SEO & Search
What is a featured snippet?
A featured snippet is a highlighted extract shown near the top of Google’s results that attempts to answer the query directly, a paragraph, list or table pulled from one of the ranking pages, with a link to its source. Snippets are selected automatically; clear, well-structured answers to specific questions improve the chances of being chosen, but there is no way to guarantee selection.
How snippets are chosen
Google selects snippets automatically from pages already ranking well for the query, extracting the passage that appears to answer it most directly. There is no markup, submission or setting that claims the spot. What demonstrably helps eligibility is structure: a clear question addressed by a heading, followed immediately by a concise, self-contained answer, a short paragraph, a list or a table, matching the shape of the answer the query implies.
Why it matters
The snippet is often called position zero: it sits above the first ordinary result and can carry a large share of the query’s attention. The same trade-off applies as with AI answers, a snippet can satisfy the searcher without a click, but for question-led queries the choice is usually between your page being the highlighted answer or a competitor’s being it.
Related terms
Snippets are a SERP feature rewarding answer-first structure, the same discipline behind AEO, and a useful habit for content AI systems may also cite.