A Complete Guide to Earning Featured Snippets in 2025

Visibility is everything on the ever growing digital landscape. One of the most powerful ways to dominate Google’s search results and drive quality traffic to your website is by securing a featured snippet, which is a highly coveted position at the top of the search engine results page (SERP), often referred to as Position Zero. Understanding how to get featured snippets could significantly impact your online success, because of this we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about featured snippets, why they matter in 2025, and how to position your content to win them. 

What Are Featured Snippets?

Featured snippets are special boxes that appear at the top of Google’s organic search results. These boxes provide users with a direct answer to their query, pulled from a webpage that Google deems highly relevant and authoritative.

You’ll often see these snippets just beneath the ads and above the traditional organic links. They’re presented in various formats, including:

• Paragraphs (the most common type)
• Lists (ordered and unordered)
• Tables
• Videos (especially for how-to or step-by-step queries)

For example, if you search “how to change a tyre,” you might see a short, numbered list that gives step-by-step instructions without even clicking through. That’s a Google snippet, and the page it’s pulled from will likely see a spike in traffic, even if the answer is visible upfront.

Why Featured Snippets Matter in 2025

As user behaviour continues to evolve and voice search becomes more mainstream, featured snippets have become even more critical. With AI-powered assistants and mobile-first indexing playing larger roles in how content is discovered, the snippet that appears at Position Zero often becomes the only answer a user sees or hears or cares about.

Here are a few reasons why targeting featured snippets should be a core part of your SEO strategy:

• Increased visibility and brand authority: Even if your page ranks #1 organically, the snippet gets more eyeballs.
• Higher click-through rates (CTR): Some studies show that snippets can result in a CTR boost of 8% or more.
• Voice search dominance: Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa often pull their spoken answers directly from featured snippets.
• Traffic from zero-click searches: Even when users don’t click, being in the snippet builds trust and awareness.

Understanding Google’s Intent Behind Snippets

To earn a featured snippet, you must first understand why Google shows them in the first place. Google’s goal is simple: deliver the most relevant, concise answer to the user’s query, as quickly as possible.

This means your content needs to be:

• Clear and well-structured
• Authoritative and trustworthy
• Directly aligned with the searcher’s intent

Google uses advanced natural language processing to match search queries with snippets. So, the better your content aligns with a specific query’s intent, the more likely it is to be selected.

Types of Featured Snippets and How to Optimise for Each

Different queries trigger different snippet formats. To maximise your chances of earning a Google snippet, tailor your content to match the type of snippet that best fits the question.

1. Paragraph Snippets

These are brief text answers (usually 40–60 words) that define or explain a concept which makes up about 70% of all featured snippets. These snippets usually answer “what”, “why”, and “how” questions.

Example query: “How to choose keywords for SEO?”

Snippet: “To choose keywords for SEO, start by understanding your target audience and identifying topics relevant to your business….”

How to optimise: Create a concise definition or explanation in the first paragraph following a clear heading (like an H2 or H3). Use natural language and aim to answer the question directly and succinctly. For example: “A featured snippet is a selected search result that appears in a special box at the top of Google’s SERP, providing a direct answer to the user’s query.”

2. List Snippets

These are either numbered or bulleted lists and are common for how-to guides or step-by-step processes. These snippets can either be ordered (steps) or unordered (bullet points).

Example query: “9 Steps to create an effective SEO content strategy”

Snippet: A numbered list from a blog belonging to an SEO agency.

How to optimise: Break down your process using clear subheadings or list tags in HTML. Ensure each step is well-structured and easy to follow. Google often pulls list items directly from your formatting.

3. Table Snippets

Google sometimes displays information in a table format, especially for pricing comparisons, statistics, or schedules. These are best used for comparisons. 

Example query: “Mortgage rates comparison 2025”

Snippet: A table with product specs.

How to optimise: Use HTML tables with clear headers. Make sure the table is simple, readable, and useful. Keep it relevant to the query and avoid stuffing it with too much data.

4. Video Snippets

These snippets come from YouTube and often appear for DIY, tutorials, or how-to content.

Example query: “How to bake sourdough bread”

Snippet: A video snippet taken from YouTube

How to optimise: Upload helpful, high-quality videos to YouTube. Use accurate titles, timestamps, and detailed video descriptions. Google often pulls these snippets from specific moments in videos, so timestamps help a lot.

How to Get Featured Snippets: Proven Strategies in 2025

In order to obtain featured snippets on search engines such as Google, there are certain best practices and strategies you can employ to boost your chance of appearing on Position Zero on SERPs. 

Research Keywords Eligible for Snippets

Start with identifying the questions your target audience is asking. Use specialised tools to conduct keyword research like:

• SEMrush’s “Keyword Magic Tool”
• Ahrefs “Questions” report
• AnswerThePublic
• Google’s “People also ask”

Look for keywords that already trigger snippets, as these are proven opportunities. If a snippet exists, there’s a chance to replace the current result with your content.

Provide Clear, Concise Answers

Think like Google: brevity matters. Understand users’ search intent then aim to answer the question within the first 50–60 words of your section, then elaborate further below.

Instead of hiding your main point deep in the content, make it prominent. Use a direct approach. For example: “How long does SEO take to work? SEO results typically take between 3 to 6 months to show measurable improvements, depending on competition, site health, and content strategy.”

Structure Your Content for Readability

Use proper headings (H2, H3), short paragraphs, and ordered or unordered lists where needed. Google loves structured content, it’s easier to crawl, understand, and parse into a snippet.

Also, include a “table of contents” if the article is long. This helps Google understand the hierarchy and flow of your article.

Use Schema Markup

Schema markup helps Google better understand your content. While structured data isn’t a direct ranking factor for featured snippets, it can indirectly help with visibility. Use FAQPage, HowTo, and Article schemas where appropriate.

Answer Multiple Questions on One Page

Pages that answer multiple related questions often perform well. For instance, an article about “How to start a blog” could also answer:

• What platform should I use?
• How much does it cost?
• How long does it take to see traffic?

By doing so, you increase the chances of winning more than one Google snippet from a single piece of content.

Optimise for Mobile and Voice

Most featured snippets are shown on mobile devices, and many are read aloud via voice search. Write in a natural, conversational tone. Use QA (questions and answers) formats to align with voice search queries like: “Hey Google, how do I write a good blog post?” Make your answers clear, crisp, and conversational.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not all content is snippet-worthy. If you wish to appear on Position Zero then it’s in your best interest to avoid these pitfalls:

• Writing vague or indirect answers
• Failing to format your content properly
• Overusing jargon or complicated language
• Ignoring search intent
• Neglecting user experience on mobile

Are Featured Snippets Worth the Effort?

Absolutely. While there’s debate around whether snippets reduce clicks (known as “zero-click” searches), most marketers agree that being featured boosts authority, credibility, and in many cases, organic traffic. Since the audience might want to dig deeper into the issues answered in featured snippets. At the very least, it’s a powerful branding tool.

In competitive industries, it could be the edge you need to stand out.

Mastering Featured Snippets in 2025

Securing a featured snippet is one of the smartest ways to boost your visibility in Google’s search results in 2025. With user behaviour leaning towards instant answers and voice search, optimising for snippets isn’t just optional, it’s essential.

Focus on quality, well-structured content that directly answers questions. Keep your tone natural and accessible. Use real data and examples. And most importantly, think about the user first.

At Saigon Digital, we specialise in helping businesses like yours get seen where it matters most, right at the top of Google. Our team is here to craft a results-driven approach that earns featured snippets and drives real traffic. Get in touch with Saigon Digital today and start standing out in search.