Ever wondered what those short previews are in Google search results, which give you a peek into the contents of the article whenever you try to make a search for a query? Let’s say, “Who fought the first World War?”
How to keep track of your featured snippets
That small window is called a featured snippet. Google shows the exact answer to your query through the featured snippet tools, so you don’t even have to click on that link unless you want to explore more. In most cases, the contents of the SEO featured snippet results are so accurate that you end up getting the information you need through just the preview and then moving on.
This is why a featured snippet is often termed Rank #0 in SERP’s!
Almost every single person who owns or runs a website is constantly worried about the ranking of their webpage in the Google search engine result pages. You don’t have to be an SEO aficionado to know that the higher the ranking on the SERP, the higher the incoming organic traffic to your website, which ultimately relates to more money.
Every SEO analyst is always in an ever-ending pursuit of getting each and every page of their website ranked among the top 3 search results in Google! Which is quite hard as it is, but very rewarding as well.
However, in this pursuit, most people fail to utilise the full potential of the feature snippet tools and secure that rank #0 in the Google SERPs.
Read on, and you will learn about the impressive capabilities and potential of SEO featured snippets and how you can optimise the contents on your website to be featured in it with the help of some featured snippet tools!
What is a featured snippet?
As explained above, a featured snippet is a block in the Google SERP’s, usually displayed at the top or after a couple of paid or sponsored search results. A featured snippet provides an accurate answer to the user’s query and is thus called rank #0 or position #0.
Featured snippets are often called “answer boxes,” as they display the answer to the query. Not to be confused with the “Google Quick Answers,” which simply display the result of a standard question without any landing page or link? For instance, when you search for “Dollar to Pound Value,” Google directly tells you the value of one USD to a Sterling Pound.
One other difference between a featured snippet and a Google Quick Answer is that a featured snippet mostly contains an image related to the search, which may or may not be from a different source.
Featured snippet tools make it easy for users to search the internet because they see the solution they are seeking simply in a glimpse. Google selects the best response from a specific website algorithmically and displays it in a small window at the top.
An SEO-featured snippet increases the potential leads you will be getting significantly. This is exactly why you should aim to get your webpage featured as a snippet!
There are essentially four types of featured snippets, divided on the basis of content format:
- Paragraph
- Lists
- Tables
- YouTube Videos
- Paragraph
This is a paragraph format snippet in which Google displays the most relevant sentences (usually 2-3) on top. This is the most common type of snippet you will come across. It usually addresses the “how, when, why, who, or what” questions briefly.
- Lists
Featured snippets can also be in the form of ordered lists for specific queries, such as ‘step by step guides’ or ‘how to’ searches. The most suitable example for featured snippets in the form of lists can be found in any search result for a recipe.
- Tables
You will also find feature snippets in a tabular form containing charts, graphs, values, and other numerical and textual data related to the query. One of the most relevant examples of tabular featured snippet can be the stock prices of a particular stock trading marketplace.
- YouTube Videos
YouTube videos that are a direct match of your searches also come up as featured snippets a lot of the time. They take the user directly to the video they may be looking for.
What is the importance of featured snippet tools?
Features snippets were first introduced on Google way back in 2014 and have been coming up since then with more and more accuracy. Even now, featured snippet tools have gained some popularity, but not as much as SEO. People are still giving priority to running for rank 1 in Google SERPs instead of rank 0.
And rightly so, because even if a SEO featured snippet comes first in the result pages and is basically above the first ranking page, stats have shown that the traffic coming in at a featured snippet is still lower than the first ranking page.
However, a featured snippet does offer many crucial advantages which give the bearer a competitive edge over the other results. Let’s have a look at them:
- They are automatically optimized for voice searches
As AI personal assistants get more and more efficient, such as Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant,. People are utilising the convenient capabilities of voice searches. Additionally, since featured snippet tools typically display results in the form of questions, more people will use them when conducting voice searches.
- It increases your Authority
There is some brand that you immediately think of when referring to a particular commodity or service. Getting ranked as a featured snippet establishes trust among the users towards your website and increases your authority. Thus, people consider your website to be more reliable than others, and as a result, various other pages from your website, which may not be ranking as high or even appear as a featured snippet, attract more traffic and increase revenue.
- Gets more Traffic
Granted that it doesn’t get as much traffic as the first ranking result, however, being right above it, featured snippet tools attract the attention of the user because they are placed at the beginning. So as a result, many people who would have gone with the first search result end up clicking on the SEO-featured snippet, thus increasing traffic. A featured snippets result would get more traffic even if it’s ranking much lower between 6 and 12.
How do I optimize using the featured snippet tools?
There are a few things you can do to tweak and track your website or page in order to increase its chances of getting a featured snippet. This list includes a few featured snippet tools and other points you should keep in mind to optimise your website. Let’s check them out:
- Featured Snippet Optimization Tool by Internet Marketing Ninjas
This is a very impressive and handy tool when it comes to featured snippet optimization. It goes through all the contents of your webpage and presents them in the most suitable manner. It also offers insights on other pages that have been featured or have the potential to be featured. This way, you can continuously improve your strategy and learn more about getting your webpage ranked as a featured snippet.
- Rank Ranger-Featured Snippet Tool
This tool is very organised and easy to follow as it presents the data in a tabular format on how different landing pages have managed to become featured snippets for a specific keyword. You can also check out a thumbnail of the pages to see it in detail and tweak your web page accordingly to increase your chances of getting featured.
- SEMrush Position Tracking Tool
This featured snippet tool from SEMrush shows you a snippet report that displays all the keywords you must pay attention to in order to get your web page featured.
- Aim for question-type keyword search queries
As mentioned above, featured snippets have a higher chance of ranking for question-based queries, and this is why, while doing your keyword research, you should look for questions in whatever keyword research tool you are using.
You must also keep an eye on the “People also ask” section provided by Google in their search results. It will provide you with various other related questions that you can target.
- Secure the top 10 rank
It has been noted that most of the featured snippet landing pages are among the top 10 search results on Google. Therefore, try to get a higher ranking and get your page on the first page of Google, if not the top 3 search results. Use traditional SEO tactics to increase your ranking, which simultaneously increases your chances of getting featured.
- Formatting is Key
The format you have used on your webpages is very crucial. The content should be presented in a format that quickly answers the user’s main query and then proceeds to keep them engaged by providing supporting information and background on the topic.
Featured Snippet Tools have picked up pace, and a lot of business owners and websites are now aiming to claim that spot! This is why it is important to constantly modifying and improving your strategy to get featured on SERP
