Being \u2018featured\u2019 often results in additional brand exposure in\u00a0organic search results, higher\u00a0CTR\u00a0(click-through rates), and an increase in\u00a0search traffic. As an\u00a0SEO\u00a0expert, knowing how to leverage\u00a0featured snippets\u00a0is key to your (or your client\u2019s) long-term success.<\/p>\n
In this article, we\u2019re going to break down:<\/p>\n
- \n
- What\u00a0featured snippets\u00a0are<\/li>\n
- Why they\u2019re important<\/li>\n
- How you can use Similarweb to optimize your content and achieve higher\u00a0SERP\u00a0rankings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Why are featured snippets important for SEO?<\/h2>\n
Standing out from the competition and driving specific keyword-based traffic to your website is harder than ever.<\/p>\n
In today\u2019s digital-first world, websites that can accurately and concisely answer the most frequently asked questions about a subject win the battle to get featured.<\/p>\n
For example, a quick Google search for \u201chow to tie a Windsor knot\u201d, serves up this handy video answer box as the top result:<\/p>\n
![\"What](\"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/unnamed-1.png\")
<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s really neat is that Google automatically selects the part of the video that talks about how to tie a Windsor knot.<\/p>\n
Searching the \u201c20 best-selling cars of 2020\u201d? Here\u2019s an up-to-date list of them, courtesy of featured snippets:<\/p>\n
![\"Table](\"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/unnamed-1-2.png\")
<\/p>\nAs snippet boxes are in premium positions on Google’s search results page, they can improve your website\u2019s visibility and generate more quality traffic<\/a>. Over time, as you continue to build and publish more content based on the term your featured snippet ranks for, you can build authority and a repository of information \u2014 ultimately solidifying your website\u2019s position.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why\u00a0featured snippet\u00a0opportunities\u00a0are so important. Let\u2019s talk about\u00a0Google’s\u00a0featured snippets.<\/p>\n
Types of\u00a0featured snippets<\/h2>\n
There are many different\u00a0types of\u00a0featured snippets\u00a0with new ones emerging with new Google\u00a0algorithm\u00a0updates. Here are some you might see.<\/p>\n
Definition<\/strong><\/p>\n
Definitions commonly solve \u201cwhat is\u201d or \u201cwhat does\u201d questions. The answer should provide a clear, direct definition or description, given as text, and can even include an image.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s it in action. Ever wondered \u201cwhat does a doctor do?”<\/p>\n
![\"Definition](\"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/unnamed-2.png\")
<\/p>\nIt\u2019s short, to the point, and easy to understand. You could show this to anyone and they would immediately understand what a doctor does.<\/p>\n
Lists<\/strong><\/p>\n
Lists serve up everything from recipes to instructions and are also used to rank things in order, like TV shows and movies.<\/p>\n
This\u00a0featured snippet\u00a0for \u2018the steps to make bread\u2019 gives readers a quick breakdown of what needs to be done to make dough. It\u2019s simple and effective.<\/p>\n
![\"list](\"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/unnamed-4.png\")
<\/p>\nTables<\/strong><\/p>\n
Google can pull statistics and metrics from a web page and display them as a table, like this:<\/p>\n
![\"table](\"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/unnamed-1-1.png\")
<\/p>\nVideos<\/strong><\/p>\n
For queries that could do with a little more visual representation, featured clips are returned. These short videos directly answer the question and are usually taken from longer films. Videos are quickly becoming one of the top\u00a0featured snippet\u00a0opportunities.<\/p>\n
![\"Video](\"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/unnamed-2-1.png\")
<\/p>\nHow to optimize for\u00a0featured snippets<\/h2>\n
If you want to maximize the reach of a\u00a0piece of\u00a0content, you\u2019ll want to get as many\u00a0featured snippets\u00a0as possible. But how?<\/p>\n
Almost all featured pages already rank at the\u00a0top of Google. So if you\u2019re already ranking highly for related\u00a0search queries, you\u2019re in the best position to get featured.<\/p>\n
But you don\u2019t have to top a\u00a0search results page\u00a0to get featured. It\u2019s all about the quality of your content and how well it answers the user\u2019s\u00a0search query.<\/p>\n
Use this step-by-step guide\u00a0and get started with\u00a0featured snippets\u00a0optimization:<\/p>\n
1. Start with on-page\u00a0SEO<\/h3>\n
While there\u2019s no magic \u2018feature\u2019 button for your\u00a0web pages, remember your page has to rank highly for a query to even be considered.<\/p>\n
Review your\u00a0SEO<\/a> practices and start\u00a0optimizing\u00a0your content and\u00a0user experience\u00a0as best as possible. Don\u2019t just identify new keyword terms and neglect your\u00a0HTML:<\/p>\n
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- Ensure your content flows and is relevant to the\u00a0searcher\u2019s query<\/li>\n
- Check the page\u2019s loading speed\u00a0backlinks\u00a0to useful information<\/li>\n
- Update your meta tags<\/a><\/li>\n
- Make sure all images have alt tags<\/li>\n
- Include keywords in your H1s<\/a>, H2s, and H3s<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
2. Answer each question concisely<\/h3>\n
Keep it short, clear, and to the point. Most\u00a0featured snippets\u00a0are between 40-50 words.<\/p>\n
But remember, Google will pull the information it needs from your article to answer a query. So you don\u2019t have to shorten your articles \u2014 just make sure they answer the most pertinent questions and break them down with logical\u00a0headers\u00a0and\u00a0subheadings.<\/p>\n
Pro tip:<\/strong> Answer the\u00a0specific question\u00a0right away and then elaborate further with\u00a0additional information.<\/p>\n
We’ve recently updated<\/a> our Digital Marketing Intelligence platform\u00a0to include\u00a0SERP\u00a0Features<\/a>\u00a0for Keywords to help with this.<\/p>\n
With Similarweb, you can analyze\u00a0SERP\u00a0features\u00a0and keyword positions to understand what features are showing for a given keyword and if you, your competitors, or clients are showing up within these.<\/p>\n
3. Consider how you structure your content<\/h3>\n
Google loves structured content \u2014 it makes it easier for its crawlers to decipher the content, and for\u00a0searchers\u00a0to follow along and find what they\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n
So use headings<\/a>, bullet points,\u00a0knowledge graphs, key\u00a0takeaways, and lists in your articles. Don\u2019t forget to reference your statistics and consider adding a table of contents (along with anchor text) to help visitors quickly access the information they\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n
![\"structure](\"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/unnamed-3.png\")
<\/p>\n4. Focus on\u00a0related questions<\/h3>\n
Remember, the\u00a0vast majority\u00a0of us have different search tendencies, from how we write an initial query to what we do if it\u2019s too broad or specific.<\/p>\n
So fire up a\u00a0keyword research\u00a0tool, and type your original phrase in \u2014 then see what other related terms come up with\u00a0search volume\u00a0(ideally with low competition). These are how people are finding content like yours.<\/p>\n
Once you know what other\u00a0people also ask<\/a>, you can\u00a0optimize your content<\/a>\u00a0for them. This will help you drive more traffic to a\u00a0piece of content\u00a0and, hopefully, get it on the\u00a0first page\u00a0and featured in a\u00a0snippet box.<\/p>\n
Of course, you\u2019ll need the right tools.<\/p>\n
Similarweb\u2019s Keyword Research and analysis tools, for example, provide access to fresh and accurate keyword data that can help you optimize your strategy. It\u2019s reliable (we use actual user search queries, rather than scraping methods), scalable (with over 1 billion keywords, and counting), and fresh (we spot keywords and trends before anyone else).<\/p>\n
Pro tip:<\/strong> Need help conducting competitive keyword research in under five minutes<\/a>? This article has your FAQs covered.<\/p>\n
5. Manage your content hierarchy<\/h3>\n
It\u2019s better to lay a solid foundation for your future success now, rather than later. How? By starting with a \u201cgeneric\u201d target keyword, one that encompasses a particular problem, issue, or product\/service you provide.<\/p>\n
For example, if you sell website analytics<\/a> to\u00a0marketers, your overall umbrella term is \u201cwebsite analytics\u201d. This becomes the main category for your pillar piece<\/a>. More specific queries, like \u201cwhat is the best website analytics software?\u201d or \u201chow to set up website analytics\u201d, become the\u00a0long-tail keyword<\/a>\u00a0articles that sit under that umbrella and link back to your pillar page.<\/p>\n
With this approach, it becomes easy for website visitors and Google to understand what your articles are about and how they relate to a specific topic.<\/p>\n
6. Track, track, track<\/h3>\n
Using the right tools, you can track each\u00a0web page\u2019s performance for specific keyword terms.<\/p>\n
Similarweb\u2019s SEO competitive analysis<\/a>, for example, allows you to uncover your traffic and engagement gaps<\/a> across all marketing channels. You can quickly discover growth opportunities based on what works best for your competitors\u2019 marketing strategies, prioritize keywords, and discover what’s generating traffic, or trending at the moment.<\/p>\n
How to track and optimize your featured snippets<\/h2>\n
We\u2019ve highlighted some of our platform’s features. Here\u2019s how it can help you boss your\u00a0content marketing\u00a0and track and optimize your\u00a0featured snippets.<\/p>\n
- \n
- \n
SERP features update<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Be more data-driven with your SERP strategy. Analyze SERP features and keyword positions to understand which SERP features are showing for a specific keyword (and whether you, your competitors or clients are ranking for them). Don\u2019t forget, SERP features dominate and draw searchers\u2019 attention, and have the potential to increase CTR and organic traffic.<\/p>\n
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- \n
Competitive SEO and content analysis<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Review the traffic share<\/a> of your keywords by geography, branded vs. non-branded, search type, competitiveness, and more. You can even create more effective content by identifying trending keywords and the most viewed content on your site with top organic pages<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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More keyword data<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
If you\u2019re operating in a transactional industry, we\u2019ve added another\u00a0keyword research\u00a0tool<\/a> to our growing list of SEO functions. We can now offer on-site keyword search data from Amazon<\/a>. Using this capability, you can generate thousands of high-intent keyword ideas, helping you to target the right people at the right time.<\/p>\n
Your next big opportunity<\/strong><\/p>\n
Now you\u2019re a\u00a0featured snippets\u00a0pro and know how to target that coveted position zero, it\u2019s time to get to work building an effective, high-impact strategy.<\/p>\n
Success starts with the right plan and the right tools \u2014 and Similarweb is just what you need to get started.<\/p>\n
Our Digital Marketing Intelligence solution can empower your\u00a0SEO\u00a0strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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![\"Stay](\"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/SEO-Insights-banner.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n