AI search and working with a developer
What is Featured snippet?
A featured snippet is an extracted answer shown above the standard results, taken from a page that already ranks. You cannot mark up your way into one — you win it by being the clearest answer in the format the query implies.
Also called: position zero · answer box
The formats and what triggers them
| Format | Triggered by |
|---|---|
| Paragraph | What is / why does / definition queries |
| Numbered list | How to / step queries |
| Bulleted list | Best / types of / examples queries |
| Table | Comparison, pricing and specification queries |
How to earn one
- Rank on the first page already — snippets are drawn from existing results
- Answer the exact question directly beneath a heading that matches it
- Use the format the query implies rather than the format you prefer
- Keep the answer to roughly 40 to 60 words
The trade-off nobody mentions
A snippet that fully answers the question can reduce clicks, because the searcher got what they needed. For a definitional query that may be fine — the brand impression has value — but for a commercial query it is worth checking whether you would rather they clicked.
Where this is covered in depth
A definition can only go so far. Answer Engine Optimization: writing the passage that gets quoted covers this properly — 3 minutes, free, no email required.
Who wrote this
Anas Bin Masud builds e-commerce sites and does technical SEO for businesses in the UK, Canada and Pakistan. These definitions come from client work rather than from a content brief — where an entry describes a mistake, it is usually one found on a real site. More about how I work.