For many years now, reaching the #1 spot in Google’s search results page has been considered the gold standard of SEO success. Recently, though, things changed in an unexpected way.
Google has made thousands of important adjustments to its algorithms in just the last few years, but one thing remained consistent: The number and format of results displayed on each page.
Now, Google is innovating – and yes, there is a Page Rank Zero.
What Page Rank Zero is and Why It Matters
Since the dawn of the search engine age, marketers have known the higher your page ranks for a query, the more traffic it receives. The vast majority of traffic goes to the first three slots on the page, though some traffic is likely to divert to any result “above the fold.”
Google’s new Featured Snippets mean there is a Page Rank Zero.
Featured Snippets are detailed excerpts from a top-ranked website that usually appear in response to queries Google identifies as a question. The snippet comes from a site that would be displayed somewhere near the top of the first page, as long as it directly answers the question.
(For most of the time Featured Snippets have existed, this has meant a site could show up on the results page twice. Since at least May 2017, however, Google has been testing an approach that would involve removing the site from regular SERPS and only showing the snippet.)
No matter what the future of “Page Rank Zero” is, it’ll remain important.
It is bigger, bolder, and more user-friendly than even the top search position. Plus, it typically includes a photo from the page it references. This means it’s likely to drive more traffic, on average, than a top-ranking site would get without Featured Snippets.
Featured Snippets are great for site owners since, although the snippet demonstrates that a site has an answer the user is looking for, it’s not typically large enough to display the whole answer.
How to Optimize for Page Rank Zero
Google selects Featured Snippets using its search ranking algorithm, then enhances them to make them attractive to Web users. However, you don’t have to drive a page to #1 ranking for a search query to improve its chances of being a Featured Snippet.
At Bluleadz, we’ve had several pages achieve Featured Snippet status. One of our favorites is our feature on Top 3 SMART Goal Examples. You can try it out now: Type in SMART goal examples and you’ll probably see our page, along with one of its illustrations.
So, how can your site benefit from the same level of exposure?
Get Your Page Above the Fold
A page does not need to rank #1 to become a Featured Snippet, but it does need to be on the first page. Some research has suggested that being within results 2-5 is actually better than being #1 if you want to be a Featured Snippet – but this may change as the feature is adjusted.
Emphasize Semantic Relevance to Questions
Featured Snippets aren’t likely to be rolled out to all search results any time soon. For now, they’re usually encountered in “question-form” queries. If your page is answering a question, make sure you are emphasizing natural language expressions of that question in your text.
Use Markup to Your Advantage
To help Google pick up on your question, ensure the question itself appears in a header tag – it can be an H2, H3, or H4. The content you want to display for your Featured Snippet should be in the <p> tag directly below that header. Limit that content to 54-58 words total.
Break Answers into Short Steps
When you break answers down into steps using H2 text, Google sometimes pulls out those subheadings and lists them in the snippet. This breaks down your question into chunks that are easier for the average user to digest, which may influence clickthrough rates.
State Your Answer ... in the Form of an Answer
It might seem obvious, but it’s important to emphasize this: The more your content resembles an answer to a question, the better. Numbered or bulleted lists help, but so do textual clues. Using the format “Step 1 ... Step 2 ...” or “Rule 1 ... Rule 2 ...” will improve your odds.
An SEO Audit Can Help You Reach Snippet Success
If you want to take full advantage of the Featured Snippet, it won’t be enough to rely on the few pages that might be a natural fit. Take a look at your keywords and figure out where you have opportunities to respond to queries that are written in the form of a question.
Once you’ve identified those opportunities, the next step is to structure your content.
If your page is already ranking, then you probably don’t need to change the keyword density or other traditional on-page factors. Zoom in on making sure your questions are clear and answers are expressed in well-formatted, bite-sized pieces.
If you have pages that look perfect for Featured Snippets but haven’t quite broken through to page 1, you may want to emphasize them in your linkbuilding efforts. Once they reach the first page, links and authority signals become much less important in their performance.
As with any SEO change, you should expect to wait a few weeks – at least – before you can start to gather clear data on your results. In some cases, reformatting your page may contribute to a change in its organic search position without having to do any additional off-page work.
Page Rank Zero is In: Featured Snippets are Fun, Fresh, and Useful
Although some people worried that Featured Snippets would give users excuses not to click on results, the opposite seems to be true: Making it to Featured Snippet status imbues a site with a little extra “authority” in the eyes of Web users. That makes a visit more likely, not less.
Be sure to make Featured Snippets part of your SEO strategy for 2017 and beyond!
Rob Steffens
I am the Director of Marketing here at Bluleadz. I'm a huge baseball fan (Go Yankees!). I love spending time with friends and getting some exercise on the Racquetball court.