Optimizing Content to Improve Google rank
Snippets aren’t anything new. In fact, Google started utilizing the snippet answer boxes (also known as position zero) way back in 2014. While the snippet is old news, SEO strategists are still scrambling to try to determine how to achieve this ranking that scores above even the paid advertisers.
Much has been written about how to get your website’s content to appear as a snippet in Google. We’ve perused the experts’ observations and came up with this list. Here are some snippet-strategies you may want to try to achieve that coveted zero position.
How to optimize your content to appear as a snippet.
1. Cinderellas don’t get Snippets.
Sorry to break this to you, but your website that currently can be found on page eight of a Google search will not be visited by a Fairy Godmother and immediately find itself as Snippet worthy. That’s not how it works.
Snippets usually are pulled from websites that are in one of the top five organic positions. This means you have to have a lot of high-quality content that readers enjoy before finding yourself dancing with a prince.
This high-quality content should come with authority. It should include external and internal links.
2. Answer a question.
For a long time, SEO strategists have advised businesses that the way people search for content will change. The strategists were right, as users are utilizing voice search more than ever before. They are also asking questions instead of looking for content with a statement.
Stay focused on answering the question throughout the whole piece. The question and answer should appear in the introduction, H1 headings, and the conclusion.
3. Answer related questions as well.
In an attempt to improve your organic ranking, answer related questions as well. Get ideas by looking at the “People Also Ask” box. Your website is more likely to be pulled if you are an authority on the subject. The way you can become an authority is by answering all the related questions clearly and concisely.
For other related questions, also look at Yahoo Answers and Quora. Quora’s “related questions” are often long lists and can give you insight into what kind of information is being sought after by users.
4. Write concise answers.
We know that you have heard that your blog posts should be between 750 and 1,250 words, and that is still accurate. But when answering a question, you need to write clear, concise answers. Don’t back into your answer with a lot of explanatory material. Lead with the good stuff.
Your snippet may be pulled from a longer article. You can write more explanatory and background information, but sum up your article with a list or table.
5. Experiment with different formats.
Sometimes Google pulls tables for their snippets. Other times it pulls lists or paragraphs. Experiment with bullet points or numbers. Play with a few Google searches to see what format is pulled most often in your industry.
Paragraph snippets are often pulled when a person asks “how to do/get,” “who is,” “why is,” or “what is” questions. Often an image is also pulled.
Numbered lists are often pulled when the user is asking for a step by step guide. Examples of this type of snippet may be “steps on how to install a faucet.”
Bulleted lists are pulled for list posts. These snippets are often “top 10” lists or “best of” lists. An example of this would be the top 10 National Parks to visit during July.
Finally, tables are pulled for structured data. Examples of this may be comparing online real estate schools by cost and other features.
As a side note, YouTube videos are often pulled as snippets now as well. If you aren’t using video in your strategy, now is the time to make that change.
6. Experiment with the type of questions you answer.
Instead of just answering “what is” questions, consider answering “how-to” questions as well. People ask the same question differently. Do keyword checks and consult with Google and Quora for other ideas of questions you may want to answer.
If you are still struggling with improving your Google rank, consider hiring an SEO strategist to help. These strategists will look at your website content and first try to determine how to increase your rank. Once that objective is achieved, he or she will then help you create content to make that elusive snippet status.
The health of your business may be determined by where you rank in a Google search. Don’t ignore your company’s web presence.
This article was originally posted at Virtual Surge.