Snippets, also known as Answer Boxes, are quick summaries of answers to a user’s inquiry in a search engine.  They give answers to users without them having to click open a specific webpage.

About 11% of search engine results have a Featured Snippet.  They are the search results that appear on pages after ads but before ranked results on a page after an inquiry.

They usually appear alongside an image, table, or video so that they stand out even more.  This puts them in a better position to steal clicks and views from even the highest ranked results.

Here are some initial tips for your content to rank in Featured Snippets:

• Be clear and concise

• Use headers for easy scanning

• Ensure cross-device usability

• Maintain social engagement

• Use strong external resources

Featured Snippets are usually generated in three forms: A paragraph, A table, or a bulleted list.

You should use the paragraph format if you’re trying to rank for question keywords like “how can I grow my email list” or “what is a featured snippet?”

However, if you’re trying to rank for a preposition (“for,” “to,” “like,” etc.) a list format is your best bet.

To ensure your content appears in a Featured Snippet focus on these things:

Keyword Research is Key – Find the right keywords and keyword phrases that have moderate to high search volume through research using online tools and apps.

Structure Your Content – Make your content easier for search engines to understand by using HTML to structure it and make keywords and phrases bold to emphasize them.

Include Keywords in the first 100 words – Include your main keywords in the first paragraph whenever possible.

Answer the question in the first sentence – Limit your definition or answer to 50 characters or less.

Answer similar relevant questions – Whatever your content may be, make sure to include answers closely related to the topics you are answering.

Experiment with the structure of your content – There are two main types: The Format and the Inverted Pyramid Structure used by most journalists.

Give potential customers answers in the best, concise, and engaging way by following these guidelines to make sure your business’ content ranks in Featured Snippets.