SEO Related

SERP Feature: Featured Snippet and Position Zero

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2023-11-22

SEO Related

SERP Feature: Featured Snippet and Position Zero

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Get Updates And Learn From The Best

2023-11-22

Table of Contents

If you run an SEO campaign for an informative website, you might want to know about featured snippets and position zero and treat them as your target rather than the top organic ranking.

What are featured snippets?

When users are searching for informative results, such as instructions, answers, or facts, featured snippets will appear on the search engine result page (SERP). They will either be at the top of the SERP or the “People also ask ” section. The featured snippet will extract the most useful information from your website and answer users’ questions directly on the SERP.

Different types of featured snippets

1. Paragraph

The search engine will extract a few sentences from the website content and compose a paragraph to answer users’ questions. This is the most common form of featured snippet. The snippet will also include website source under the information to show users the original content.

For example, when we are searching for keyword “Global box office revenue 2021”, Google will recommend the most authoritative and valuable website for users on the top of the SERP. The system will extract the most important information from the website content and consolidate it into a short paragraph. Users can find their answers directly in the SERP without clicking into the website.

2. Lists and tables

Featured snippets can also be in the form of lists or tables. When users are searching for multiple items or answers, a list is the best way to display all the content for the users.

For example, when you search for “highest earning movies 2021”, the featured snippets will include a table to provide the top few movies with the most earnings in 2021, just like the screencap below:

3. Video

When the users search for a particular type of video, Google will also display the video in the featured snippet. From this, users can click on the video and watch the video on the SERP without visiting YouTube.

For example, if I am searching for “Anti-hero by Taylor Swift”, Google will display the video directly on the top of the SERP, let users watch the video without visiting YouTube, just like the below example:

What is position zero?

As for position zero, it is a coveted spot in search engine results pages (SERPs) where content is prominently displayed above the organic search results. This prime real estate provides users with concise and direct answers to their queries without the need to click through to a specific website. In other words, if your website content is extracted as a featured snippet and placed at the top of the SERP but not the “People also ask” section, your website has dominated position zero.

Securing position zero can significantly boost a website’s visibility and credibility, as it showcases the content as an authoritative source in response to relevant search queries. Marked by its informational value and high visibility, position zero has become a focal point for digital marketers aiming to enhance their online presence and increase organic website traffic.

How do you acquire position zero?

There is no guarantee method, but if you are aiming for position zero for your website, you may try optimizing your content:

1. Provide accurate, succinct, and complete information for your users

Your website content should be correct and easy for Google to excerpt into a short paragraph.

2. Use “What is” or “How to” wordings in your headings

When Google crawls through your website content, if it sees these wordings in your article, it will think your content helps solve users’ inquiry so that your website content will be excerpted into featured snippets.

3. Shape your content into a featured snippet

When your content is already in the form of a featured snippet (i.e., lists, forms, or videos), there is a greater chance for Google to excerpt your content as featured snippets.

4. Avoid using first-person pronouns to write your content

If you use the first-person pronoun, Google might think your content is subjective. Without enough credibility, Google might not recommend your content to users.

Although featured snippets and position zero are not the most important things of SEO, it is worth learning about and understanding how Google sees your content. If you are looking for a professional solution for an SEO campaign, feel free to contact us and schedule a one-on-one consultation. Our team is more than happy to provide you with suggestions with our expertise.