Content
What Are Featured Snippets and How to Get Them to Increase Search Visibility
April 16, 2025
12 mins
If you're looking for specific information or want to buy something, chances are your first step is to search on Google. The results usually include ads and dozens of different websites, but sometimes, the answer appears right at the top and immediately grabs your attention. That's a featured snippet, and it can significantly boost your website’s visibility while also helping the user and potentially drawing them to your page.
In this article, together with SEO experts from Promodo, we’ll explore what is a Google snippet, how they work, and how to obtain featured snippets.
Featured snippets, also known as rich results, are special blocks that appear at the top of Google’s search results page. They provide a brief answer to the user’s query by pulling information directly from a webpage.
These snippets can appear in the form of text, lists, tables, videos, or even cards with charts and other visual elements. The goal of Featured Snippets is to quickly answer the user’s question without requiring them to click through to a website, thereby enhancing the overall search experience.
Google snippets typically appear in "position zero," right above the standard search results. This means that even if a business doesn’t rank first organically, earning a Snippet allows it to outrank top websites.
This is especially valuable for small and medium-sized businesses competing against large, well-established brands.
Also, read our article about zero click.
Users often perceive a featured snippet as the “official answer,” which means the website it comes from gains more credibility. This is particularly important for expert-driven niches like healthcare, finance, or law.
For example, while working with clients, we frequently create a dedicated FAQ block to provide expert answers to the most common user questions.
AI Overviews use artificial intelligence to generate concise answers to user queries by aggregating information from multiple websites — a concept similar to Google snippets. This has already led Western SEO experts to wonder whether Snippets might eventually disappear altogether.
However, regardless of which format performs better, it’s crucial to continue working on your website’s SEO and content optimization today. In fact, in 40% of cases, voice assistants like Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa pull their answers directly from a featured snippet.
Unlike paid advertising, earning a place in a featured snippet doesn’t require additional budget. If your content is properly optimized, it can stay in the Snippet for months.
However, we recommend regularly reviewing and updating your top-performing pages that appear in Google featured snippets. Algorithms evolve, and competitors are constantly working to improve their content and claim those top spots — so staying ahead requires ongoing effort.
This is the most common type of Google snippets, providing a text-based answer to the user’s query. Text snippets are typically short, allowing users to quickly access the information they need without having to visit the website.
Tip: To appear in text-based Snippets, your content should be concise and well-structured. Provide a clear answer to the user’s specific question within the first few lines of text. Use paragraphs, lists, or numbered steps for better clarity. It’s important to include keywords that match popular search queries and to phrase the information in a way that makes it easy to extract for a brief display in the Snippet block.
Snippets in the form of bulleted lists are typically used when the answer to a query contains multiple points that don’t follow a strict order. This format allows presenting a list of items in a user-friendly way.
Snippets in the form of numbered lists are ideal for queries where the sequence or order of actions is important. This type of snippet helps users understand the steps they need to follow or the ranking of items.
Example: The query "How to restart an iPhone" returns a numbered step-by-step guide with clear instructions, outlining each action in the correct order. This format is particularly effective for instructional content, like troubleshooting or how-to guides, where the order of steps matters.
Snippets that display information in the form of a table are useful for queries that involve comparisons or data with various metrics. They provide structured information in rows and columns, making it easier for users to quickly compare options.
Example: The query "iPhone 13 price" may display a table with prices for different iPhone models, allowing users to easily compare prices across various configurations.
Snippets that include a video response to a query are ideal for situations where a video format is the best way to demonstrate a process or provide instructions. Video snippets are a powerful tool for engaging users who are looking for a visual explanation to their query.
Example: The query "how to restart iPhone" may display a video with a relevant trailer, offering users a comprehensive visual overview of the process.
In order to optimize for featured snippets, you need to focus on creating clear, structured, and relevant answers to users' queries. Here’s what we recommend:
Google featured snippets are designed to provide a clear and concise answer to a user’s query.Answer the query immediately within the first few lines of your article. If it's a paragraph snippet, start with a direct, understandable definition or answer that takes about 40-50 words. After that, you can add additional details or context to expand the response.
Example:
Query: "What are mules?"
“Mules are shoes with an open heel and a closed toe. Due to this design, mules are considered the perfect footwear option for hot summer weather.”
Long-tail queries are specific phrases made up of three or more words that are more likely to trigger Google featured snippets in SEO. These queries are more detailed, giving Google a better chance to find an accurate answer. Tools like Ahrefs help gather this information by applying convenient filters with special elements in search results and help with featured snippet optimization.
This step is particularly important for lists and tables. Your content should be organized to allow Google to easily identify it as suitable for a specific type of snippet.
Lists: For queries that require steps or a list, use numbered or bulleted lists. Google can easily extract this format for snippets.
Tables: If your content contains data that needs to be compared or presented in a structured format, create tables. Google can extract structured data from tables, so it's important that they are clearly organized.
Video snippets often attract more users. To optimize a video for featured snippets, you need to create videos with clear titles, descriptions, and timestamps for key moments. This helps Google correctly display your content.
When optimizing videos for SEO featured snippets on YouTube, use relevant keywords, provide a clear description that answers specific queries, and include chapters for quick access to important video moments.
Structure your content using clear headings — use H2 and H3 for different sections of your content. This helps Google recognize key moments and ensures proper organization of your material.
A clear heading structure helps Google better understand your content. Use primary keywords in headings, but do so naturally without overstuffing the text. Ideal heading length: H2 — 3-6 words, H3 — up to 5 words. Organize content into logical sections with subheadings to increase the likelihood of appearing in featured snippets.
The "People Also Ask" (PAA) section is not a random set of questions but rather real search trends that Google’s algorithm deems relevant. If these appear in the search results, users actively search for them.
The main query might be competitive, but more specific questions from the PAA section offer a real chance to capture user attention. For example, instead of "How to care for a ficus?" you could create content like "Does Ficus need a lot of sun?"
To gather PAA queries, use tools like AlsoAsked.
To get into featured snippets, create structured, clear, and concise content that answers users' queries. However, great content alone isn’t enough — Google analyzes the entire site and its relevance, so it’s also important to optimize the website and fix any errors. Our advice is to take a comprehensive approach to SEO.
SEO Specialist at Promodo
More than 7 years in SEO. I have processed SEO projects in healthcare, apparel and footwear, cosmetics, and legal services.
Journalist at Promodo
For over 4 years, I have been working as a journalist in the communications and marketing industry. I help brands communicate effectively through written content, engage with market experts, and create professional materials on topics related to business and marketing, sharing insights on working with marketing tools.
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