Google Featured Snippets can be an invaluable tool for boosting traffic and visibility for any website. This article will provide an introduction to what Featured Snippets are and how to get them for your site.
We'll cover understanding what a Featured Snippet is, optimizing your website for Featured Snippets, and understanding the impact of Featured Snippets on SEO.
With the right approach and strategy, you can get your website featured in Google's search engine results pages.
Let's learn how.
What is a Google Featured Snippet box?
A Google Featured Snippet box is an area of search results that appears at the top of the page. It contains a summary of the answer to the user’s query, extracted from a web page.
This featured box is designed to give the user a brief answer to their query to save them time, as well as a link to the source where they can find more information if they need to.
Here is an example of what the featured snippet box may look like.
3 benefits of getting into the Featured Snippet box
Getting your website featured in Google's Featured Snippet box can provide numerous benefits.
- Not only will it help to boost your search engine rankings, but it also provides an opportunity to gain more visibility and increase your website's traffic.
- Additionally, being featured in the Featured Snippet box can help to differentiate your website from the competition and make your content stand out.
- Finally, by appearing in the Featured Snippet box, you are increasing the likelihood that more people will click on your website when they are searching for a specific topic. It has been proven by numerous studies that featured snippets can lead to increase click-through rates (CTR).
How to get a Google Featured Snippet
Now, to the big question: how to get a Google Featured Snippet and increase organic click-through rate and traffic?
Before we begin, it is important to understand that there is no fixed formula for this. The best you can do is provide some signals to Google and make it easier for the search engine to find and index your content for the Featured Snippet box.
Keeping that in mind, here are a few tips that can help you with that:
1. Optimize your content for featured snippets
The first step to getting a featured snippet box on Google is to optimize your content. This means ensuring that the content you create is relevant to the query users are searching for. It is also important to use clear, concise language that is easy to understand.
Moreover, formatting your content with subheadings, lists, and short paragraphs can make it easier for Google to pick out key points and display them in the featured snippet box.
2. Answer questions directly and concisely
When creating content, it is important to focus on answering the questions that users are asking. This means providing clear and direct answers, without any fluff or filler. The more precise your answer, the better chance you have of being selected for the featured snippet box.
Additionally, if you can provide an example or case study to support your answer, this will help boost the chances of being selected.
3. Create more FAQ content
In order to increase your chances of appearing in Google's Featured Snippets, one strategy is to create more Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) content. This content should be written in a conversational style and should provide answers to the most common questions related to your business.
"What is" questions are more likely to get ranked in the Featured Snippet boxes. FAQs are by nature based on "what is" questions, which increases the likelihood of the answers getting into the Featured Snippets.
4. Use Schema markup
Remember we mentioned sending signals to Google?
You can do that by using Schema markup.
Schema markup is a type of code you can add to your web page to give search engines more information about the content on your page. This can help search engines understand the context of your content and make it easier for them to display it in the featured snippet box. Additionally, using structured data can help your content stand out from the competition, increasing the chances of it being chosen for the featured snippet box.
5. Monitor your competitors
Monitoring your competitors’ content can help you stay one step ahead and get your content into the featured snippet box. Look for keywords that they are targeting and create content that is better and more informative than theirs. Additionally, you can use tools such as Google Search Console to track the featured snippet boxes that they have been awarded.
If you use a tool like SEMRush, you can also identify which keywords trigger featured snippets.
Here is a tutorial by SEMRush on tracking Featured Snippets and finding more opportunities.
The gist is that if certain keywords -- either yours or your competitors' -- already trigger featured snippets and rich boxes, you are more likely to get featured snippets if you target those keywords.
6. Use keywords strategically
Using keywords strategically is essential for getting a featured snippet box on Google. This means targeting keywords that are related to the topic you are writing about and including them in the title, subheadings, and body of your content. Additionally, you can use keywords in the URL of your page, in the titles of your images, and in the metadata of your pages.
As with most other tips, strategic use of keywords does not guarantee featured boxes, but it can help you improve your chances of getting ranked into featured snippet boxes. That's because strategic and correct use of keywords helps content stay streamlined and in line with the search intent. Moreover, the semantic context you establish by using related and LSI keywords help Google take notice of your piece.
6. Write for engagement
Once you have created quality content that is relevant to the user’s query and matches the search intent, it is important to write it in a way that is engaging and easy to read. This means using active voice, making use of bullet points and charts, and keeping sentences brief.
Remember that rich results like featured snippets and higher click-through rates (CTR) are somewhat linked to each other. If your page has a low engagement rate, that sends a negative signal to Google about how useful your page actually is for readers. In that case, it may be less likely for Google to extract its content for its featured snippet box.
7. Don't promote your business or brand
When trying to get Google Featured Snippets for your business or brand, it is important to not focus on promoting the business or brand itself. Instead, focus on providing high-quality content that answers users’ questions, as this will maximize the chances of appearing in Featured Snippets. Ensure that the content is well organized and structured properly, as this will help Google understand its relevance to users. Google rarely features self-promotional content in featured snippets.
Conclusion
Getting your content into the Google featured snippet box is not easy, but it is possible. By following the tips outlined above, you can increase your chances of being chosen for the featured snippet box.
This includes creating quality content, using structured data, monitoring your competitors, using keywords strategically, writing for engagement, and not promoting your business or brand. With the right approach and a bit of luck, you can get your content featured in the Google featured snippet box and increase your visibility in the search engine.
