What Is a Featured Snippet?
A featured snippet is a highlighted answer Google pulls from a web page and displays in a box at the top of the results, designed to answer the query directly. It appears above the standard organic listings, which is why it is called position zero.
For the site that wins it, a featured snippet means prime visibility and often more clicks, plus a position above competitors. Google selects the snippet from a page that answers the query most clearly, almost always one that already ranks on the first page.
Types of Featured Snippets
Featured snippets come in a few formats matched to the query. Paragraph snippets answer definitional or what-is questions in a short block of text. List snippets, ordered or unordered, suit step-by-step processes and collections. Table snippets present data such as comparisons or pricing.
Google chooses the format based on the query, so winning a snippet means structuring your content to match the type that currently appears for that question.
How to Win Featured Snippets
Because snippets are pulled from page-one results, first rank on the first page, then structure the answer for extraction. After a heading that mirrors the exact question, give a concise, self-contained answer of roughly 40 to 60 words that stands alone.
Match the format to the query type, support the concise answer with comprehensive content, and use clear headings and FAQ sections. These same patterns also win AI Overview citations, so optimizing for snippets doubles as answer engine optimization.