the Ages: The Vital Role of Digital Transformation
- 9 Beginner Mistakes Most Small Businesses Make in SEO
- 7 Actionable On-Page SEO Factors You Need to Know
- Cracking the Code: Mastering On-Page SEO for Website Excellence
- Off-Page SEO – Best Short-Term and Long-Term Strategies to Employ
- Off-Page SEO Ranking Factors That Everyone Should Know About
- Off-Page SEO – What Is It and How Can You Get the Best Out of It?
- Top 5 SEO Mistakes to Avoid
- What to Expect from a Professional SEO Company?
- What is the Role of SEO in the Web Design/Development Process?
- Is Trying To Rank SEO without an SSL (HTTPS) Pointless?
- How We Brought Down the Bounce Rate from 93% to 5% (Case Study)
- How to Rank Higher on Voice Searches
- Empowering Women in Digital Marketing: Job Opportunities, Career Paths, and Top Interview Questions Answered
- How to Market using Social Media for Different Generations
- Tips to Handle Digital Branding Like an Expert
- WhatsApp Ads Decoded: Everything You Must Know About This Marketing Game Changer
- Digital Marketing vs. Digital Branding – What’s the Difference?
- Website vs. Social Media: Is a Website Still Necessary for a Business?
- What should small businesses post on social media (a complete guide)?
- The making of the first ever Digital Women Economic Forum
- Schema Mark-up in SEO: A Guide to Types, Benefits, and Importance
- How to Track Website Calls and Email Clicks in GA4 Using Google Tag Manager
- How to Set Up Google Tag Manager: A Step-by-Step Guide
- What is Google Tag Manager? How does it work and what are the Benefits of using Google Tag Manager?
- The Ultimate Guide to Profile Page Structured Data
- Mastering Schema Markup: Unravelling the Secrets of Schema, Supported Formats, and Implementation
- Reasons Why Google May Penalize Your Website
- Website Redesign Mistakes to Avoid – Professional Website Redesign Services
- 10 Clear Signs Your Website Needs a Redesign and Why It’s a Smart Investment
- The Importance of UI/UX Design in Web Development
- What Are the Phases Involved in Web Development?
- A Beginner’s Guide to Web Development
- Top 5 CMS Platforms for Website Redesign and Blogging – Part 2
- Top 5 CMS Platforms for Website Design and Blogging
- What Is CMS and How Can It Be Used in Website Development?
- Why Should You Consider Redesigning Your Website?
- What is the Process of Web Design and How Does It Differ from DIY Solutions?
- What are the Newest Trends in Website Design?
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.
Really superb info can be found on site.
I wish to express my appreciation to this writer just for bailing me out of this particular difficulty. After looking out through the search engines and seeing thoughts that were not helpful, I believed my entire life was done. Living without the presence of solutions to the difficulties you’ve fixed all through the write-up is a critical case, as well as ones that might have in a wrong way damaged my entire career if I hadn’t encountered your blog. Your personal understanding and kindness in dealing with all the pieces was useful. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if I hadn’t come across such a step like this. I am able to now relish my future. Thanks so much for the professional and sensible help. I won’t hesitate to suggest your blog post to any individual who would like recommendations about this situation.