The world of search engine optimization (SEO) is never dull. Just when you think you’ve got it all mastered, Google will usually come up with something new to keep you on your toes. Google’s goal is to provide the absolute best user experience (UX), and since user expectations are continually changing so is the search engine’s approach to keeping them happy.
One example of this is the introduction of featured snippets. It’s been a few years since Google introduced featured snippets, also known as position zero. However, as with all things SEO, it took some time for it to catch on and for businesses to learn how to optimize their chances of appearing there. Today, position zero provides massive visibility for companies and is the new goal for SEO.
Understanding What Position Zero Means in SEO
You’re likely familiar with the concept that you want to rank as high as possible on page one Google’s search engine results. The higher, the better, but can you actually do better than the number one position? Yes, let us introduce you to position zero.
The goal of position zero is to answer a search engine user’s query right there on the first page. From Google’s perspective, this provides a high level of UX that makes users happy. From a business standpoint, position zero is the ultimate way of gaining visibility and traction
Featured snippets are displayed right above the number one ranked spot, which is why it’s called position zero. Keep in mind that the webpage that wins this coveted spot might not be the highest ranked for the query, it’s just the one that Google decided did the best job of providing an immediate answer to a user’s question.
For example, if a user enters the query “What are the best colleges in the United States?” a position zero listing might be a paragraph that describes a college that recently earned the distinction of being number one, or the featured snippet could be a bullet list of the top 10 colleges.
Getting to Zero
There’s an energized focus in search engine marketing to get to position zero, but achieving it requires a different set of strategies than merely ranking high in search results and they all revolve around content.
The first step is to realize that position zero features an answer to a question. This means that when you’re creating content, you want to focus on providing answers in a way that they can easily be pulled out and displayed. For example, short paragraph answers, lists and bullet points dominate position zero.
Secondly, we know this doesn’t come as a surprise, but keyword research is a must. The way users are asking questions to search engines is different than it has been in the past. Local SEO and the rise of the use of voice devices means that keywords need to reflect a more natural language pattern rather than a short, choppy string of words.
Consult SEO Experts
Finally, the key to ranking in position zero is to connect with a professional that can help you navigate the intricacies of achieving this coveted spot. We provide the expert SEM and SEO services you need to optimize your digital presence. Contact us today to learn how our experts can improve your digital business.
