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SEO/AEO/GEO

Featured Snippet

Answer Box | Position Zero

Portrait of Lukas Horvath, co-founder of Roelu Studio
Lukas HorvathCo-founder

What is Featured Snippet?

A featured snippet is a search result format where Google extracts a direct answer from a ranking page and displays it in a highlighted box at the top of the SERP. Also called the answer box or position zero, it appears above the standard organic results and typically pulls 8 to 15 percent of the query's clicks. Snippets come in paragraph, list, table, or video formats depending on the query.

Why it matters

Featured snippets are the single highest-visibility position in organic search. Win one and your page sits above every competitor, including the number one organic result. You get more clicks, more authority, and often a brand mention in voice assistants and AI Overviews pulling from the same source. The catch: snippets require a specific format. Direct answer in the first sentence. Tight structure. Clear lists where appropriate. The teams that write for extraction win them. The teams that bury the answer in paragraph six lose to someone who didn't.

How it works

Google selects featured snippets algorithmically from pages already ranking in the top ten for a query. To win one, the page needs a direct, concise answer to the question — typically 40 to 60 words for paragraph snippets — placed near the top of the page, ideally right after a header that matches the query. For list and table snippets, the structure on the page should match: ordered lists for steps, tables for comparisons. Schema markup helps but isn't required. You can target snippets by looking at "People Also Ask" boxes and existing featured snippets in your space, then writing pages that answer those questions more cleanly than what currently ranks.

Related terms

  • SERP

    SEO/AEO/GEO

    The page Google or another search engine shows after a query — the mix of ads, organic results, AI answers, and rich features that ultimately decides who gets…

  • Schema Markup

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    Code added to your pages that labels content for search engines — turning plain HTML into structured data that powers rich results, AI answer citations, and…

  • Answer Engine Optimization

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    Optimizing your content so AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews quote you directly when buyers in your market ask a question —…

  • Zero-Click Search

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    A Google search where the user gets their answer directly on the results page — in a featured snippet, AI Overview, or knowledge panel — and never clicks…

  • Google AI Overviews

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    Google's AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of search results, answering the query directly with content pulled from across the web — pushing…

  • Search Engine Optimization

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    The practice of shaping a website so it shows up when people search for what you sell — through content, structure, speed, and the credibility signals that…

  • Title Tag

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    The headline of a page in search results and browser tabs — one of the strongest on-page ranking signals, and the very first thing a searcher reads before…