Even if you are displayed in the fourth or fifth place in the organic search results, it is still perfectly possible to outshine your competitors and see your website proudly sitting at the top. How do we achieve this? With featured snippets!

What are featured snippets?

A featured snippet is an item that you find at the very top of the search results in Google, providing a concrete answer to the question you asked. This answer is displayed above all other organic search results.

Due to their prominent position in the search results and the ability to click through to your website, featured snippets are highly sought after. The page title and URL from your website are also immediately visible. However, it is not a given to end up in such a featured snippet, also known as the Google Answer Box. Google looks not only at the relevance of the content but also at impeccable spelling and correct structure. For example, you have a better chance of success if the question is in a subheading, and the desired length of your answer is not unlimited. It is advisable to collaborate with an expert if you want to be considered for Google’s featured snippets.

What are the benefits of featured snippets?

• Prominent position at the top of the search results.
• Higher Click Through Rate (CTR) than other results.
• On smartphones, almost the entire screen is filled with your answer.
• Future-oriented, as it is very handy for voice search queries.
• Excellent service for potential customers with questions.
• Free way to reach potential customers.

By the way, did you know that lists and tables with relevant answers to questions can also be displayed as featured snippets? The above can thus easily qualify for high rankings in Google when entrepreneurs search for ‘why are featured snippets important?’.

Featured snippets are not entirely new. They made their debut back in 2015, but this application is becoming increasingly important for your SEO (Search Engine Optimization). More and more people are searching for answers to their questions via mobile devices. Featured snippets may already take up quite a bit of space on a desktop, but on your phone, almost the entire screen will be filled. Even better than a first place in the organic search results, and moreover, test results show that the click-through rate is also more favorable. The answer that potential customers see is also usually brief. If your answer in the featured snippet is promising, it makes sense that they will click through to your website for more information.

Furthermore, this approach allows you to optimally anticipate the growing importance of voice search queries. Research shows that more and more searches are being made via voice messages, especially among young people. Anticipating the significance of these voice searches, among other things with featured snippets, is an investment in the future.

How does my business use featured snippets?

If your business provides correct and relevant answers to specific questions from visitors, you qualify for featured snippets. Google may then choose your website to appear at the top of the search results, and visitors can click through to your website if they want more information.

Although the benefits of featured snippets are undeniable, we want to temper the enthusiasm a little. It can never be stated with certainty that your business will be chosen for the featured snippets. The chances can certainly be optimized, but Google’s algorithm remains decisive. No one can guarantee position 0.

Moreover, it is also important to invest in other SEO tools to boost your organic search traffic. Websites that score very low in the search results will be considered insufficiently relevant by Google. Consequently, these websites will also not qualify for featured snippets. It does not replace other SEO strategies, but it can be a nice addition.