Definition

A featured snippet (sometimes called position zero) is a box shown at the top of Google’s results that directly answers a question. It can take the form of a paragraph, list, table or video. Google builds it by extracting a passage from a page that already ranks well.

Why target the featured snippet

• Maximum visibility above standard results
• Boost in perceived authority
• Voice read by voice assistants (Google Assistant)
• High chance of being reused as a source in AI overviews

How to win it

• Identify question-based queries (how, why, what is)
• Structure content with H2 / H3 echoing the question
• Give the answer in 40 to 60 words right after the heading
• Add a list, table or precise definition
• Strengthen EEAT signals
• Reinforce the topic through internal linking

Watch out for zero-click search

The featured snippet can shrink traffic if users find their answer without clicking (zero-click search). A cost-benefit analysis per query is useful (awareness vs. clicks).