Featured snippet

What it means

A featured snippet is a highlighted extract of text, a table or a list from one page that a search engine shows above the regular results as a direct answer. It is often called position zero because it appears above the first organic result in the SERP.

Pages with concise, well-structured answers to specific questions earn it, such as what is, how to calculate or what is the difference. Snippet types include a definition paragraph, a numbered procedure, a bulleted list and a table.

With the rise of AI-generated answers, the space in search results is changing. The principles that help win a featured snippet, clear answers, structure and trustworthiness, matter just as much for generative engine optimisation.

How it works in practice

To improve your chances, phrase the question in a heading and give a direct answer of two or three sentences, around 50 words, immediately below it. A fuller explanation and examples follow, which suits both readers and search engines.

Procedures are written as numbered lists and comparisons as tables with clear headers. Keyword research helps choose topics by showing questions that already trigger a snippet and long-tail queries with specific intent.

Structured data alone does not guarantee a featured snippet, but it helps search engines understand content. Snippets are usually taken from pages already on the first page of results, so quality content and technical SEO are the foundation.

What to watch out for

A featured snippet can reduce clicks if the answer fully satisfies the searcher, who then has no need to visit the site. For simple questions, a snippet therefore brings brand visibility more than traffic.

Snippets change frequently, and the search engine may give them to a competitor or remove them. It makes no sense to distort the text for them, for example by repeating the question excessively; what matters is that the page genuinely helps the reader.