A featured snippet is a short response to an online search query. They’ll appear at the top of a search engine results page which provides the answer quickly.
Over time featured snippets have appeared in many forms – they can look like lists, paragraphs, or charts. And now you might see an array of other SERP features on Google, such as knowledge panels, video carousels, and image packs! If you’re wondering how to get a featured snippet or what it means to see your content on SERP features, our media planning and SEO agency in Portsmouth is here to explain it all so that you can finally capture that featured snippet feeling.
Why Are Featured Snippets Important?
Featured snippets are exciting to see! Well, at least for SEOs. Essentially, featured snippets show that your organization is acknowledged by search engines as a valid source for information. There are also plenty of benefits when the content you produce is used for a featured snippet, such as:
- Helping someone promptly with their search query.
- Building brand awareness for your organization and website.
- Improving authoritativeness with search engine results.
- Increasing impressions, and potentially increasing engagement with your website.
People may be more inclined to “stick around” and read other information on your website which could ultimately boost your organic traffic. As with anything in SEO, if your content is featured at the top of page one of search results then you’re clearly demonstrating experience, expertise, and trustworthiness with search engines which is always important!
How to Rank for Featured Snippets on Search Engines
Earning a featured snippet will not happen overnight. It takes more than just keyword placement and well-written content. To earn a featured snippet, try targeting keywords with low difficulty and high search relevance. You will also want to find out what the user’s search intent is behind the keyword and what types of questions are being asked by your audience.
Rather than thinking about questions you would ask about your topic, try thinking about the types of questions someone with no prior experience in your industry would ask. Richardson Media Group’s SEO team tackles this by asking ourselves: What would someone outside of the industry be searching for? What kind of keywords would they use if they didn’t have a first-hand understanding of paid media or SEO?
More Ways to Optimize for Featured Snippets
The People Also Ask panel and the Related Searches section on Google can also help with research. In order to rank for a featured snippet, you will want to keep in mind:
- The structure of your content: Use H1 Tags and H2 Tags to emphasize important questions, and provide direct answers while incorporating other variations of your main keyword string. This will benefit both people and search engines.
- The consistency of your content: Being consistent with SEO best practices is an important part of gaining trust and building authority with search engines. One blog post or landing page isn’t going to change the way Google perceives your website. Make sure you’re consistently optimizing all of the content on your website, not just your most recently written featured snippet pieces.
- The end goal of your content: What is the purpose of your page? What would you like to solve for your audience? You should always have an end goal in place whenever you try to rank for a featured snippet. How do you define a conversion on your website? Create a user journey through your content and provide a call to action on your page.
If you have more questions about SERP features or need help with your SEO campaign, don’t hesitate to contact Richardson Media Group today!
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