Featured Snippet

A featured snippet is the answer box that sometimes appears at the very top of the results, above the normal listings. Google extracts a concise answer — a paragraph, list, or table — from a page that already ranks and displays it with a link back to the source. It is often called "position zero".

To win one, first rank on page one, then answer the specific question cleanly and early on the page, in the format the current snippet uses. If the live snippet is a list, structure your answer as a list; if it is a definition, give a tight 40–60 word definition directly under a heading that matches the question. Track which of your queries trigger snippets and reverse-engineer the format Google is rewarding.

Snippets are strategic beyond their own click-through: they are prime training and source material for voice answers and AI summaries, so the same crisp, liftable structure that wins position zero also makes you quotable to answer engines. Weigh them carefully, though — a snippet can satisfy the query and reduce your clicks. Chase snippets that build authority and brand exposure, and be relaxed about the ones that would only cannibalise your own traffic.