Glossary
What is a featured snippet?
A featured snippet is a highlighted answer Google shows near the top of results, extracted from one web page with a link to it. It appears for questions where Google thinks a short excerpt answers the query: a paragraph, list or table. Pages earn it by answering clearly in a well-structured section.
Types
- Paragraph: a 40 to 60-word definition or answer.
- List: steps or ranked items.
- Table: comparisons, prices, specs.
How to earn one
- Target a question you already rank on page one for.
- Use the question (or close to it) as a heading.
- Answer directly in the first sentence or two below it.
- Use a list or table when the answer is a list or table.
- Keep it accurate and current.
Every glossary page here starts with a definition under 55 words for this reason.
Snippets and AI Overviews
For many queries, AI Overviews now appear where snippets used to, or above them. The same habits help with both: direct answers, clear structure and good sourcing.
Opting out
The nosnippet meta tag or data-nosnippet attribute stops a page or section from being shown as a snippet; max-snippet limits its length.
Example
A page answering "how long does Product Hunt launch day last" with one clear sentence under that exact heading wins the snippet over longer guides.
FAQ
Do featured snippets get more clicks?
Often, but for simple answers users may not click at all.
Can I choose which text is used?
No, Google picks it; structure makes good choices more likely.
Is position zero still a thing?
The term persists; AI Overviews often sit above snippets now.