Posts in category: Content SEO

Imagine this: You’ve just typed a question into Google, and there, right at the top of the search results, is a concise, information-packed snippet that answers your query. It’s what you were looking for. 

Now, consider this—what if that Google snippet featured your content? 

Getting your website into that coveted featured snippet spot on Google is not just a dream; it’s a reality you can achieve. 

In this post, I’ll show you how to get Google featured snippet using content tips I’ve tried with exceptional results.

But first,

What are featured snippets? 

According to Google, featured snippets are “answer boxes” that give a short, concise, and descriptive response relevant to a searcher’s query.

The featured snippet is often called position zero because it comes before the traditional first result, and the visual format is also different.

Unlike regular results shown on Google’s search result page, the link to the source page is displayed first before a snippet describing the page, but for posts that make it to the point zero spot, the standard format where the source page link is displayed first is followed.

Types of featured snippets

In learning how to get Google featured snippets, you first need to know the types of featured snippets so you know how to optimize your content for the different types.

There are five main types of featured snippets:

Definition/Paragraph Snippets

These snippets give simple definitions to words. They can also come as a paragraph snippet containing a short excerpt of the web page relevant to the searcher’s query.

Lists/How To Snippets

These snippets show a short list, such as steps in a process, ingredients in a recipe, or products in a category. These list snippets could be in an ordered or unordered form.

Table Snippets

These snippet types show relevant information in a tabular form for the searcher. It is often used for queries that require comparison or contrast.

Video Snippets

Video snippets are often shown for queries requiring demonstration or when Google concludes that a video format best represents the searcher’s intent. For this type of snippet, Google cuts a section of a YouTube video or any social media video that best answers the query and embeds it as part of the SERP for that query.

PAA Snippets

These are also accordion snippets, shown in the drop-down answer section of the PAA part of the SERP.

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Benefits of appearing in a featured snippet spot

I can’t possibly talk about how to get Google featured snippet without educating you on the benefits.

Here are some benefits of appearing in a featured snippet spot on Google’s search engine result page:

Increased visibility

Appearing in position zero of a search engine result page helps increase the visibility of your website. You can agree that a stage is the best way to get attention, which a featured snippet spot will earn you. 

You will draw attention to your website and content, and people who would not have seen you will have a chance to interact with your content.

Higher click-through rates (CTR)

A featured snippet spot will increase your organic click-through rates mainly because that spot earns your audience’s trust.

When your content appears as a featured snippet—even if you are not known as an authority figure in that niche—the chances of someone clicking on that particular result are higher than 50%.

There is this unsaid belief that if you can appear as the first result in a SERP, your content is top-tier, and whatever you say can be trusted.

Enhanced authority and credibility

When your organic click-through rate increases and you consistently focus on appearing in the featured snippet for niche-relevant queries, you will gain and, most importantly, retain the trust and credibility you have built.

Increased traffic

Appearing in the featured snippet spot will increase your organic CTR and traffic. You get to market your website to a larger audience, and because you took the stage position, you can draw people in.

Voice search ranking

One significant benefit of the featured snippet spot people don’t often talk about is the possibility of ranking for voice searches. 

The voice assistant often reads out voice search queries, and unlike regular searches, your voice assistant will not go through the SERP and load different web pages to get the answer. 

It will pick from the first result and read it to you as an answer. 

When you are in the featured snippet spot, chances are that the voice assistant will pick your web page, provided that the search results for voice searches use the same search algorithm as regular searches.

Increased SERP position

The more you rank for featured snippets, the more your SERP rankings increase. This is similar to how ranking on the first page helps to increase your visibility, domain authority, and trust.

When you are consistent with the quality of content you deliver to the extent of consistently ranking for featured snippets, Google begins to pay attention to your website as credible, reliable, and relevant.

Due to this, it starts to move your content higher in SERPs for other search queries/keywords.

How to get Google featured snippet for your content

Now that you have gained insight into how beneficial a featured snippet is, here is how to get Google featured snippets:

1. Identify featured snippet opportunities.

You can identify featured snippet opportunities by manually analyzing several keywords. This means you go on Google, type in your keywords list, and see if the SERP shows a featured snippet.

You can also use tools like Ahref or Semrush to help you technically identify featured snippet opportunities online.

I love how Samantha North broke down how she uses Ahref or Semrush to identify featured snippet opportunities she might be missing.

Here’s a breakdown of how to get Google featured snippet opportunities you might be missing out on using Ahref:

• Identify all the keywords you are ranking for.
  • Go to your Ahref Site Explorer and type in your domain name.
  • Navigate to the ‘Organic Keyword Report’ to get a list of the keywords your site currently ranks for.
  • Click on the ‘SERP features’ filter and select the ‘featured snippet’ option.
  • Click ‘Apply’ to apply the filter to your results.

You will see a list of keywords you currently rank for, and a quote (‘’) sign before the URL indicates that the particular web page is now at position zero.

• Identify your top 10 keywords.

This step aims to identify your ‘potential’ featured snippet post. It will be easier to get a featured snippet position for your blog posts already ranking on the first page of a SERP than to get a top position for a low-ranking post.

Here’s how you can do that on Ahref:

• Go to your Site Explorer and type in your domain name.
• Navigate to the ‘Organic Keywords’ Report to get a list of the keywords your site currently ranks for.
• Click on the ‘position’ filter and enter ‘1-10.’ 
• Click ‘Apply’ to apply the filter to your results.

• Repeat 1 and 2 for your competitors.

Do the same processes for your competitor to compare the results with yours. If their top 10 results are different keywords from yours, you have a content gap you need to close up.

When you can identify their featured snippet post, navigate to the post and analyze the content to find something missing.

• Create your superior content.

When you finish all the steps, try as much as possible to recreate a similar blog post with the added content.

2. Match user intent.

Understanding the user’s intent is crucial for featured snippet optimization because a featured snippet aims to get the correct answer to the searcher in record time.

Creating relevant content for the searcher will be challenging when you don’t understand the reasoning behind the search.

The way you can match the user intent with your content is to manually analyze the web pages in the featured snippet position as well as the top three results on the SERP. With these, you can meet the expectations of the searcher.

3. Structure your content.

When creating or optimizing your content for a featured snippet, you must note the type of featured snippet you want to rank for and create your content accordingly.

For example, if the SERP for ‘top-rated movies’ has a table-featured snippet, you should include a table in your content. This means Google believes a table snippet is more beneficial than a list snippet for that particular keyword.

4. Optimize your content structure.

This step has helped me a lot when I tried to rank on the first page of Google, and it has also helped with my content.

Your content structure is crucial, and it will surprise you to discover that little changes like using the proper header tags or short paragraphs in your content can change the trajectory of your ranking.

Optimize your content structure before publishing. Here are some points to note in your content structure:

• Use the proper header tags.
• Use short paragraphs.
• Include question-based keywords in your sub-headings.
• Reduce your definitions to 45-60 words.
• Always go straight to the point.
• Use tables when you can.
• Use the right heading tags for your listicles.
• Start your answer with the question to keep context.
• Use basic HTML tags to format your page.
• Include keywords in your subheadings.
• Include a list summary for your listicle posts.

5. Use schema markup.

Using schema markup or structured data can help improve your chances of ranking for featured snippets. Using schema data markup will help search engines understand your post’s content and context.

This can help boost your SERP rankings and position you for a featured snippet spot on Google.

According to AIOSEO, using FAQ, how-to, product, and recipe schema types gives you a higher chance of getting the featured snippet spot.

6. Improve page load speed.

Improving page load speed can help you get a featured snippet spot on Google because faster pages are more likely to be prioritized for featured snippets over slow-loading pages, giving you an advantage. 

Also, faster pages will provide a better user experience, which Google wants. 

7. Build backlinks from relevant and reputable websites.

While backlinks might not directly impact the ranking for featured snippets, they play a crucial role in overall website SEO and authority. 

Building backlinks from reputable and relevant websites signals to Google that your content is trustworthy and authoritative, which can indirectly increase your chances of earning featured snippets.

Read SARMLife’s guide on link building to understand how to create a quality link profile for your website.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The quest for the featured snippet spot may take time and effort, but the rewards for increased visibility, traffic, and authority are worth every step. So, what are you waiting for?

With the right strategies and a commitment to optimizing your content, you can elevate your online presence and offer valuable solutions to your audience.

Are you ready to claim your spot at the top of Google? Start optimizing for featured snippets now!

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Everyone who knows something about SEO can understand the difference between plain and quality backlinks and why it is essential to focus on selecting and building an effective backlink strategy for your website.

This blog post will show you how to build quality backlinks even if you don’t have much SEO experience and also emphasize strategies that will increase your backlink profile and SERP position.

Let’s get right down to it.

What are backlinks?

Backlinks are called ‘inbound links,’ ‘incoming links,’ ‘external links,’ and so on. They are hyperlinks from another website, connecting to a page on your website through an anchor text.

When determining a page’s prominence, search engines use measurement metrics, and the website’s backlink profile is highly considered. 

The quantity and quality of backlinks that point to a website are important ranking signals for most search engines, including Google.

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What makes a quality backlink?

There are different factors to consider when determining if a backlink is good quality. These are the features that differentiate a regular backlink from a quality one.

They are:

• Relevance: The link should be related to your content.
• Authority: It should come from a respected source.
• Trustworthiness: From a reliable and trustworthy website.
• Natural: Earned naturally, not bought or forced.
• Diverse: From different types of websites.
• Editorial: placed by editors or authors.
• Contextual: Makes sense in the content.
• Follow Link: Preferably a follow link for SEO.
• Traffic Potential: Can bring visitors to your site.
• Low Spam: Avoid links from spammy sites.
• Anchor Text: The clickable text should make sense.
• Consistent: Build them over time steadily.

How to build quality backlinks to your website in 2024

1. Identify relevant websites.

The first and most crucial step is identifying relevant websites if you want to build quality backlinks.

Relevant websites are websites in the same niche or industry as yours and with a similar target audience. 

When you get a backlink from a relevant website, it tells Google that your website is also relevant to that topic and is a trusted source of information.

There are a few different ways to identify relevant websites for link building:

Search engines

Search engines like Google can help you find websites that rank for keywords related to your niche.

For example, a simple search like ‘SEO blogs’ if you are in the SEO industry can give you more than enough relevant websites.

However, focus on lesser known websites to increase your backlink chances.

Industry directories

Many industry directories list websites by niche. These directories can be a great way to find relevant websites you may not have found otherwise.

Social media

Using social media sites like Twitter and LinkedIn, you can look for relevant websites, bloggers, and influencers in your industry.

Competitor analysis

Look at your competitors’ backlink profiles to see which websites link to them. These websites are likely to be relevant to your business as well.

Here are some additional tips for identifying relevant websites:

• Consider the website’s topic and niche. Is it similar to yours?
• Look at the website’s target audience. Are they the same as yours?
• Check the website’s quality and authority. Is it well-designed and informative? Does it have a good reputation?
• Review the website’s backlink profile. Does it have backlinks from other high-quality websites?

Once you have compiled a list of relevant websites, contact the site’s owners and editors. This strategy increases the likelihood that they will link to your website.

2. Create valuable content.

Another way to build quality backlinks is to invest in quality content creation. 

When you create informative, engaging, and valuable content, other websites are likelier to link to it than ‘ordinary’ content because they want to provide visitors with the best possible resources.

Here are some tips to consider when creating valuable content:

• Write about topics that are important to your target audience. 

What are they interested in? What problems do they have? Write content to help them solve their problems or learn more about the topics they care about.

• Do your research.

Your content must be accurate and up-to-date. Be sure to reference your sources so that readers can learn more about the subjects you are covering.

• Write in a clear and concise style.

Do not use technical terms or jargon that your audience might not understand.

• Make your content visually appealing.

Make your content more engaging by breaking up the text with pictures, videos, and infographics.

• Promote your content.

Share your content on social media, other websites, relevant online communities, and forums. Ask other bloggers and industry influencers to share your content by contacting them.

• Create different types of content.

Create content such as blog posts, articles, infographics, and videos. This will give you a more comprehensive range of content to promote and help you find websites that are interested in linking to it.

• Make sure your content is search engine-friendly. 

It will help people find your content when they search for relevant keywords.

3. Network with bloggers and website owners.

When you contact other website owners and bloggers in your industry, you can build relationships with them. 

Here are some tips for building backlinks through outreach and networking:

• Identify relevant websites and bloggers. 

Make a list of websites and bloggers in your industry relevant to your target audience and likely to oblige your request.

• Personalize your messages. 

Personalize your messages when you contact website owners and bloggers via email or direct messages on social media. 

Address them by name and reference something specific about their website or blog.

• Offer value. 

Don’t just ask for a backlink; instead, suggest a backlink as a reward for a favor you are willing to offer them. Offer to guest blog for them, share their content on your social media channels, or promote their products or services to your audience.

• Be persistent. 

Keep going even if you don’t hear back from everyone you contact. Just keep following up and building relationships.

• Create link roundups or request to be in one. 

Link roundups are blog posts that list links to other websites and articles on a specific topic. 

You can create link roundups to which the websites mentioned will link back. Or, you can reach out to other bloggers in your industry and ask them to include your website in their link roundups.

4. Guest post.

Guest posting is one of the best ways to build quality backlinks, mainly when writing for relevant websites with a significant audience in your niche. 

When you guest post, you write an article for another website in your industry. 

It is a great way to get your content in front of a new audience and build relationships with other website owners.

To build backlinks through guest posting, you need to follow these steps:

• Identify relevant websites.

Make a list of websites in your industry that are relevant to your target audience. You can find relevant websites by using search engines, industry directories, and social media.

• Target high-quality websites.

When you’re guest posting, focus on targeting high-quality websites with a good reputation. This strategy will help you build more valuable backlinks.

• Research the websites.

Once you have a list of relevant websites, take some time to research them. Read their content, see what topics they cover, and identify the authors who write for them.

• Pitch your guest post ideas.

Pitch topics relevant to the website’s audience that you can provide value on.

• Write a high-quality guest post.

Writing a high-quality article is crucial once your guest post pitch is accepted. Make sure your article is well-written, informative, and engaging.

• Include a link back to your website.

Include a link to your website in the author bio of any guest posts you write. It is a crucial step for building backlinks through guest posting.

• Write high-quality content.

The quality of your guest post is essential in determining whether it will be accepted and published. Your guest posts must be well-written, informative, and engaging.

• Promote your guest posts.

Once your guest post has been posted, share it on your website and social media. It will help you get more exposure for your content and build more backlinks.

While you want to guest post for relevant websites in your niche, you can also focus on reaching out to prominent bloggers to either guest post on your website, collaborate on a post, or create a crowdsourced blog post with experts in your industry.

5. Broken link building.

Broken link building is a link-building strategy that entails locating broken links on other websites and notifying the owners. 

They might agree to replace the broken link with a link to your website if you can offer a working link to a resource of a similar nature on your website.

To build quality backlinks using broken link building, you can follow these steps:

• Find broken links.

You can use various tools to find broken links on other websites, such as Google Search Console, Ahrefs, and SEMrush.

• Identify relevant websites.

Once you have a list of broken links, you need to identify the websites they are on. The websites should be relevant to your industry and have a good reputation.

• Reach out to the website owners.

Once you have a list of relevant websites with broken links, you need to contact the website owners and let them know about the broken links. Personalize your messages and offer to provide a working link to a similar resource on your website.

• Follow up.

If you are still waiting to hear back from a website owner, follow up with them. You might need to send a few emails before they respond.

• Be polite and professional.

When you’re reaching out to website owners, be polite and professional. Address them by name and explain why you’re contacting them.

• Make it easy for them to fix the broken link. 

When you offer a working link to a similar resource on your website, make it easy for the website owner to fix the broken link. You can do this by providing them with the exact URL of the resource on your website.

Broken link building is an efficient method for obtaining high-quality backlinks from other websites because it demonstrates your interest in the content and your keen eye, increasing your credibility with the website owner.

6. Directory listings.

Directory listings are an excellent way to develop quality backlinks, particularly for local businesses. 

Directories are websites that list businesses in a particular industry or location. When you create a listing in a directory, you typically need to provide your website address. It is a great way to get backlinks from high-quality websites.

To build quality backlinks using directory listings, you can follow these steps:

• Identify relevant directories.

Make a list of directories that are relevant to your industry and location. You can find directories by searching online or asking other businesses in your industry for recommendations.

• Create listings in the directories.

Once you have a list of relevant directories, create listings in each directory. Also, include your website address in your listing.

• Optimize your listings.

Once you have created listings in the directories, optimize them. This means including relevant keywords in your listing and ensuring your listing is complete and accurate.

• Submit your listings.

Once you have optimized your listings, submit them to the directories. Some directories may review your listings before publication, while others may publish your listings immediately.

• Be complete and accurate.

When creating directory listings, include complete and accurate information about your business. This includes your business name and address, phone number, website address, and email address.

• Use relevant keywords.

When optimizing your directory listings, use relevant keywords. It will help people find your listings when they search for those keywords.

• Monitor your listings.

Once you have submitted your directory listings, monitor them. Your listings must be accurate and up-to-date.

Directory listings are a way to build high-quality backlinks because they practically put you out there and increase your chances of being mentioned in a roundup post. It could be a post of local businesses in a specific area or a roundup post of your type of service in a geographic location.

7. Press releases.

Press releases are a great way to get your company in the news and build backlinks simultaneously. 

When you write a press release, you announce a newsworthy event by your business or website, such as a new product launch, a partnership, or an award. 

You then distribute the press release to journalists or help a reporter using platforms like HARO.

Journalists may write about your press release if it is engaging and well-written, exposing you to a new audience and generating backlinks to your website.

8. Local SEO strategies.

To build quality backlinks using local SEO strategies, you need to focus on getting backlinks from websites that are relevant to your local area. 

This includes websites such as:

• Local news organizations
• Local chambers of commerce and business associations
• Local government websites
• Local universities and colleges
• Local tourism websites
• Local directories and listing websites

You can build backlinks from these websites using a variety of strategies, such as:

• Guest blogging:

Write guest blog posts for local websites and blogs. In your author bio, mention your website with a link. 

• Local citations: 

List your website in all relevant local directories and listings websites, like Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Yellow Pages.

• Local events and sponsorships: 

Sponsor local events and charities. It is a great way to get your name out there and build relationships with local businesses.

• Local outreach: 

Contact other local businesses and ask if they want to link to your website. You can also offer to link to their website in return.

When constructing backlinks using local SEO strategies, it is crucial to concentrate on obtaining backlinks from websites with a solid reputation and relevance to your local area.

Here are some additional pointers for building high-quality backlinks while utilizing local SEO techniques:

• Optimize your website for local search. 

This includes incorporating relevant keywords into your website’s title, meta descriptions, and header tags. Your Google Business Profile should be complete and up-to-date.

• Get involved in your local community. 

Attend local events, join local business associations, and support local charities. This strategy is a great way to build relationships with local businesses and get your name out there.

• Create high-quality, locally relevant content. 

This could include blog posts, articles, infographics, or videos. When you produce high-quality content, other websites are likelier to link to it.

9. Ask for mentions.

Google has stated that social media relevance is not a ranking factor; however, some noticeable trends in social media mentions and SERP rankings indicate this might be a good use.

Having your business mentioned across the web, including on social media platforms, can signal search engines like Google that your website is relevant in your niche.

To build quality backlinks by “asking for mentions,” you need to:

• Focus on high-quality websites and influencers. 

Not all websites and influencers are created equal. Target high-quality websites and influencers with a good reputation when asking for mentions. It will help you build more valuable backlinks.

• Research the websites and influencers. 

Once you have a list of relevant websites and influencers, take some time to research them. Read their content, see what topics they cover, and identify the authors who write for them.

• Reach out to the websites and influencers. 

Personalize your messages and explain why mentioning your website or product would be valuable to them and their audience.

• Make it easy for them to mention you. 

You can do this by providing them with a link to your website and a brief product or service description.

• Don’t be pushy. 

When you ask for a mention, it’s important to remember that you’re asking for a favor. Don’t be pushy or demanding. If a website or influencer says no, don’t take it personally.

• Be patient. 

Building backlinks through the “ask for mentions” method can take time. Keep going even if you don’t see results immediately. Just keep reaching out to websites and influencers and building strategic relationships.

Here are some specific examples of when to ask for mentions:

1. If you have a new product or service, contact relevant bloggers and influencers and ask them to review it. In exchange, you can offer to send them a free sample or to give them exclusive access to your product or service.

2. If you have published a new blog post or article, contact other bloggers and influencers in your industry and ask them to share it. You can also reach out to websites that compile lists of the best blog posts or articles on a particular topic.

3. If you have been featured on another website or publication, you can ask your audience to share the news. You can also contact other websites and publications and ask them to mention your feature.

Asking for mentions is a great way to build quality backlinks, but doing it professionally and respectfully for the websites and influencers you’re contacting is essential. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

When deciding on the exact strategy to build high-quality backlinks, it is crucial to understand that what works for one website may not work for all websites.

Link building is not a one-size-fits-all process. Hence, it is crucial to understand how a website works and conduct proper research before deciding on any link-building strategy. Niche, website structure, and marketing strategy can affect your link-building success rate.

What link-building strategy have you used before, and how well did it work for you?

READ ALSO: Link Building for SEO: The Ultimate Guide + Email Template