Have you noticed that there are some Google searches that answer your question before you even click on a link to a site? For example, if you Google “How to Volunteer” a numbered list will appear giving you guidance on how to get started. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the list is actually from www.indeed.com.

This list is known as a featured snippet, a key part of Google searches. Featured snippets appear before any search results (and usually before paid sponsors too) and are therefore referred to as Spot #0. Having content from your website appear as the featured snippet raises the chances that the searcher will choose your website and can increase your Google rankings. But how do you get to be a featured snippet?

Here’s the bad news: you can’t apply for or pay to be a featured snippet. Google and other search engines choose to feature content based on how many people are searching for a specific topic and how well a website features the answers. While you can’t control whether you’re chosen as the featured snippet, you can certainly improve your chances of being featured.

Types of Featured Snippets

First, there are different types of featured snippets: definition boxes, tables, ordered lists, and unordered lists. Depending on the search, a featured snippet may be helpful in any one of these formats. If someone searches “What is milieu” a featured snippet with a short definition and a pronunciation guide appears from www.dictionary.com. A search for “Ravens 2022 schedule” will produce a table with dates, times, and match-ups. An ordered list could appear for a query of “how to volunteer” or “how to mow the grass.” Searching for “types of cheese” will result in an unordered list from www.cheese.com, not ranking any particular type of cheese as superior. 

You’ll notice that searches with questions tend to be the ones that have featured snippets. This is key to understanding how to optimize your website content and increase your chances of being chosen for this special highlight. 

How to Optimize Content for Featured Snippets

• Using clear and concise language makes it easier for Google to match your content up with searches. This can mean saying things in a variety of ways and making sure you’re using SEO. If you’re not sure about the SEO that will be most effective for you, let Redstart Creative help!
• Present your content in ways that answer questions. You can create headings that start with “what” or “why” or highlight common questions through an FAQ section or page.
• Similarly, breaking text into distinct chunks through headings and subheadings will allow for the content within those sections to be searched more easily, and possibly featured.
• Don’t overuse your brand name. Google tends not to choose content that features brand names, making it seem like the answer that is being presented is unbiased. However, they do provide the link to your website directly under the answer.
• Include tables and lists where possible. A table or list is an easy way to present your content and is even easier for Google to feature as Spot #0!

Optimizing content to increase your Google ranking and the possibility of being chosen as a featured snippet is just one of the many things Redstart Creative considers when building your website and crafting the messages to go along with it. To learn more on how we can help you, contact us today!