Importance of Featured Snippets For E-Commerce Sites

In the modern, technology-driven age, the digital world has become the epicenter for businesses. This particularly rings true for the e-commerce sector and SEO experts agree. E-commerce websites constantly strive to improve user experience and maximize conversions. There is one tool that has become increasingly significant in their arsenal and is worth the effort to get to know it and pursue its use when practical.

That tool is Google’s Featured Snippets. Snippets allow searchers to get an immediate answer to their queries. Why not be the website that serves up that answer? Let’s explore Featured Snippets and how you can maximize their benefits.

Understanding Featured Snippets

Before delving into why featured snippets are important, it’s essential to understand what they are. Google’s Featured snippets are concise, direct answers to search queries that appear at the top of Google’s organic listings. In a special box, they provide quick “at a glance” answers with reasonably adequate information. They attempt to balance answering the question quickly without compelling the user to click through for more information.

That’s not to say gaining a Featured Snippet position will not result in any click-throughs to your site. In spite of that attempted balance mentioned above, the reality is that people often want more information about the topic on which they’re searching. If you first answer their question, fine. Your brand came to the rescue. If they want more information, they are now two steps closer to seeing you as a trusted resource.

Featured Snippet as the Information Magic Box

In effect, they are “answer boxes.” Featured Snippets provide a quick answer and are one of many SERP (search engine results page) features. Google creates Featured Snippets by scanning relevant websites and then retrieves information of the highest relevancy. They then distill it down into a brief summary. That’s the Featured Snippet and that is where you want to be represented.

Featured Snippets can be in the form of paragraphs, lists, tables, or even video content. Content can be related to definitions, step-by-step instructions, or responses to common questions. Read more about the various formats below.

The primary objective of featured snippets is to provide quick and accurate responses to user queries. They appear at the top of the search results in the top position, which has earned them the apt nickname “zero position” in the SEO world. They are simply a direct answer to a search question.

Featured Snippets from Google can benefit both the website that gets the visibility, but also the user who is seeking a direct answer. Appearing as a Featured Snippet substantially increases a website’s visibility. Simultaneously, users posing questions get immediate and direct answers to their questions with minimal time and effort expended.

 

In the example above, knowing that chlorophyll makes grass green may be all that is needed. Fine. Your brand answered it. That builds brand awareness. If they need to know why chlorophyll makes it green, then you likely have an answer for that, too. Either way, your site solves the problem and people remember who made their life easier!

Rich Snippets vs. Featured Snippets

A Rich Snippet generally will include a featured image from the post or page and if available, a rating. Some types of content, like recipes, or reviews might have a rating. If so, usually a 1-5 star rating box is also displayed.

A Snippet (Rich or Featured) that includes additional information without overloading the user is generally more valuable to that use.

Importance of Featured Snippets for E-commerce Websites

Enhancing Visibility and Credibility

Featured snippets grab prime real estate on the search engine results page (SERP.) They are placed above all organic search results, thereby guaranteeing increased visibility for your e-commerce site. The fact that Google has selected your site as the most relevant answer to a user’s query helps build trust and credibility among users.

Featured Snippet optimization is a critical first step in reaching that coveted first position and bringing maximum visibility to a product page. Be sure to labor over your Title Tag for each article. That will help people know they are getting the right answer to their question. Make it relevant. Without a clear, relevant, and informative title, there is little chance searchers will click through to dive deeper.

Driving More Traffic

When Google’s SERP features your e-commerce website in the Featured Snippet spot, it dramatically increases your chances of attracting more traffic. Users often click on the snippet to get additional information or verify the details, directly increasing click-through rates (CTR.) Hence, featured snippets are often the best way to increase organic traffic to your website.

Enhancing User Experience

In e-commerce, user experience is king. The Featured Snippet box offers precise and concise information, helping users answer questions quickly and saving their time. They streamline the user’s search process, making their overall experience with your web page more efficient and successful.

As sort of a “definition box” (or magic box as described above) these knowledge panels directly respond to a user’s search query, which dramatically improves their experience with your content. Sure, they may not have visited your site to read your content. However, it extends your brand value by consistently highlighting you or your products in a positive light, with your brand having stronger credibility.

Improving Conversion Rates

The increased visibility, credibility, and traffic that come with featured snippets can be your best chance for higher conversion rates. As users trust the information in the snippet, they are more likely to trust the e-commerce website behind it. This trust can encourage users to purchase, boosting your site’s conversion rates.

Remember, a Featured Snippet allows the searcher to click through to get more information. If you are sharing valuable information for which people are searching, there is a very good chance they will want more of that information. When they do, you just happen to have a product or service that can satisfy that need!

Providing a Competitive Edge

In the fiercely competitive e-commerce market, featured snippets can provide a significant competitive advantage. By securing the prime featured snippet position, you can leapfrog competitors, getting your brand shown above (and in a more prominent position) than theirs. Your keyword research is amplified, reaching more of your target audience by appearing above top-ranking pages – even those currently holding the first organic search result position.

Increasing Brand Awareness

Featured snippets offer an excellent opportunity for your ecommerce store to increase its brand awareness. When your website consistently appears in featured snippets, users start recognizing and remembering your brand, enhancing brand recall. Any digital marketer will tell you regardless of the types of featured snippets displayed, you will benefit more than just appearing as a routine result of a search term.

The natural flow of courting a new customer takes them down the path of Interest, Consideration, and then Commitment. It usually takes eight touches of a new product or service for a new customer to pull the trigger. A Featured Snippet can be a touch. A click-through for more information can be a touch. Once they are engrossed in what you are sharing them, they may only be a few touches away from being a new custome!

Facilitating Voice Search

With the rise of voice-activated technologies like Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri, featured snippets have become even more critical. Although these are completely different services, a mobile device is often what people use to get that vital information you offer.

These technologies often use the information from featured snippets to answer voice queries. Hence, having your e-commerce website appear in featured snippets could significantly impact your visibility in voice searches. User intent is key here. Yes, organic keywords can be used to “speak” a search. However, incorporating the right keywords to serve up the best answer in snippet results will get the rich results you seek!

How to Rank for Featured Snippets

 

Ranking for featured snippets on search engines like Google and Bing requires a thorough understanding of SEO best practices and tailoring your content to meet the needs of search engine algorithms. Here are some of the most common type of topics for you to consider:

Understand User Queries

Start by identifying the search queries and related keywords that users are likely to ask. Tools such as Answer the Public, Google Trends, and SEMrush can help with this. Consider focusing on long-tail keywords and questions, as they are more likely to trigger featured snippets. Matching your content to the type of question will always help your organic results.

Create High-Quality Content

Both Google and Bing prioritize high-quality, useful content. Simply put, good content ranks better than bad. Ensure your content is well-written, informative, and engaging. Make your relevant content comprehensive and ensure it provides value to the reader. This will increase the chances of your content being selected for a featured snippet.

Use the Right Format

Featured snippets come in several different types of formats:

• Paragraph
• Ordered List (Numbered List)
• Unordered List
• Table Snippet
• Sometimes, even YouTube videos

Identify the format that best suits your content and the user’s query. For example, ‘how-to’ queries often result in a bulleted list, while ‘what is’ queries usually result in paragraph snippets.

Structure Your Content Well

The most important thing the online reader likes is structure. They like to know what something is about before they read it, or at least have a sense of direction as they read it.

Use headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to structure your content. Make sure your headings are descriptive and include relevant keywords. Search engines use these headers to understand the content, making them more likely to feature your content. Consider a Table of Contents if you have a long article with many sections. Keep sentences relatively short and in a simple tone. Try to limit paragraphs to just a few sentences.

In addition to the structure sought by the online reader, they want to feel like they are building and sustaining reading momentum. Using shorter sentences in shorter paragraphs – even adding high-quality images – introduces more white space surrounding the elements on the page (screen.) The result? The reader must scroll more and that makes them feel like they are making progress!

Answer the Question Directly

Make sure your content directly answers the search query. The relevant information in your concise answer should ideally be placed in a prominent position on the page, such as near the top of the content. The more direct and concise the answer, the better chance it has of being featured. Your search volume will benefit.

Optimize for SEO

Regular SEO practices still apply when trying to rank for Google snippets. This includes optimizing your meta tags, using relevant keywords, and linking to high-authority sites. Also, be sure that your site is mobile-friendly and loads quickly, as these factors also affect your ranking. This “on-page SEO” strategy always pays off.

Don’t forget to bolster your on-page SEO with off-page strategies, too. Stay alert for opportunities to build backlinks, uses social media, share guest posts, etc. They don’t directly affect gaining the Featured Snippet position, but they add to the overall SEO picture and THAT is a factor!

Utilize Schema Markup

Schema markup is a type of microdata that assists search engines in comprehending your content more effectively. It informs them as to exactly what your content is attempting to share on your page. Use structured data on the pages that may help Google understands your website and content better.

According to Google, they understand a great many types of schema:

• Article
• Book
• Breadcrumb
• Carousel
• Course
• Dataset
• Education Q&A
• Employer Aggregate Rating
• Estimated Salary
• Event
• Fact check
• FAQ
• Home Activities
• How-to
• Image metadata
• Job posting
• Learning video
• Local Business
• Logo
• Math Solvers
• Movie
• Practice problems
• Product
• Q&A
• Recipe
• Review Snippet
• Sitelinks Search Box
• Software App
• Speakable
• Subscription and paywalled content
• Video

As you can see, helping them know the type of information you offer can only help your results. (By the way, take note of the “Product” type above!)

Aim for High SERP Rankings

Most featured snippets are chosen from the top 10 search results. Therefore, strive to get your content on the first page of search results. Focus your blog post content on a specific keyword or a range of target keyword options.

Keep Content Fresh

Regularly update your content to ensure it remains relevant and accurate. Search engines tend to favor up-to-date information. Extra tip: the first thing you can do after you update a piece of content to bring it current, promote it on your social media channels. That’s not necessarily a long term strategy, but it can get an initial boost in visibility while the reindexing takes place to boost your update’s value.

Track Your Results

Use analytics tools to track your results and understand which of your optimization efforts are working. This can guide your future strategies. Google Search Console and Google Analytics should be the top entries on your list of items that support your efforts. Use tools that can help you retain visibility on the improvements your are making.

Use Featured Snippets to Stay Ahead of Your Competition

To stay ahead of the competition in the constantly changing world of e-commerce, it’s essential to keep up with the latest trends and tools. Featured snippets are one such tool that can drastically enhance the visibility, credibility, and user experience of your e-commerce website, all while driving more traffic and increasing conversion rates.

Given their importance, e-commerce businesses should invest in SEO strategies designed to secure these coveted “position zero” spots on SERPs, thereby reaping the multitude of benefits they offer.