Google is Changing the Game with Featured Snippets

Every day, countless people are searching the web for all different types of information. In response to this, google is constantly adding new features and adapting their search strategy so that people can get access to the most relevant information for their search queries.

If you run a website, it is important to always keep an eye on what is happening with Google in order to stay current and to take advantage of new opportunities. In the past little while, one very noticeable addition that Google has added is the featured Snippets.

What is a Featured Snippet?

A featured snippet is basically a summary of someone’s search query. In order to help bring the most contextual information to a person’s query, Google has started placing a search result at the very top of the page with information that they think is the most relevant to the search. The information is extracted from a website, and goes directly to the section of the site that features a result that most directly addresses the search parameters. The snippet is literally an open snap shot of the content they want from inside of a site.

How to Get Featured?

If you want to try and rank for a featured snippet, first try and decide what your target query is. You should focus on something that is relevant to your website, and that will likely draw higher numbers of search.

Generally, the “how to” category is one of the simpler ways to rank for a snippet. If you try to target a simple question, it is easier to ensure that your site will feature a straightforward answer. For instance, if you write about how to embed a video on a blog post and list step by step instructions, it will be easier for Google to recognize your step by step instructions as the most relevant answer for a search query about “how to embed video”.

Remember, it Is also critical that your post is using the correct markup. You need to ensure that Googles bots will scan your page and what could be the most relevant for a snippet. If you want to learn more about which elements are important to include, you can check out Wix’s SEO Hero article about optimizing snippets.

Can anyone be Featured?

Majority of the time, Google will choose snippets from sites that are ranking between 1-3 on the search results page. However, about 30% of the time the snippets are drawn from websites that are ranking lower on the page – to help create a bit of balance. So, don’t lose hope if your site isn’t ranking 1-3 on the search results page, you may still get chosen for a featured snippet. However, it is a good strategy to try and get your site ranking a little bit higher before you start focusing on snippets in order to prove your relevancy to Google.

Snippets are a powerful tool for bringing information that is relevant, easy to understand and concise for the person preforming the search query. Featured snippets also prove very trust worthy for the person preforming the search, leading in them spending additional time reading your site. So take some time to invest in snippets – it can add a distinctive edge!