AI search and AEO
Featured snippets
Also called Position zero
A featured snippet is a highlighted answer Google shows above the regular results, quoted from one web page, often as a paragraph, a list or a table.
How to win a featured snippet
- Rank on the first page for the question first; snippets come from pages that rank.
- Use the question as a heading, and answer it in 40 to 60 words right below.
- For steps, use a numbered list; for comparisons, use a table.
- Keep the answer self-contained, so it makes sense out of context.
Why snippets matter for AEO
The same qualities that win snippets, direct answers and clean structure, make pages easy for AI tools to quote. Snippet work is usually the first step of an AEO program.
Frequently asked questions
Often, for questions that need more detail. For simple facts, people may read the snippet and not click.
Not directly, but a clear, well-placed answer makes the part you want the most likely choice.