Modern-day search has come a long way from the days of 10 blue links. Google has not shied away from blue links, but SERPs are now populated by a myriad of other SERP Features, which are key additions that make the results stand out based on the user’s search query. 

Presenting an opportunity for websites to obtain an additional, highly prominent ranking in the search results, there is one SERP feature that has a higher CTR than regular organic results, and uplifts your SEO efforts. These are Featured Snippets.

A sweet spot in SERP referred to as “position zero” or “Rank #0”, Featured Snippets can significantly impact your SEO efforts. Analysis of your SEO results will enable you to understand the relationship between the clicks and impressions with the keywords that appear in the Featured Snippets. 

In this blog post,  we will deep dive into the features, types and ways to optimize for Featured Snippets.

What Is A Google Featured Snippet?

Featured Snippet or #Rank 0 is a piece of content that is generated from the page of the website that is more relevant to the search query. Google always puts the user in front, so Featured Snippets or optimising for the Featured Snippet should be a part of your strategy as Google believes that Featured Snippets make it easier for the users to find exactly what they are searching for. 

How Do Featured Snippets Impact Your Results?

Especially when it comes to mobile, where you have a scaled viewing space, you will not miss out on the result that is at the top of SERP. Statistics show that more than 80% of the users click on the Featured Snippets before scrolling down. This means that Featured Snippets increase the click-through rate of the website which will have an impact on the rankings. 

Types Of Featured Snippets

Currently, there are a few types of Featured Snippets like paragraphs, tables, videos and listings. Considering the fact that architecture is subjected to constant change to give the users the best experience, there will be new additions moving forward. But let us look at some of the most important types of snippets that are well established on the search engine.

1. Paragraph Snippets

Paragraph Snippets are one of the simplest types of Featured Snippets. These types of snippets usually generate a paragraph from the web page based on the relevant query. These snippets may show with an image or just as a simple text paragraph.    

2. List Snippets

The best way to structure the content and make it easy for the readers to consume the content is by listing it. This type of Featured Snippet contains information that is in a bulleted list or numbered format. 

Google’s algorithm clearly understands the type of query that we are looking for. For example, if you search for “best books to read for beginners” there is a high chance you will get a snippet result with the list of books to read as a beginner.

3. Table Snippet

This is a snippet that shares the information in a structured format which makes it easy for the users to consume data directly from the SERP. 

How To Get Featured Snippets In Google

There is no textbook rule to gain Featured Snippets from the SERP, and of course, that is what makes it more interesting. However, you can focus on optimising your content to increase your chances of getting there. Here are some tips you can consider: 

Identify The Search Query

The first thing here is to identify the search query that would generate the Featured Snippet. Once you have identified the search query, it is important that you provide a detailed answer.

You can use the manual search method or tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs to find the queries that target the Featured Snippet. You must also identify the type of snippet that the search query is ranking for. This will help you target the type of Featured Snippet and optimise the content based on the same.

Content Optimisation

Once you have found out the queries, you can create a new set of content or optimise the existing content based on the type of snippet to increase your chances of featuring in the Featured Snippet. Make sure to match with the existing competitor who is already featuring at #Rank0 and enhance your content in the best possible way in comparison.

• Structure your content with more bullet points and numbers.
• Structure the headers and subheaders in Q & A format to make sure you give users the relevant information they are searching for

Keyword Research

Researching keywords is one of the most important steps in featuring as a Featured Snippet. Focus on creating evergreen content that targets the long-tail keywords that starts with:

• What Is
• How To
• Why Is

Don’t Ignore The SEO

The results that usually feature on the Featured Snippets are generated from pages that have the ability to rank high organically. So it is important to do proper on-page optimisation by adopting the best SEO practices to uplift your page’s ranking organically. 

Acquire Strong Backlinks

When we discuss on-page SEO, we definitely cannot ignore off-page SEO. Getting high-quality relevant backlinks plays an important role in improving your ranking in SERP. Getting backlinks from high authority websites send signals that the page is highly relevant to the search query. 

Featured Snippets vs Rich Results: The Difference

1. Featured Snippets are results that are featured at the top of the SERP also called #Rank0. Displayed within the organic search results, they are more detailed than the regular snippet, added with more interactive features based on the result.
2. In Featured Snippets, content is generated from a page that is relevant to the query. In Rich Results, the listings are enhanced by features like breadcrumbs, reviews and more to make it more appealing.
3. Featured Snippets are seen above the first organic result and is usually known as #Rank0. Rich Results do not have such rules that it should show above the search results. The only prerequisite for the Rich Result is that it has to be located within SERP’s. 
4. For Featured Snippets, it is not industry-specific.  With more relevant user intended queries, websites will be able to feature in snippets. For Rich Results, it is more industry-specific or content-specific websites in which we can add the structured data based on the same. 
5. Featured Snippets may or may not have an impact on the CTR as the results are displayed to the user based on the relevant search query. Rich Results definitely have an impact on the CTR because of the improved visibility based on the purpose of the page or website. 
6. Featured Snippets are generated by content analysis based on the search query. In the case of Rich Results, they are generated based on the page’s structured data implemented. 

Should Featured Snippets Be A Part Of Your Seo Strategy?

Driving more qualified traffic to your website is the ultimate goal of any SEO campaign. There is no better way to do that than featuring in the Featured Snippets. Featuring in Featured Snippets can tremendously improve your CTR and share the major chunk of traffic for the particular keyword compared to the competitors. So prior to building a strategy, segment your priority keywords, study the variations, find the opportunities and create the best content compared to the competitors. There is no need to worry even if you don’t land in one of the top spots. The time you invest in SEO will definitely benefit you in the long run. 

Got questions? Reach out to us.

The cornerstone of local SEO is improved search visibility for businesses that serve their communities face-to-face. It’s similar to traditional SEO, but with an added geo element. If you don’t have a local SEO strategy in place and you’re a local business, you’re missing out on sales opportunities for customers searching online for your products and services.

If you are a small business owner or a franchise model, organic ranking and local SEO is proving more difficult every day due to businesses targeting specific areas. There are several local SEO ranking factors that you must consider when competing for top rankings for localized keywords, apart from traditional SEO.

What Is Local Seo? 

According to Search Engine Journal, Local search engine optimization is a branch of SEO that focuses on optimizing a website to be found in local search results

Why Is Local SEO Important? 

Local SEO is vital especially for brick and mortar businesses that are confined to a specific location. If done and optimised in the right way it helps your business be found by the right audience which takes you one step further to convert them. 

Why Should You Use Local Seo As A Small Business? 

• Intent Specific

When it comes to Local SEO, it is evident that customers are looking for a  service or solution that is location-specific. For eg: A person looking for “disinfection services in Dubai” doesn’t want a disinfection service in any other region. He or she would be looking for a service in Dubai that can provide service in a fast and efficient manner. Optimising your business for Local SEO would help your business connect with these intent-based target audiences. 

• More Visits

Customer visits can increase as a result of local search. Customers who are looking for a local business are often prepared to pay a visit. According to Google’s research, 76% of people who perform a local mobile search visit a business within 24 hours.

• Has a Higher Conversion Rate

Local search has a higher conversion rate. People who are searching with intent often fall at the bottom of the buyer’s journey and are ready to convert. Search Engine Land report that 78% of local mobile searches result in a purchase either in-store or online.

Optimize Your Website for Local SEO in 8 Steps

1. Google My Business

What is Google My Business? 

Google my Business is a business listing platform that you can use to list your business based on each location. It will show your business-related information such as an address, working hours, contact information) and also you can add the CTA buttons. 

How can GMB benefit your business? 

Creating a Google My Business profile is just the first step. Once you have created a GMB page for your business, you must make sure to update the page with photos, encourage your customers to write reviews, and update your FAQs, making sure that you have the maximum visibility for your business. 

2. Add Business Address to the Website

To make it easier for the search engines to understand your location, it is highly recommended to add your business address to your website. Include your location and address in the footer of your website, and if you are a franchise model and have multiple locations, creating each location page separately is advised. 

Importance of Structured Data 

When it comes to Local SEO, you can’t ignore the importance of structured data. Structured data, also known as schema markup, is a form of microdata that you can add to your website to help search engines understand it. Structured data based on location makes it easier for search engines to identify the business’s location. 

3. Add Business Citations

One of the most important business citations is Google My Business. However, it’s important not to limit it to just one citation. 

What is a business citation? 

A citation is any place where the name, address, telephone number, website URL, details of your company appears together online, usually in an online directory or database for company listings. These are especially important to have in a position for local SEO because if you don’t appear in the places people are searching for businesses like yours, the competitors that do will certainly overtake you. 

There are two types of citations – unstructured and structured. 

Structured citations always contain the company’s name, phone number and address (also referred to as NAP). These listings are referred to as structured citations because they are references to the company that are supported, approved of, and built into the structure of an already existing digital platform or database. Structured citations typically appear in business listings and come from fields of the form that are filled in when claiming the listing.

Unstructured citations are more informal. They are online references to the company found in posts, blogs, descriptions, captions, reviews, and so on.

4. Mobile Site Speed

Be it Local SEO or traditional SEO, mobile-friendliness is important for any website to perform better than its competitors. A site that is optimized for mobile responsiveness performs better in ranking and above all, it provides a better user experience. A recent study by Bright local says that 70% of mobile users have a higher chance of converting while searching for the local business. To test for mobile-friendliness of the website, you can use third-party tools like SEMrush or google’s mobile-friendly test. This gives insights into the scope of improvements.   

5. On-Page Optimization

Header 1 or H1

Header tags are like secondary titles that help organize the content of a web page and allow the search engines and users to communicate the key topics of the website. H1 tags should be as near as possible to the top of the page and should include geo-modifiers and targeted keyword phrases. For example, if you want to target a location the Location should be included in Header 1 or H1 of the page.

Optimize The Titles 

For your website, title tags serve as just that – a title. Using these tags to offer a succinct overview of your location pages to visitors and search engines including the company name, the store’s geolocation and the key service and/or product.

Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions have for some time not had a significant effect on search rankings. Search engines, however, display explanations for organic search results in the preview snippets, so it’s crucial that this copy entices users to click through to your site.

Optimize the URL

This is one of the most important factors that need to be considered in local SEO optimization. The structure of the website’s URL can have a significant impact on the local search engine rankings. For example, consider you are using location pages. The best practice is to use the exact location along with the parent domain. 

6. Optimize Your Website for Local Keywords

In line with the primary on-page optimization, you need to optimize your website content for the locally focused keywords. Locally focused keywords are the long-tail keywords and phrases that include geographical mentions. You can use popular keywords research tools like Google keyword planner, SEMrush to find the popular keywords that are prominent and relevant to your business locally. 

After you have completed the keyword research to increase the organic visibility;

• You need to create and optimize the content based on the keyword research
• Optimizing one particular keyword to each page is the best way to do this. By doing this you avoid keyword cannibalization.
• Make sure the targeted keyword is included in the main on-page elements, the titles, URLs and descriptions. 

7. Build Quality Backlinks 

It is important to build quality backlinks that will elevate your possibilities of organic traffic. Focus on quality links rather than quantity. Guest posting, Digital PR and mentions regionally would contribute to your organic visibility locally.

8. Get Reviews Online

Customer reviews are another important factor that Google considers when determining how trustworthy the business is. When assessing search rankings and organic visibility Google considers the number and kind of reviews that your company has received. Obtaining customer feedback should be a part of your local SEO strategy. Your Google My Business page is the most valuable place to gather feedback.   

To Conclude

However, local SEO isn’t a stand-alone endeavour. Don’t restrict yourself to technical local SEO practices such as citations and site optimization. Develop partnerships with other relevant local businesses, join community events, and become a member of local organizations to maximize your site’s digital footprint in the local search ecosystem. You’ll be able to serve more people in your geographic region—and grow faster—once you start improving each important signal area.

Got questions? Reach out to us.