Did you know that people are increasingly looking for quick and straightforward answers? And nothing meets that need better than featured snippets!
Basically, this tool provides the user’s search answer without them having to click the link and visit the page. Featured snippets increase a site’s authority in the eyes of the search engine. They are a quick solution and a powerful ally to boost SEO.
Websites that Google uses as a quick, concise answer are perceived as more trustworthy. As a result, the number of visits increases, as the reader’s curiosity about the topic is sparked.
Discover how to optimize your content to capture these coveted positions and enhance your SEO performance.
Optimizing for Featured Snippets
Although often associated with zero-click searches, featured snippets significantly increase click-through rates and site visibility.
As trends like voice search and mobile-first evolve, snippet optimization becomes even more important for answering the question of how to increase organic traffic. To make your page appear among the top search results, invest in:
Keywords for Featured Snippets
One SEO technique directly related to search results is the strategic use of keywords.
This becomes even more valuable when it comes to featured snippets. The practice involves using terms that match search intent, increasing the chances of the search engine selecting your text as a quick answer.
- Long-tail keywords: In featured snippets SEO, long-tail keywords are essential. They should be specific and aligned with the type of question the user is asking. Instead of using something like “running shoes”, using “what is the best running shoe for a half marathon” clearly indicates the search intent. As a result, the chances of being featured by Google increase, especially now, when organic traffic has taken a significant hit due to the rise of AI.
In addition, research tools can also show which keywords have already been selected as featured snippets. This way, you can spot gaps and create new content.
To identify good optimization opportunities and terms to target, check Google’s “People also ask” section. This feature can provide valuable insights for creating content that properly answers searches.
Targeting your content with long-tail keywords increases your chances of ranking for paragraph, list, and table snippets.
Structuring content for snippet optimization
Considering the goal of increasing search visibility, it’s important to emphasize that Google values relevant, clear, well-structured content that promptly answers the user’s query.
To appear in a featured snippet, it’s essential to provide a clear and objective answer to the user’s question within the first few paragraphs. Be direct and avoid exceeding 60 words.
SEO techniques that use primary and secondary keywords at the beginning of the text have a higher chance of reaching position zero in search engines.
Make content organization easier by separating topics with header tags. This helps Google accurately understand the subject covered in the material.
Additional elements, such as lists and tables, make it easier for readers to grasp the content.
Currently, a large portion of internet users perform voice searches. Over 90% of Brazilians have already used some type of virtual assistant.
Therefore, it’s important to optimize content for this type of search. Create texts that are easy to read, load quickly, and are mobile-friendly.
Keep content updated and focus on user experience
Arguably one of the main aspects of featured snippets is providing a better user experience. In this sense, to keep a snippet in the spotlight, you should:
- Monitor and update your content regularly;
- Track changes in organic traffic and identify snippet performance compared to competitors;
- Analyze competitor content to deepen and better structure your own, especially if any of them have overtaken your snippets;
- Align with user intent to secure featured snippets. Review keyword strategies and monitor Google searches to find topics you can answer with your content;
- Use Schema Markup to optimize content indexing, allowing search engines to display relevant information in highlights;
- Focus on user experience by optimizing for voice search and mobile devices;
- Invest in conversational keywords. Voice search users will likely ask full questions — e.g., “How to optimize content for SEO” — instead of typing “SEO content optimization”.
It’s clear that featured snippets will become even more important for users, platforms, and search engines. Those who aren’t prepared to provide featured snippets will fall behind in the race for top-ranking positions.
Don’t waste time! Review your content and invest in direct, concise answers to reach your target audience.
How we structure our content for Featured Snippet optimization
We adopt several strategies to optimize content with the goal of securing Featured Snippets in search results. Some of our practices include:
Use of numbered and bulleted lists
We believe structuring information into lists makes reading easier and increases the chances of Google highlighting the content as a snippet. Therefore, we make a point of adding numbered and bulleted lists. See the example below:
This strategy improves the way the reader visualizes the content, facilitates reading, and contributes to engagement on the page.
Charts and tables
To present data in an organized way, the site uses images that highlight important information, helping with clarity and increasing the possibility of being featured as snippets. Notice how this makes reading more enjoyable and improves the quality of the information:
Concise and direct paragraphs
Direct, objective answers to specific questions are provided in short paragraphs, increasing the chance of being selected as featured snippets. The use of bullet points also helps at this stage, as it organizes the answer for the reader. For example:
Imagine a user typing into the search engine “how to do an SEO audit”. The content shown in the example image provides the necessary information. If the reader wants more details, they will click the link to access the full content.
Proper use of headings (H1, H2, H3)
A well-defined heading hierarchy helps Google understand the content structure and identify relevant sections for Featured Snippets. See the image below for a clearer understanding:
Note that we’ve added H2 and H3 headings to separate the content by topics and tips. We also use bullet points to summarize what the reader will find. Together, these elements help the content appear in Featured Snippets.
Use of images with Alt Text
Relevant images accompanied by descriptions (alt text) help convey the content’s message and can be displayed in snippets.
When uploading an image to WordPress, fill in the “Alt Text” field with the primary keyword, and do the same with the “Description” field. This helps Google’s crawlers understand what the image contains.
Additionally, when saving the image file, rename it using the primary keyword. See the example below:
Quality and relevant content
Covering topics of interest to the target audience, with accurate and updated information, contributes to site authority and snippet selection. Therefore, conduct research to deliver what your audience is searching for.
Now you know how to optimize your text for search engines. These practices demonstrate a deliberate SEO strategy to increase content visibility in search results through Featured Snippets.
So, put them into action, or rely on Content Marketing specialists. Contact our team and see how we can help you.