Featured snippet

Formats

Paragraph snippets answer a "what is" or "why" question in about 40 to 60 words. List snippets show steps or rankings. Table snippets show comparisons and prices. Google picks the format based on the question and on how the source page is structured.

How pages win them

Answer the question directly near the top of a section, in plain language, right under a heading that matches the question. Follow with detail. Use real HTML lists and tables for steps and comparisons. Most snippet sources already rank on the first page, so the basics of a good page come first.

The same habits help with AI answers. A clear definition sentence under a clear heading is the easiest thing for any system to quote correctly.

Is it worth it?

A snippet can raise visibility and traffic for informational queries, though some searchers get their answer without clicking. For terms tied to your product, such as definitions your customers search before buying, being the quoted source builds trust even when the click does not come straight away.

Writing snippet friendly sections

Phrase headings as the question people type, such as "How long does indexing take?". Start the section with a sentence that answers it completely, using the words of the question. Keep that sentence free of references to earlier text, so it still makes sense when shown alone. Then add the nuance below it for readers who click through.

Example

A search for "what is a dofollow link" shows a two sentence definition from a glossary page, with the page's title and link under it.

Questions people ask

Can I stop Google from showing my page as a snippet?

Yes, with the nosnippet meta tag or a data-nosnippet attribute on part of the page, but it also limits your normal snippet.