AI search · Glossary
What is a featured snippet?
A featured snippet is a Google search result that shows a short answer taken from a web page before the page's title and link, reversing the usual result format. Google's systems choose the page and passage automatically, and site owners can't mark content as a featured snippet.
Written by Noor KhanWhy Featured snippet matters
A featured snippet puts your answer, brand and link at the top of the results for that query. It also shows that Google reads the passage as a direct answer to the question, the same quality AI answers depend on.
How Featured snippet works
- Google pulls a passage that answers the query from a page and shows it ahead of the link.
- No markup can request one; selection depends on the content.
- The nosnippet rule or data-nosnippet attribute keeps text out of featured snippets; a lower max-snippet makes them less likely without guaranteeing it.
How to apply it
- Put the question in a heading and answer it in the first 40 to 60 words below.
- Use numbered steps for processes and tables for comparisons.
- Target queries that already show a snippet, and answer more directly than the current source.
- Leave snippets enabled on pages you want considered.
Example
A skincare e-commerce brand answers 'how often should you exfoliate' in two sentences directly under that heading on its exfoliant guide, then adds a table by skin type.
Common mistake
Opening with background before the answer. Google needs a passage that answers the question on its own.
put this into practice