On Google there is a place even above the first result: the featured snippet. That box at the top of the page answers the question asked directly, before the searcher clicks any link at all. For a small company, appearing in position zero on a strategic query can double a page's visibility without spending a euro on advertising.
What is a featured snippet?
A featured snippet is an extract selected automatically by Google to answer a precise question. It appears at the top of the page, before the classic organic results. According to Semrush, around 12% of search results carry a featured snippet. Google Search Console lets you identify the pages on your site already eligible for these positions. And according to Ahrefs, 99.58% of featured snippets come from pages already ranking in the top 10. Being visible is the starting condition.
- Paragraph: a short textual answer (40 to 60 words) to a direct question
- List: numbered steps or bullet points for 'how to' queries
- Table: price or feature comparisons for 'which' or 'vs' queries
- Video: a YouTube extract for tutorials and practical demonstrations
Free tip: type your target query into Google in a private window. If a featured snippet already exists, analyse the content that won it. Length, format, structure: that is the model to improve on, not to copy.
How to target queries and structure your content
The basis: answer a precise question within the first 100 words of a section, under an H2 or H3 subheading that repeats the query word for word. Moz recommends answers between 40 and 60 words, direct and without embellishment. web.dev insists on the quality of the HTML: lists marked up with ul and ol are recognised better than lists in plain text. HubSpot advises targeting first the queries where your site ranks between 2nd and 5th position. To audit those opportunities, Screaming Frog quickly identifies pages where the semantic structure is insufficient.
Rule worth remembering: H2 = the question. Next paragraph = the answer in 2 to 3 sentences. List or table = the detail. That structure maximises your chances of being selected for position zero.
The featured snippet amplifies content that already ranks well. If your site is starting out in SEO, begin with the fundamentals: optimising your pages' loading speed is often the first lever that unlocks a climb through the Google results.