What is a Featured Snippet?

A featured snippet is a highlighted answer that Google shows at the top of the search results, even above the first organic link. It takes a short, relevant extract from a web page to answer a search query directly. A featured snippet gives you a lot of visibility, which is why it is also called position 0.

Types of featured snippets

The most common forms are the paragraph snippet (a short text answer), the list snippet (steps or bullet points) and the table snippet. Google picks the form that best fits the query and takes the content from a page that phrases the answer clearly.

How do you get a featured snippet?

Give a concise, direct answer to a concrete question, ideally right below a heading that contains the question. Use a clear structure with lists or short paragraphs. Pages that already rank well in the SERP stand the best chance.

Why it matters for SEO and GEO

Featured snippets increase your visibility and authority, but they can also lead to a zero-click search. The same approach also helps your content get cited by AI search engines, which ties in with GEO.

Can you force a featured snippet?

No, Google decides for itself. You can improve your chances with a clear, concise answer and good structure.

Is a snippet always a good thing?

Usually it is for your visibility, although it can sometimes cost clicks because the answer is already in the SERP.