Have you noticed that most times, when you search for an answer to a particular question on the Google search box, you’ll get an answer directly on the top of search results?
That’s position zero. Position zero refers to the information box that contains an answer to a user’s search query. It is the first and foremost organic result you’ll find on Google.
It is prominently displayed above all organic search listings and below the top paid ads that answer user queries at the top spot of Google search results.
According to Daniel Sullivan, public liaison for search, he said that Google’s goal is to connect people with useful information as quickly as possible.
Each position zero, also known as a featured snippet, also features the web page’s title and the direct answer to a user query.
Position zero provides invaluable traffic to a website. To be on position zero, you need to adjust your search engine optimization tactics to feature on it.
The search engine decides who gets to be up there. Google selects only relevant content that closely matches users’ queries to feature on position zero.
Google rolled out the feature to help its users quickly find answers to questions they are looking for in the search results.
What is the difference between position zero and other organic search page results?
The difference between a position zero and other organic listing are:
1. Position zero doesn’t appear for all search queries. They only appear for searches in which the user is asking a question.
2. Position zero usually contains a relevant or specific answer to a user’s search query as the description. Standard organic listings typically contain the web page’s meta description.
Suppose you don’t create a meta description or a relevant one for the page you’re trying to rank for. In that case, Google will generate or extract a relevant snippet from the page’s content appropriate to the user’s query.
In comparison, position zero usually contains a relevant answer to the user’s search query as the description.
3. Position zero usually appears for a question-like query from users, and sometimes, they may contain a thumbnail image taken from the webpage or even other sites.
This image makes position zero listings unique compared to organic search page results, typically consisting of only texts.
10 keys to featuring on Google position zero
If your website is ranking on the first page of Google, and you want your result to show on position zero, then you need to optimize your content for SEO. Here are some ways to achieve that.
1. Target questions users are looking for answers to in your content and directly answer the search queries.
2. Ensure your answers are within the range of 40 – 50 words. Your page paragraphs should also fall within this line.
3. Targeting long-tail keywords can also help.
3. Take advantage of frequently answered questions on your pages. Sites have a better chance of ranking if many of their pages answer user questions.
4. Ensure your page information is relevant to the search term and cover the topic thoroughly
5. The structure of your website content can also affect the way your content appears. Depending on the type of content, Google will display answers formatted in a way that makes the most sense.
6. Take advantage of the questions people commonly search on Google and the related searches that other people have done.
You’ll find the “People Also Ask” box under the first result and the “Related Searches” you’ll see at the bottom of the page just before the page navigation.
7. Let keywords flow naturally in your content.
8. If you’re ranking on the first page of Google already for specific content, optimize it. Google chooses snippets from the top 5 page results.
9. Perform keyword research to discover content ranking for the featured snippet position and optimize your website for them.
10. The use of structured data can also help. It helps Google understand if your content is a good match for the query.
The advantages of featuring on position zero
The display of a Featured snippet in Position zero strongly recognizes your site’s authority. It has considerable advantages in terms of SEO:
- High click-through rate (CTR)
- Featured snippets highlight pages that are sometimes not in 1st position.
- People get to know and recognize your website
- Searchers see your website as an authority in that particular topic they search for.
Position zero also has a disadvantage. Some users may not click on it because they’ve already got the answer they are looking for, unlike other search results that compel a user to take action in the meta description.
Bottom Line
As you can see, position zero ranks better than all the search results and provides a brief definition of what a user searched for. It is a great way to drive more traffic to your site. Google rolled it out to display direct answers to user-generated questions.
Many websites are constantly optimizing their content to help users find the content they need as quickly as possible. The key to showing up there lies in keyword research and optimizing your webpage for SEO. Applying the above tactics will help improve your chances of making your pages to position zero.
Image sources: Google
