What is a featured snippet?

A featured snippet is a special search result that appears at the very top of Google, above the regular organic results. The featured snippet shows a short, direct answer to a search query, taken from a web page, with a link to that page.

In practice, a featured snippet can look like a short paragraph, a list or a table that answers a specific question. Google selects the featured snippet algorithmically, based on how clearly and quickly a page answers the user's query. For brands and marketers, this is often called "position zero" because it sits above the first organic result.

How a featured snippet works

The goal of a featured snippet is to help users get an instant answer without having to click multiple results. Google scans indexed pages, finds content that matches the question, and lifts a small section as the featured snippet. The page that provides this answer still receives a normal organic listing as well.

For e-commerce and B2B businesses, a featured snippet can drive both visibility and trust. When your content appears as the featured snippet, you signal authority on that topic and often capture users earlier in their research journey.

Types of featured snippets

A featured snippet usually falls into one of a few common formats. Each format matches a different type of search intent and question.

  • Paragraph snippets Short text answers to "what is" or "how" questions, often 40 to 60 words.
  • List snippets Ordered or unordered steps, for example "how to" guides, recipes or checklists.
  • Table snippets Structured data like pricing, comparisons or schedules.
  • Video snippets Less common, but sometimes a video segment acts like a featured snippet for how-to queries.

Across all formats, the principle is the same. A featured snippet rewards content that is clear, structured and directly aligned with user intent.

Why featured snippets matter for SEO

From an SEO perspective, a featured snippet can significantly increase your click-through rate for high-intent queries. Even if some users find the answer without clicking, many still visit the source page for more depth, especially in B2B or complex e-commerce decisions.

Winning a featured snippet typically requires solid fundamentals. You need strong SEO optimisation across your site, sharp keyword targeting and content that answers questions in a concise, scannable format. Using headings, short paragraphs and simple lists helps Google understand your structure.

If you want to identify opportunities at scale, tools and audits help. The 6th Man SEO extension and our guidance on AI overview in search make it easier to spot queries where a featured snippet or AI-generated answer is already dominating the results.

To stay ahead, treat every key question in your niche as a potential featured snippet target. Build content that answers it clearly in one or two sentences, then expands with detail. Combined with a broader SEO strategy that is data driven, this approach helps you capture position zero, not just page one.