AEO Dictionary

Featured Snippets

Featured Snippets are a type of rich result that appears at the top of Google's search results, often referred to as "Position 0." They pull a concise summary or direct answer from a webpage to satisfy a user's query immediately. While they fall under traditional Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), they represent an early form of the immediate, answer-based content delivery that modern AI Overviews and Zero-Click Search results have now expanded upon.

Why It Matters

Featured Snippets were the training ground for the AI era. They conditioned users to expect immediate answers. Securing a snippet signals to Google—and by extension, AI models—that your content is the most concise and accurate answer to a specific query. This often correlates with high Citation Probability in generative results.

How We Use It at Soprano

We optimize for snippets by identifying the specific question a user is asking and providing a clear, 40-60 word definition or structured list immediately following the heading. This structure makes it easy for algorithms to extract our content as the definitive answer, securing maximum visibility.

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FAQ

How do I rank for a Featured Snippet?

You generally need to rank on the first page already. Then, structure your answer clearly using <p>, <ul>, or <table> tags to match the query format.

Do Featured Snippets steal traffic?

They can for simple queries, but for complex topics, they establish authority and often drive high-CTR traffic from users seeking more detail.

Can I have both a Featured Snippet and a ranking?

Usually, Google deduplicates the results, meaning if you get the snippet, your regular organic listing might be removed from the first page.

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