Featured Snippets
Definition
A featured snippet, sometimes called position zero, is a summarized answer Google extracts from a web page and displays in a highlighted box above the regular organic results, along with the page's title and URL. Snippets come in a few formats: paragraph snippets that answer a direct question, list snippets for steps or rankings, and table snippets for comparative data.
Google selects the page for a featured snippet algorithmically, based on which already-ranking result answers the query most clearly and concisely; there is no separate submission process, and a page must already rank well organically to be eligible. Winning a snippet does not guarantee more clicks, since it can also satisfy the searcher's question without them visiting the page at all.
Featured snippets are one of the clearest precursors to how AI Overviews and other AI Mode-style answers work today: both extract a direct answer from a ranking page rather than requiring a click, which is why the writing techniques behind Answer Engine Optimization, like leading with a direct answer and using clear question-based headings, apply to both.
Featured snippets share their core mechanics with Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and with AI Overview, and both contribute directly to the rise of Zero-Click Search.
Examples
A recipe site restructures its introduction so the first sentence directly states a dish's cooking time, instead of opening with a personal story. Google begins showing that sentence as a paragraph featured snippet for the query "how long to cook [dish]".
Frequently Asked Questions
What is position zero?
Position zero is another name for the featured snippet slot, since it appears above the first organic result on the search results page.
What are the main types of featured snippets?
The three main formats are paragraph snippets for direct answers, list snippets for ordered or unordered steps and rankings, and table snippets for structured comparative data.
How do you optimize content to win a featured snippet?
Rank well organically first, then place a concise, self-contained answer near the top of the relevant section, use a heading that mirrors how people phrase the question, and format lists or tables clearly when the content fits that structure.
How do featured snippets relate to AI Overviews?
Both extract a direct answer from web content instead of just linking to it, so a page optimized to win a featured snippet is often already well positioned to be cited in an AI Overview or similar AI-generated answer.
Can a website opt out of featured snippets?
Yes. Site owners can prevent a specific page from being used as a featured snippet with the nosnippet meta tag or the max-snippet directive, though doing so does not affect the page's normal ranking.
