Have you noticed that some of your Google searches produce an informational box with the answer to your search query above the organic search results? For example, a search for “how many counties in the U.S.” returns a Google snippet telling you that there are 3,006 counties. This snippet quotes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s website and provides a link to the answer. A somewhat new feature on Google within the past few years, that box is called a featured snippet.

Google snippets take three different forms:

• Text: This type of snippet contains a sentence or paragraph answering your query.
• Table: This type of snippet provides a table with data to answer your query.
• List: This snippet provides a bulleted list of things or steps to respond to your query.

Being the go-to website for the answer to a Google query is EXTREMELY valuable. With your content being presented as a featured snippet by Google, searchers will view your website as a trusted source for the information they need to know. Furthermore, because the Google snippet is placed above the organic search results, search engine marketing firms refer to this as “position zero” because it is higher than the top-ranking search result.

But how can you improve your chances of appearing in Google’s featured snippets? We have a few tips and tricks you need to know!

Put Yourself Into Users’ Shoes

Optimizing your website to rank for Google snippets is similar to search engine optimization (SEO). You must first begin to think like your customers. Anticipate what they will type into the Google search bar, then place that information somewhere on your website.

In the case of Google’s snippets, you should think through the questions your customers will ask about your products or services. For example, “how much does x cost?” or “how often should I replace x?”

Once you know what your customers ask, you can have your search engine marketing agency optimize your website to feature the question and answer on your site. This question and answer will push Google to use your answer for its snippet when users ask that question.

Format Your Answer

You’ve probably heard the phrase “content is king”. BUT in this case, format is king! Whether your answer is picked for a Google snippet will depend on how your answer is formatted. As mentioned above, snippets are either text, tables, or lists.

If you want to be featured as the Google snippet for describing a process, like opening a new bank account, provide the answer on your website in the form of a list that provides each step. If you describe the process as multiple paragraphs of text, your answer probably will not be picked because it’s too long. Remember, searchers want quick and easy answers to their questions.

Moreover, make sure your website design agency uses HTML tags so Google understands that your lists or tables are in fact lists and tables. Google’s search engine algorithm will not take the time to parse through weird formatting to figure out something is a list or table. Make it easy for the search engine by tagging lists and tables.

Similarly, if you want your text to be used as the Google snippet for a common query, use phrases like “frequently asked questions” or “how to…” (like we did for this article) so Google’s algorithm understands the purpose of your page. Even better, use a question-and-answer format to help your answer rank as the snippet for that question.

Be Brief and Direct

Although Google does not disclose the word count for its snippets, search engine marketing companies have analyzed snippets and determined that most are between 40 and 50 words in length.

This means that to get your answer chosen as a Google snippet, you need to answer the question concisely. One way to do this is to have a FAQ or question-and-answer section with each question followed by a single-sentence answer. You can expand on your answer in a following paragraph, but the single sentence answer is your bid to be the Google snippet for that question.

Being the source of a Google snippet can provide a HUGE boost in traffic to your site. Your answer has the potential to become the authoritative answer to the query and draw users that might have not otherwise found your website. Combined with other search engine marketing techniques, you can dominate the top of the search results.

Looking to boost your business with SEO and Google snippets? We can help! Contact us TODAY to learn about our search engine marketing services.