Featured Snippet
What is Featured Snippet?
A featured snippet is a highlighted answer box that Google displays above the normal organic results — often called "position zero." Google extracts it from a page that answers the query clearly and concisely, showing a paragraph, list, or table plus the source link.
Pages win snippets by answering the target question in a tight, self-contained block near the relevant heading: a 40–60 word paragraph for definitional queries, a numbered list for processes, or a table for comparisons. The same formatting that wins snippets also makes content easy for AI answer engines to quote.
Snippets are volatile — Google swaps the source frequently — so they are best treated as a bonus of clear, answer-first writing rather than a guaranteed placement.
Why it matters
Position zero captures the click — and is often the exact text AI Overviews reuse.
Featured Snippet — FAQ
How do I get a featured snippet?
Answer the exact question in a concise, self-contained block (40–60 words, a list, or a table) placed right under a heading that matches the query, on a page that already ranks on page one.
Does a featured snippet get more clicks?
It captures prominent real estate and often the click, though for some queries it satisfies the user in place. It also frequently becomes the text reused in AI Overviews.
Related terms
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
Answer Engine Optimization is the practice of structuring content so AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews cite it directly.
Search Intent
Search intent is the goal behind a query — informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional — that a page must match to rank.
Structured Data (Schema Markup)
Structured data is machine-readable code (usually JSON-LD) that labels page content so search and answer engines understand it precisely.
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